January 8, 2004

What is the 2004 Georgia Flag Fair Vote bill?   We're glad you asked...

Fairness, that's not too much to ask.  Poll after poll after poll has shown that the majority of Georgians favor the 1956 flag of honor and that a majority of Georgians favor AT LEAST allowing the People of Georgia to vote on all the recent flags.  No reasonable person can argue that a flag with overwhelming support (50-plus percent in numerous recent polls) should be omitted from the referendum as a choice.  In fact, most people would argue that it's ridiculous...scandalous...OUTRAGEOUS, that the 1956 flag of honor was omitted as a choice in the bill signed into law in 2003.

WHY was the 1956 flag omitted as a choice?  That is an EXCELLENT question.

Everyone with a pulse and a functioning brain knows that changing the flag in 2001 led DIRECTLY to the defeat of one-term Governor Roy Barnes.  People all across Georgia were outraged at having their flag stolen by corrupt politicians in a backroom deal.  These people from various backgrounds and interests took to the streets in a massive (repeat, massive) grass-roots effort to unseat Governor Barnes and elect someone who would allow the People to decide which flag will represent Georgians. In addition to Barnes, the political carnage included long-term Speaker of the House Tom Murphy and a host of other TurnCoats who were put out of office.

The corrupt factions ( AKA, the Southern Cultural Assassins cartel ) that persuaded Barnes to make such a monumental mistake convinced him with money.  They promised and they delivered a massive campaign war chest ($money$).  All the political pundits proclaimed that Barnes was "politically invincible" with such a campaign fund, especially against a relatively unknown state Senator with almost no money and from a Party that had not held the Governor's mansion since the Reconstruction period.  Sonny Perdue promised to restore integrity to state government, he promised to make ethics a priority with his administration and finally, he promised the people a vote on the state flag that would include the 1956 flag of honor. 

Shock waves rippled across the country and state when Barnes was defeated.  Many of us saw it coming.  Sure, we knew it would be close because of the money Barnes spent on advertising.  But we had grass-roots motivation on our side and everywhere (literally EVERYWHERE) one looked across the state there were BOOT BARNES signs and 1956 flags flying.  The election of Sonny Perdue in November 2002 was a state-wide mandate for a fair vote on the state flag.  Again, the ONLY WAY to get a fair vote is to include the flag the majority of Georgians want---the 1956 flag.

Following his inauguration in early 2003, Sonny Perdue introduced a bill (then known as HB 380) that included the 1956 flag.  The debate raged.  It appeared that in late April---despite the best efforts of heritage haters and bigots from Georgia and elsewhere-----the people were going to get a fair vote.  But at the last minute, another corrupt deal was brokered.  In the end, the legislature voted to cram another politician's flag down our throats, and to add insult to injury, they scheduled a referendum for the people to select from two politician's flags.  The "choice" was between the flag described by flag experts (the North American Vexillological Association) as "the ugliest flag in North America," the ugly blue "Barnes Rag" of 2001 and the Sonny Perdue/Tyrone Brooks flag of 2003.  Folks, that's not a choice, that's an insult.

Sonny Perdue had the option to VETO this corrupted deal and demand a Fair Vote for Georgia.  Thousands of Georgians asked him to VETO it.  In the end, he did not Veto it and the deal was sealed. Perdue then had the audacity to say that he kept his promise and the issue was resolved.  Not yet, Sonny!  It's NOT OVER!  If you don't support a Fair Vote, you will be another one-term governor, just like Barnes.  We have been assured by numerous people in the Republican party that Sonny Perdue will support a Fair Vote bill and sign it into law if it passes the General Assembly.  Many Georgia politicians---from both parties---are tired of being human shields for the leaders of their parties.

The referendum scheduled for March 2004 is a total and complete WASTE of TAXPAYER DOLLARS!  It will not resolve anything.  When a majority over fifty percent of Georgians believe that the 1956 flag MUST be included to resolve the question, WHY are our representatives wasting our money for a meaningless referendum?  That is the key question you should pose to your Senators and your Representatives!  Regardless of their preference for the state flag, WHY would any legislator oppose letting the People decide and having ALL the flags as a choice in order to settle the issue?

The Georgia Heritage Coalition has been working as the People's voice to gain legislative support for a new flag referendum.  This new bill will include all three recent Georgia flags.  It's the only way to fairly resolve the question and it seeks to supercede the meaningless March referendum. 

Please join us to pursue fairness, to resolve the state flag issue and to nullify the March referendum.  We will hold a press conference in the near future to announce our bill and its legislative sponsors and supporters.   Please do all you can to let your legislators and the governor know you support the Georgia Flag Fair Vote bill.