Sound Off for July 7, 2020

Just in time

Whew! I’m so glad the governor signed the bill to repeal Prohibition. The squabbles over the flag, the virus, politics, etc. have all driven me to drink!

Mask wearing

Keep it up South Mississippi. I was out in Ocean Springs, Biloxi, and Gulfport and saw more people wearing masks than not wearing masks. Thanks to all of you who care enough about your neighbors to cover it up!

Beg and plead

I thank Reeves for reiterating the seriousness of COVID. However I disagree that stricter guidelines wouldn’t work because people aren’t following the guidelines already set out. I guarantee if there were actual consequences people would listen. A fine for not wearing a mask can and will get attention. A few examples would be all it takes. Begging and pleading aren’t working.

Racism

With the removal of each historical symbol can’t you feel racism melting away? Yeah, me either.

Will it never end?

I was not that enamored with the state flag. I just felt that changing it without a referendum was “a bridge too far.” Many of the 82 counties are named after Confederate generals, slave-holding presidents, segregationists, etc. Are we to rename them all? Of course, Stennis had a segregationist past. But he did a lot of good for the state, including, but not limited to Stennis Space Center, naval expansion at Ingalls and much more. The jobs involved benefit all races. Remember what Shakespeare said: “The evil that men do lives after them, the good is oft interred with the bones.”

White flag

Wasn't the Confederate flag already a flag of surrender? As I recall, they did lose.

Easy way

They took the easy way out. To ensure they had some control, they changed it now instead of waiting to let voters decide. But what have they, our governor and legislators, done? They have opened us up to more lawsuits; they have alienated more Mississippians by requiring “their” religious belief be added to the flag. Don’t get me wrong, I am a Christian, but when creating a new, inclusive flag how would you like “in Buddha; in Jehovah; in Allah or in Yahweh we trust” on the flag?

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This story was originally published July 6, 2020 at 11:29 AM with the headline "Sound Off for July 7, 2020."