Down came the flag

Three years ago today I witnessed history in the making just blocks away from my office. Three years ago today, the Confederate Flag was lowered and removed from the SC Statehouse grounds.

Confederate flag flying at the StatehouseI can’t believe that it has been three years or that it was on this day. But because of Facebook, there are ways for memories to reappear like they were yesterday.

Watching the Confederate flag come down

I knew that I wanted to be out among people when the Confederate flag came down. The South Carolina Statehouse is two blocks away from the office so it made sense to be there and watch it happen.

Confederate flag gone from SC Statehouse

Some spectators dressed in Confederate uniforms and carrying Confederate flags to show their support for the flag. However, the majority of the people gathered on the statehouse grounds appeared to be there in support of the monumental removal.

The state’s color guard marched out to lower the flag before marching back toward the state Capitol and handing the flag to the curator of the Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum.

It was ceremonial for sure. If I remember correctly it was pretty quiet at first. The flag flew high from the monument on the grounds. It seemed like it took a long time to lower, but it wasn’t. The skies were clear and it slowly came down the pole til it was no longer there. Once it was no longer in sight, the crowd erupted in cheers and claps.

Different perspective

I grew up in New Jersey and was not really so keenly aware of the flag before moving here. If I am to be honest, I watched the Dukes of Hazard at different points of my life and a few other things that now make me shake my head.

There are plenty of issues up north in regards to race and identity. Heck, when I was deciding on my first college I received a copy of an article about the KKK near the college campus I decided to go to when I graduated high school. I never showed it to anyone and don’t recall who it came from. I shoved it in my top dresser drawer as if it didn’t exist.

Anyhow, as an adult I have become keenly aware of injustices in our country and around the world.

Signs of racial injustice were and are very visible. It’s as if we are going backwards in time and societal ills versus moving forward. The Confederate flag doesn’t cure all things or heal all wounds, but it does help move things or at least open dialogues with people.

The Confederate flag here in South Carolina was just one relic of the past that was taken down in our country. More have come down since then. More still needs to happen in our country, but it coming down in South Carolina was a start to heal some wounds.

 

 

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