Commissioners face Confederate flag issue
- December 9, 2014
- / Mollye Barrows
- / government
Col. Jim Smith is retired from the U.S. Marine Corps and an active member of Pensacola’s chapter of Civitan International. He attends meetings for the volunteer service club every two weeks at the Pensacola Bay Center, where the last Confederate battle flag flies on public property.
It’s part of the “City of Five Flags” display outside the main entrance.
“Right off the bat, that flag stood out to me,” said Smith, who is black. “It’s been an issue with black members who attend the meetings, because it’s not in line with the other flags in the city. We’ve had guests who’ve asked, ‘Why is this flying over a public building?’”
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Want to go?
The Escambia County Commission meets at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 11 in commission chambers
The County Commission meeting is Thursday at 5:30 p.m. in commission chambers in the Ernie Lee Magaha, 221 Palafox Place, Pensacola.
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Escambia Commissioner Grover Robinson is asking the same question and he hopes his fellow commissioners will consider changing it. This Thursday, commissioners will decide if they want to discuss the issue and vote on it in February.
“Is this the right symbol to represent Escambia County?” Robinson says. “I think the City of Pensacola got it right when they changed their Confederate flag to the one they use now.
“We’ve got to find the flag that represents Southern heritage, but not the 160 years of racism and segregation that followed after the Civil War.”
[caption id="attachment_12395" align="alignright" width="300"]
The flags including the Confederate flag flying over the Pensacola Bay Center. Michael Spooneybarger/ Pensacola Today[/caption]
For decades, both the city and county flew the widely recognized version of the Confederate flag, known as the “rebel flag,” or “Dixie flag.” Although it never historically represented the Confederate States of America, it was the adopted battle flag of the Army of Northern Virginia. Over time, it became a racially charged symbol, associated with white Southern defiance in the face of desegregation orders.
In 2000, the City of Pensacola replaced it with what historians call the true “Stars and Bars.” It was the Confederacy’s original national flag. City leaders felt the historically accurate emblem better reflected Pensacola’s Southern heritage and wasn’t a symbol that created conflict.
Escambia Commissioners voted at the time to keep the battle flag.
Every “five flags” display in the city now flies the “Stars and Bars,” except the one at the Pensacola Bay Center, which is county-owned property.
“The city’s done it for 15 years now,” Robinson says. “Changing the flag in front of the Bay Center won’t change who we are. We will still honor the past, but replace it with a symbol that is more inclusive.”
Smith points out that other organizations in the area also use the historically accurate “Stars and Bars” flag, including “Five Flags Speedway,” and the City of Milton, in their six flag display on U.S. 90.
Robinson knows it’s an emotional issue.
Local radio personality and comedian T. Bubba Bechtol was the one who brought the flag to his attention after he had friends from South Carolina who commented on it.
“They showed me a picture of it,” Bechtol said. “I couldn’t believe it. I was appalled.”
[caption id="attachment_12400" align="alignright" width="960"]
The flags including the Confederate flag flying over the Pensacola Bay Center. Michael Spooneybarger/ Pensacola Today[/caption]
Bechtol has a radio program that airs on more than 300 stations. The Southern humorist has a downhome flair, but he decided not to talk about the flag flap on his show because he didn’t want to sensationalize the controversial topic.
He did call Robinson, his county commissioner, to tell him the flag should go.
“The character I play, that’s what I do, not who I am,” Bechtol says. “I turned that page a long time ago.”
He hopes others in the community agree.
Jim Smith had also been pushing other city and county leaders to address it for more than a year, but had not yet approached Robinson.
“I am so excited,” Smith said. “It needs to happen, but in a professional way like this. Not in a traditional civil rights manner. I think it’s a Godsend.”
The flags including the Confederate flag flying over the Pensacola Bay Center. Michael Spooneybarger/ Pensacola Today[/caption]
For decades, both the city and county flew the widely recognized version of the Confederate flag, known as the “rebel flag,” or “Dixie flag.” Although it never historically represented the Confederate States of America, it was the adopted battle flag of the Army of Northern Virginia. Over time, it became a racially charged symbol, associated with white Southern defiance in the face of desegregation orders.
In 2000, the City of Pensacola replaced it with what historians call the true “Stars and Bars.” It was the Confederacy’s original national flag. City leaders felt the historically accurate emblem better reflected Pensacola’s Southern heritage and wasn’t a symbol that created conflict.
Escambia Commissioners voted at the time to keep the battle flag.
Every “five flags” display in the city now flies the “Stars and Bars,” except the one at the Pensacola Bay Center, which is county-owned property.
“The city’s done it for 15 years now,” Robinson says. “Changing the flag in front of the Bay Center won’t change who we are. We will still honor the past, but replace it with a symbol that is more inclusive.”
Smith points out that other organizations in the area also use the historically accurate “Stars and Bars” flag, including “Five Flags Speedway,” and the City of Milton, in their six flag display on U.S. 90.
Robinson knows it’s an emotional issue.
Local radio personality and comedian T. Bubba Bechtol was the one who brought the flag to his attention after he had friends from South Carolina who commented on it.
“They showed me a picture of it,” Bechtol said. “I couldn’t believe it. I was appalled.”
[caption id="attachment_12400" align="alignright" width="960"]
The flags including the Confederate flag flying over the Pensacola Bay Center. Michael Spooneybarger/ Pensacola Today[/caption]
Bechtol has a radio program that airs on more than 300 stations. The Southern humorist has a downhome flair, but he decided not to talk about the flag flap on his show because he didn’t want to sensationalize the controversial topic.
He did call Robinson, his county commissioner, to tell him the flag should go.
“The character I play, that’s what I do, not who I am,” Bechtol says. “I turned that page a long time ago.”
He hopes others in the community agree.
Jim Smith had also been pushing other city and county leaders to address it for more than a year, but had not yet approached Robinson.
“I am so excited,” Smith said. “It needs to happen, but in a professional way like this. Not in a traditional civil rights manner. I think it’s a Godsend.”
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