Let me give you a clear description of the Georgia Heritage Coalition. We are a group of members and leaders of more than a dozen organizations in Georgia who are dedicated to religious issues, veterans and military issues, education issues, heritage, history and ancestors dating to the Oglethorpe Colony and all political parties who choose to join us.

Each of the organizations represented acts independently. Many are tax exempt corporations. The primary function of GHC is one of coordination and centralization of the projects undertaken by the group. GHC is governed by a Steering Committee comprised of volunteer participants.

While the spotlight recently has been focused on the GHC efforts for the State Flag Fair Vote Act, I invite your attention to our website, georgiaheritagecouncil.org to see the variety of programs and interests the organization is involved in. Our website is ranked 2nd in Georgia political Internet sites for traffic, far ahead of the major political parties and all political columnists. It has had more than 30,000 visitors in one day. Despite some erroneous and misleading news stories this past weekend, we are here today to announce the support we have in the Georgia General Assembly for the State Flag Fair Vote Act. Copies of the draft bill created by GHC were distributed about a week ago. Jim Dean has extra copies for those who need one.

It should be emphasized GHC is non-partisan and the Flag Fair Vote Act is bipartisan. In this regard we have left the decision to the legislative supporters of the bill in each house to select the sponsors and the leaders. This announcement will be forthcoming.

The Georgia Heritage Coalition got involved in the state flag issue because most of our heritage partners were inundated by their members to undertake an aggressive program to correct the wrongs of the past two legislative sessions and the two governors who have been involved in Georgia having three different flags in three years.

The people have had no voice or vote in the secret backroom rigging that has arrogantly denied them a free and fair choice of their flag. The people are angrier today than they were in the last election. Through GHC they are many times better organized. They get angrier every time a Southern symbol is called a “swastika,” and General Robert E. Lee is called a “Nazi.” All fair minded people dislike this hate propaganda and racial divisiveness regardless of where they live.

The rigged and brokered referendum for March is NOT a choice but rather is an insult to the voters who merely want a fair chance to select their flag without politicians disqualifying one of the leading contenders. Nothing can be honestly decided when a leading contender is CONSPICUOUSLY missing from the selection.

Is it really fair to schedule a referendum in conjunction with a presidential preference primary (in March) that will possibly be over for one party and uncontested by the other party? Nothing will be settled on the flag issue and the only known result will be the waste of taxpayer money which must be placed at the feet of the wheeling-dealing legislators who rigged this whole deal.

The Fair Vote Act calls for a referendum in connection with the general primary elections for all state offices for both parties. This election traditionally has a good turnout with a balance from both parties in July. When enacted, the Flag Fair Vote Act will nullify the results of the March flag referendum and give the people a full freedom of choice between each of the three flags that have flown over the state in the past three years. This is the only way this flag question will ever be resolved and it's the only fair solution. Allow the people a fair vote and let the chips fall where they may.

This groundswell of grass roots voters is one of the largest vote blocks in Georgia. When motivated, heritage voters cross party lines and can put together an effective 250,000 to 350,000 votes state-wide for or against a candidate or an issue. This voter strength is admittedly in suburban and rural areas where the average House district has approximately 3,000 votes that are heritage related. In the average Senate district, this number grows to almost 10,000.

Evidence of this block of votes cannot be denied from the results of the most recent statewide elections when heritage voters scored some serious upsets from the top down to the district level.

To our good Georgia citizens who are tired of being defied and manipulated, call or write or e-mail your Representative and Senator and let them know how you feel about fairness over arrogance and secret back room deals. Let them know the voters are angry.

Jeff Davis
Chairman, Georgia Heritage Coalition