Outside the Beltway

Florida Senate Ditches Battle Flag

Steven L. Taylor · Tuesday, October 20, 2015 · 4 comments

Via the Miami Herald: Florida Senate jettisons Confederate battle flag from seal

A polarizing symbol is disappearing from the Florida Senate, after senators endorsed a proposal Monday to remove the Confederate battle flag from their official seal.

[…]

Monday’s vote used a procedural method that didn’t require senators to record “yes” or “no” votes. Because no one voiced objections, the seal change was approved.

[…]

There’s no timeline or cost estimate available for changing the seal, but Senate spokeswoman Katie Betta previously said the expense should be “minimal.”

Good for the Florida State Senate.

Interestingly, the battle flag has only been on the seal since 1972.

FILED UNDER: US Politics, Florida

About Steven L. Taylor

Steven L. Taylor is a Professor of Political Science and a College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog). Follow Steven on Twitter

Comments

Liberal Cpaitalist. says:

Tuesday, 20 October 2015 at 14:06

… good.
OzarkHillbilly says:

Tuesday, 20 October 2015 at 15:31

Interestingly, the battle flag has only been on the seal since 1972.

That’s how long they’ve been celebrating their “southern heritage.”
Tyrell says:

Sunday, 25 October 2015 at 11:34

@Liberal Cpaitalist.: I had seen very few of those flags until the last few months. Since summer, I have seen them on pickup trucks, car tags, houses, and business windows. One of the local stores can’t keep them on the shelves. There is a lesson there somewhere.
al-Ameda says:

Tuesday, 27 October 2015 at 18:26

@Tyrell:

I had seen very few of those flags until the last few months. Since summer, I have seen them on pickup trucks, car tags, houses, and business windows. One of the local stores can’t keep them on the shelves. There is a lesson there somewhere.

I suppose the lesson is: Many people still love a flag that is (to millions of people) a symbol of slavery, apartheid and segregation.