OXFORD, Miss. — A historic vote on the University of Mississippi’s campus will determine whether the state flag continues to fly there.
Some students want it removed because it includes an image of the Confederate Flag.
Allen Coon with the Associated Student Body will be one of the student leaders voting on whether to remove the state flag from campus Tuesday, and his feelings on the issue could not be more clear.
“It’s not fair to have students everyday have to confront a symbol that they feel oppresses them, that makes them feel as though they’re excluded,” he said
Students recently rallied in support of removing the flag. Others protested it.
Some, like student Tyler McIntyre, insist the state flag, including the confederate imagery, represents history and heritage, not racism.
“Racism is in the people. It’s not in a flag,” he said. “Taking down a flag is not going to take away racism.”
Others, like student Jamaya Nunaley, said it is impossible to separate the two.
“It’s just not right,” she said. “It doesn’t make us feel equal here.”
Nunaley said she is confident student leaders will vote to remove the flag.
“All colors of skin were at the rally, so I feel like most of them think it should come down too.”
If that is the case, Coon said he hopes the decision will send a powerful message, and possibly even lead to a new state flag being designed.
“I feel like taking down the state flag at the flagship university of the state of Mississippi would send a powerful message to legislators in Jackson.”
The ASB meeting will be held Tuesday at 7 p.m.
