Resolution would ban flying rebel flag on Ohio public property

By Marc Kovac | December 1, 2016 at 12:02a.m.

COLUMBUS

The Ohio House and Senate had hearings this week on resolutions urging an end to the flying of the Confederate flag on public property.

Neither of the symbolic gestures, sponsored by Democratic lawmakers in the two chambers, is expected to move during the waning days of the general assembly’s lame-duck session.

But sponsoring members of the Ohio Senate and House did get an opportunity to voice their support and urge adoption and forwarding of the language to the governor and legislative leaders in the state of South Carolina and to Ohio news media.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 7 notes the “rebel flag can still be seen on government property in at least nine states.”

The flag, the resolution reads, “is a symbol of oppression and racial hatred rooted in the legacy of African-American enslavement” and “remains a symbol of racial oppression and violence, even after the emancipation of slaves, Reconstruction and the Civil Rights Movement.”

SCR 7 also calls for “retailers throughout Ohio to remove rebel flag merchandise from their inventories.”

Such resolutions are formal statements of lawmakers’ positions on issues and do not change state law or institute requirements for businesses or agencies.

Sen. Cecil Thomas, D-Cincinnati, told the Senate’s Government Oversight and Reform Committee on Wednesday the rebel flag should have been removed from government-owned facilities across the country after the Civil War, in the same way Nazi flags were in Germany after World War II.

“Adolf Hitler, under the banner of the Nazi flag, a symbol of bigotry, hatred and racism, murdered over 6 million Jews,” Thomas said. “In addition, under this same flag, millions of lives were lost as a result of World War II, known as the deadliest conflict in human history. When the Nazis surrendered, the flag was removed permanently from all government facilities. Simply put, the loser’s flag came down.”

He added, “In my humble opinion, there is no honor, respect or dignity or heritage in a representing bigotry, hatred and racism.”