Looks like the athletic dept finally...

[dawgstudent]

Came out against the current state flag.

 

[121Josey]

What about people who don't rewind their movie rentals?**

 

[GloryDawg]

10 years from now it will still be the State Flag.

 

[patdog]

Not a chance. The question isn't if we will change the state flag, it's when and what will the new one look like.

 

[57stratdawg]

Sucks Mullen didn't get the memo before media days.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

There will be a ballot initiative eventually and the current flag will win. It's not going to change.

 

[drt7891]

Unfortunately, this is how I feel like this will play out. Congress will banter about it some, then decide to leave it to the voters, and nothing will change. The circle of Mississippi continuing to be dead last in everything will continue without a single hiccup.

I would really hope the legislature will take hold of this issue and vote to make the change, but this is Mississippi, so that won't happen.

 

[aTotal360]

I'll say this...if the people who want it changed, really want it changed, they better get out and vote. The people still holding on to the old flag are going to mobilize. While I think it's a no-brainer, I think the vote will be very close.

 

[fishwater99]

Where was the MSU president's signature on this letter. It was missing and the Bears had past and current chancellor on it.

 

[drt7891]

I was just about to post this very thing. I wonder if that has something to do with the "softness" of our response on the issue?

 

[ronpolk]

There will be a ballot initiative eventually and the current flag will win. It's not going to change.

Does this have to go to a state wide vote or can the legislature make the change? Unfortunately, I agree that it stands no chance with a state wide vote.

 

[drt7891]

I'm pretty sure the legislature can change it, but many representatives would likely pass the buck off to the voters so they don't have to stand on the issue (and risk losing future votes/terms). In some areas of the state, taking a stand for change can be political suicide.

 

[Lawdawg.sixpack]

The people still holding on to the old flag are going to immobilize. While I think it's a no-brainer, I think the vote will be very close.

Not if one side is immobilized....

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

I'm sure someone in the legislature will submit a bill to change the flag and it will die in committee. They will wash their hands of it and leave it up to a ballot initiative.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

I replied to the wrong post but I replied above with how it will go down in the legislature. They will do just enough to say they tried.

 

[RebelBruiser]

I'm pretty sure the legislature can change it, but many representatives would likely pass the buck off to the voters so they don't have to stand on the issue (and risk losing future votes/terms). In some areas of the state, taking a stand for change can be political suicide.

Yes, the legislature COULD hold a special session tomorrow and vote to change it, and it would change.

The state flag does not have to go to a referendum. The legislature is elected to handle things just like this, without having to poll the people.

The only reason they did so in 2001 was to pass the buck and not have to make a stand for what's right on their own. They'll likely do the same thing here in the near future, because the majority of the legislature is spineless, so they'll refuse to actually vote on it themselves without the backing of a referendum.

While I do think the 65/35 result from 2001 will have shifted a good bit closer to 50/50, I don't have faith that the state would vote to make the change, and the legislature will stand by that vote rather than doing what's right.

That way we can continue to make sure we stay 50th in everything good, where we're most comfortable.

 

[aTotal360]

too shay. fixed.

 

[drt7891]

The other problem with the 2001 referendum is that it was NOT a vote to keep the old flag so much as a choice presented between one flag and a replacement flag. That's also why I think the argument people keep using of "well, the people voted in 2001 to keep it" is complete ********. The voters were given choice A and choice B. They did NOT vote on whether or not to change it. Big difference.

The legislature needs to gut up and take control of this issue and not pass the buck off again. Alabama, Georgia, and now South Carolina's legislatures have all made the change and, again, we hold true to waiting to be dead last in this fixing this issue. And I have no faith our legislature will come through.

 

[RebelBruiser]

And to your point on both Georgia and South Carolina, polls showed that both states had a majority that were against removal of the flags they removed. One might also argue that the Georgia governor lost the next election because of the flag change and the fact that he stood behind it.

But yes, our legislature will likely either do nothing or pass the buck again in another year or two if the heat stays on them to do something. Then they'll do nothing after having passed the buck. Welcome to Mississippi, the land of morons.

 

[GloryDawg]

The problem is there are a lot of people like me who don't care one way or another. If you take the ones who care the keep the flag crowd is more motivated.

 

[fishwater99]

I am pretty sure the speaker will bring it up in a bill in the next session, where it goes from there???
I doubt the Senate will even bring it to the floor for a vote...

 

[GhostOfJackie]

Unfortunately, this is how I feel like this will play out. Congress will banter about it some, then decide to leave it to the voters, and nothing will change. The circle of Mississippi continuing to be dead last in everything will continue without a single hiccup.

I would really hope the legislature will take hold of this issue and vote to make the change, but this is Mississippi, so that won't happen.

Because we all know our state flag is the reason we are dead last in everything.

Our state flag is the reason our public education system is abysmal. Our state flag causes so many Mississippians tend to sit on their fat asses all day and not exercise. Our state flag is the reason we are last in nearly every health related category. Our state flag is the reason so many Mississippians are jobless and depending on government to sustain them for life.

Come on man.

 

[patdog]

Because we all know our state flag is the reason we are dead last in everything.

The flag isn't the cause of us being last in everything. But it is a strong symbol of why we are last in everything.

 

[patdog]

I'm still convinced the 2001 referendum was a setup. The commission intentionally gave us the most butt-ugly flag they could come up with as an alternative so few people would vote for it.

 

[drt7891]

I didn't say that it was the reason we are last in everything. But until we start Making changes, we will keep being last in everything. Symbolically, I think it'd be a great start toward making positive changes.

 

[ronpolk]

And to your point on both Georgia and South Carolina, polls showed that both states had a majority that were against removal of the flags they removed. One might also argue that the Georgia governor lost the next election because of the flag change and the fact that he stood behind it.

But yes, our legislature will likely either do nothing or pass the buck again in another year or two if the heat stays on them to do something. Then they'll do nothing after having passed the buck. Welcome to Mississippi, the land of morons.

Well come January, Phil needs to come out in support of changing the flag. After November, he will not have another election to worry about winning. This being an election year no one is going to call a special session but hopefully they (being the gov and house and senate) will do the right thing in the 2016 session. Hopefully, we will legislate a change and allow the public to decide the new flag from 3 or 4 options. In the short term these guys will take a hit but it'll be old news a couple years down the road.