More Calls for Removal of Confederate Battle Flag

More Calls for Removal of Confederate Battle Flag

The governor of South Carolina, Nikki Haley, has called on state lawmakers to remove the Confederate battle flag from the state capitol. She says the flag is an important part of the state’s history, but it is not a symbol of the state’s future.

“We are here in a moment of unity¹ in our state, without ill will, to say it’s time to move the flag from the Capitol grounds.”

The debate about the flag has grown stronger since a deadly shooting on June 17. Nine members of an African-American church in Charleston, South Carolina were shot and killed. The suspected killer² is a 21-year-old white man.

Dylann Roof reportedly accepted the flag as a symbol of white supremacy³ -- the belief that white people are better than all others, especially black people. Photographs of Mr. Roof show him waving a Confederate battle flag and burning a U.S. flag.

A powerful symbol

The Confederate battle flag was one of the symbols of the Confederate States of America, or the Confederacy. The Confederacy was a group of Southern, slave-holding states that left the U.S. in 1861. The Confederacy lost the war for independence and re-joined the U.S. four years later.

In 1961, South Carolina raised the Confederate battle flag over the State House to recognize the 100-year anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War. After protest from civil rights activists⁴ in 2000, the flag was moved to a monument for Confederate soldiers on the State House lawn.

Some states, including Virginia, offer automobile⁵ license⁶ plates with images of the battle flag. But this month the United States Supreme⁷ Court announced that states are permitted to limit license plate designs. Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe says he is taking measures to remove the battle flag image from license plates made by the state.

In the southern state of Mississippi, the official state flag includes parts of the Confederate battle flag. In 2001, Mississippi residents voted to keep the Confederate symbol in their flag. But this week one of the top lawmakers has joined other protestors in calling for changes to the state flag.

Divided views

To some, the Confederate battle flag represents an honorable part of Southern history. South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley noted⁹ that many people in the state link the flag to traditions of history, heritage and ancestry¹⁰.

To others, the Confederate battle flag represents slavery and a long history of racism¹¹. Even after the Civil War effectively ended slavery, many U.S. policies permitted the South to continue to separate white and black people. Images of the Confederate battle flag became popular in the mid-20th century to challenge efforts to improve civil rights laws for African-Americans.

Mitch McConnell is the Senate majority leaders. He says the battle flag is “a painful reminder¹² of racial oppression.”

Former Republican presidential candidate Mitt⁸ Romney called the flag a “symbol of racial hatred¹³.” His statement put pressure on Republican presidential candidates to discuss the subject of race in their campaigns.

President Barack Obama has said the Confederate battle flag belongs in a museum. But he says states have the right to decide how to deal with the issue. 

No matter what state lawmakers decide, Americans will still be free to display the flag on their private property.

Words in This Story

white supremacy – n. the belief that the white race is better than all other races and should have control of all other races

Confederacy – n. the group of 11 southern states that separated themselves from the U.S. during the American Civil War

designs – n. decorations, such as pictures or shapes

heritage – n. the traditions, achievements or beliefs that are part of the history of a group or nation

civil rights – n. the rights that every person should have regardless of his or her sex, race or religion

1 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

2 killer   

n.杀人者，杀人犯，杀手，屠杀者

参考例句：

• Heart attacks have become Britain's No.1 killer disease.心脏病已成为英国的头号致命疾病。
• The bulk of the evidence points to him as her killer.大量证据证明是他杀死她的。

3 supremacy   

n.至上；至高权力

参考例句：

• No one could challenge her supremacy in gymnastics.她是最优秀的体操运动员，无人能胜过她。
• Theoretically,she holds supremacy as the head of the state.从理论上说，她作为国家的最高元首拥有至高无上的权力。

4 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 automobile   

n.汽车，机动车

参考例句：

• He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
• The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。

6 license   

n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许

参考例句：

• The foreign guest has a license on the person.这个外国客人随身携带执照。
• The driver was arrested for having false license plates on his car.司机由于使用假车牌而被捕。

7 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

8 mitt   

n.棒球手套，拳击手套，无指手套；vt.铐住，握手

参考例句：

• I gave him a baseball mitt for his birthday.为祝贺他的生日，我送给他一只棒球手套。
• Tom squeezed a mitt and a glove into the bag.汤姆把棒球手套和手套都塞进袋子里。

9 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

10 ancestry   

n.祖先，家世

参考例句：

• Their ancestry settled the land in 1856.他们的祖辈1856年在这块土地上定居下来。
• He is an American of French ancestry.他是法国血统的美国人。

11 racism   

n.民族主义；种族歧视(意识)

参考例句：

• He said that racism is endemic in this country.他说种族主义在该国很普遍。
• Racism causes political instability and violence.种族主义道致政治动荡和暴力事件。

12 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。

13 hatred   

n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨

参考例句：

• He looked at me with hatred in his eyes.他以憎恨的眼光望着我。
• The old man was seized with burning hatred for the fascists.老人对法西斯主义者充满了仇恨。