Connect with us

Politics

NAACP Wants Confederate Symbols Taken Off Georgia Property

Published

on

The sculpture at Stone Mountain Park in Georgia. (AP Photo)

The sculpture at Stone Mountain Park in Georgia. (AP Photo)

KATHLEEN FOODY, Associated Press

ATLANTA (AP) — The president of the Atlanta NAACP says the civil rights group wants Confederate symbols — including a giant carving at Stone Mountain Park — removed from all government-owned property and plans to pursue making those changes during the next legislative session.

Some who support flying the Confederate battle flag say the symbol represents Southern heritage and pride in Civil War-era leaders. However, Atlanta NAACP President Richard Rose and others have argued the flag is a divisive symbol and white supremacy is at the heart of the heritage the flag celebrates.

The Confederate battle flag has come under renewed scrutiny in the weeks since nine black churchgoers were fatally shot during Bible study in Charleston, South Carolina.

Dylann Storm Roof, a white man who was photographed with the flag several times, is charged in the shooting deaths and authorities are investigating the killings as a hate crime.

Stone Mountain — roughly 15 miles (24 kilometers) east of downtown Atlanta — features a large carving of Jefferson Davis, who was president of the Confederacy of secessionist, pro-slavery southern states in the 1861-1865 American Civil War, and Confederate generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson. The white supremacist Ku Klux Klan also once held notorious cross-burnings and organizational meetings there.

A battle flag at the park was stolen from its pole but was replaced less than an hour after authorities noticed it was missing, Stone Mountain Memorial Association spokesman John Bankhead said last week.

Although the park is state property, it doesn’t receive state funding and operates by using entrance fees and other income the park generates, Bankhead said. Any changes at the park would also require approval from the Georgia General Assembly, he said.

Although the carving may be one of the most recognizable tributes to the Confederacy in the metro Atlanta area, the Atlanta NAACP’s call to remove the flag and memorials from state property extends beyond that to all state property and land, Rose said.

Calls to eliminate use of the Confederate battle flag and other symbols since the Charleston massacre have prompted changes in several states. South Carolina lawmakers recently voted to remove a battle flag from the Statehouse grounds after one had been flying there for more than 50 years. The flag was moved to a room with other Civil War-era relics.

South Carolina’s leaders first flew the battle flag over the Statehouse dome in 1961 to mark the 100th anniversary of the Civil War. Critics said the flag remained there to represent official opposition to the civil rights movement. In 2000, the flag was moved to a 30-foot (9-meter) pole next to a Confederate memorial outside the Statehouse, where it flew until lawmakers this year voted to take it down.

At its national convention in Philadelphia, the NAACP adopted a resolution Tuesday calling on Mississippi to remove the Confederate battle emblem from its state flag. The resolution said Mississippi is the only state with a flag that includes “a symbol of war, hate and a failed attempt to perpetuate its right to slavery.”

In Alabama, Rev. Robert Shanklin of the Huntsville chapter of the NAACP told local news media that he wants the battle flag removed from the uniforms state troopers wear and the patrol vehicles they drive. The battle flag is part of the seal used by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and the governor’s office.

A week after the Charleston massacre, Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley ordered four Confederate banners flying at a Confederate monument at the state Capitol to be removed. The Mobile City Council last week also voted unanimously to remove the Confederate flag and other banners from the city’s seal.

___

Associated Press writers Phillip Lucas and Emily Wagster Pettus in Jackson, Mississippi, contributed to this story.

Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of June 18 – 24, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of June 18 – 24, 2025

Published

on

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

Continue Reading

Activism

OPINION: California’s Legislature Has the Wrong Prescription for the Affordability Crisis — Gov. Newsom’s Plan Hits the Mark

Last month, Gov. Newsom included measures in his budget that would encourage greater transparency, accountability, and affordability across the prescription drug supply chain. His plan would deliver real relief to struggling Californians. It would also help expose the hidden markups and practices by big drug companies that push the prices of prescription drugs higher and higher. The legislature should follow the Governor’s lead and embrace sensible, fair regulations that will not raise the cost of medications.

Published

on

Rev. Dr. Lawrence E. VanHook. Courtesy of Rev. Dr. Lawrence E. VanHook.
Rev. Dr. Lawrence E. VanHook. Courtesy of Rev. Dr. Lawrence E. VanHook.

By Rev. Dr. Lawrence E. VanHook

As a pastor and East Bay resident, I see firsthand how my community struggles with the rising cost of everyday living. A fellow pastor in Oakland recently told me he cuts his pills in half to make them last longer because of the crushing costs of drugs.

Meanwhile, community members are contending with skyrocketing grocery prices and a lack of affordable healthcare options, while businesses are being forced to close their doors.

Our community is hurting. Things have to change.

The most pressing issue that demands our leaders’ attention is rising healthcare costs, and particularly the rising cost of medications. Annual prescription drug costs in California have spiked by nearly 50% since 2018, from $9.1 billion to $13.6 billion.

Last month, Gov. Newsom included measures in his budget that would encourage greater transparency, accountability, and affordability across the prescription drug supply chain. His plan would deliver real relief to struggling Californians. It would also help expose the hidden markups and practices by big drug companies that push the prices of prescription drugs higher and higher. The legislature should follow the Governor’s lead and embrace sensible, fair regulations that will not raise the cost of medications.

Some lawmakers, however, have advanced legislation that would drive up healthcare costs and set communities like mine back further.

I’m particularly concerned with Senate Bill (SB) 41, sponsored by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), a carbon copy of a 2024 bill that I strongly opposed and Gov. Newsom rightly vetoed. This bill would impose significant healthcare costs on patients, small businesses, and working families, while allowing big drug companies to increase their profits.

SB 41 would impose a new $10.05 pharmacy fee for every prescription filled in California. This new fee, which would apply to millions of Californians, is roughly five times higher than the current average of $2.

For example, a Bay Area family with five monthly prescriptions would be forced to shoulder about $500 more in annual health costs. If a small business covers 25 employees, each with four prescription fills per month (the national average), that would add nearly $10,000 per year in health care costs.

This bill would also restrict how health plan sponsors — like employers, unions, state plans, Medicare, and Medicaid — partner with pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to negotiate against big drug companies and deliver the lowest possible costs for employees and members. By mandating a flat fee for pharmacy benefit services, this misguided legislation would undercut your health plan’s ability to drive down costs while handing more profits to pharmaceutical manufacturers.

This bill would also endanger patients by eliminating safety requirements for pharmacies that dispense complex and costly specialty medications. Additionally, it would restrict home delivery for prescriptions, a convenient and affordable service that many families rely on.

Instead of repeating the same tired plan laid out in the big pharma-backed playbook, lawmakers should embrace Newsom’s transparency-first approach and prioritize our communities.

Let’s urge our state legislators to reject policies like SB 41 that would make a difficult situation even worse for communities like ours.

About the Author

Rev. Dr. VanHook is the founder and pastor of The Community Church in Oakland and the founder of The Charis House, a re-entry facility for men recovering from alcohol and drug abuse.

Continue Reading

Antonio‌ ‌Ray‌ ‌Harvey‌

Air Quality Board Rejects Two Rules Written to Ban Gas Water Heaters and Furnaces

The proposal would have affected 17 million residents in Southern California, requiring businesses, homeowners, and renters to convert to electric units. “We’ve gone through six months, and we’ve made a decision today,” said SCAQMD board member Carlos Rodriguez. “It’s time to move forward with what’s next on our policy agenda.”

Published

on

Shutterstock
Shutterstock.

By Antonio‌ ‌Ray‌ ‌Harvey‌
California‌ ‌Black‌ ‌Media‌ 

Two proposed rules to eliminate the usage of gas water heaters and furnaces by the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) in Southern California were rejected by the Governing Board on June 6.

Energy policy analysts say the board’s decision has broader implications for the state.

With a 7-5 vote, the board decided not to amend Rules 1111 and 1121 at the meeting held in Diamond Bar in L.A. County.

The proposal would have affected 17 million residents in Southern California, requiring businesses, homeowners, and renters to convert to electric units.

“We’ve gone through six months, and we’ve made a decision today,” said SCAQMD board member Carlos Rodriguez. “It’s time to move forward with what’s next on our policy agenda.”

The AQMD governing board is a 13-member body responsible for setting air quality policies and regulations within the South Coast Air Basin, which covers areas in four counties: Riverside County, Orange County, San Bernardino County and parts of Los Angeles County.

The board is made up of representatives from various elected offices within the region, along with members who are appointed by the Governor, Speaker of the Assembly, and Senate Rules Committee.

Holly J. Mitchell, who serves as a County Supervisor for the Second District of Los Angeles County, is a SCAQMD board member. She supported the amendments, but respected the board’s final decision, stating it was a “compromise.”

“In my policymaking experience, if you can come up with amended language that everyone finds some fault with, you’ve probably threaded the needle as best as you can,” Mitchell said before the vote. “What I am not okay with is serving on AQMD is making no decision. Why be here? We have a responsibility to do all that we can to get us on a path to cleaner air.”

The rules proposed by AQMD, Rule 1111 and Rule 1121, aim to reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from natural gas-fired furnaces and water heaters.

Rule 1111 and Rule 1121 were designed to control air pollution, particularly emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx).

Two days before the Governing Board’s vote, gubernatorial candidate Antonio Villaraigosa asked SCAQMD to reject the two rules.

Villaraigosa expressed his concerns during a Zoom call with the Cost of Living Council, a Southern California organization that also opposes the rules. Villaraigosa said the regulations are difficult to understand.

“Let me be clear, I’ve been a big supporter of AQMD over the decades. I have been a believer and a fighter on the issue of climate change my entire life,” Villaraigosa said. “But there is no question that what is going on now just doesn’t make sense. We are engaging in regulations that are put on the backs of working families, small businesses, and the middle class, and we don’t have the grid for all this.”

Rules 1111 and 1121 would also establish manufacturer requirements for the sale of space and water heating units that meet low-NOx and zero-NOx emission standards that change over time, according to SCAQMD.

The requirements also include a mitigation fee for NOx-emitting units, with an option to pay a higher mitigation fee if manufacturers sell more low-NOx water heating and space units.

Proponents of the proposed rules say the fees are designed to incentivize actions that reduce emissions.

Continue Reading

Subscribe to receive news and updates from the Oakland Post

* indicates required

CHECK OUT THE LATEST ISSUE OF THE OAKLAND POST

ADVERTISEMENT

WORK FROM HOME

Home-based business with potential monthly income of $10K+ per month. A proven training system and website provided to maximize business effectiveness. Perfect job to earn side and primary income. Contact Lynne for more details: Lynne4npusa@gmail.com 800-334-0540

Facebook

Activism3 days ago

Oakland Post: Week of June 18 – 24, 2025

#NNPA BlackPress3 days ago

EXCLUSIVE OP-ED: President Joe Biden Commemorating Juneteenth

#NNPA BlackPress4 days ago

Cities Across the U.S. Shrink or Cancel Juneteenth Events as DEI Support Wanes

#NNPA BlackPress4 days ago

Juneteenth and President Trump

Wayne Wilson, Public Affairs Campaign Manager, Caltrans
Activism4 days ago

Juneteenth: Celebrating Our History, Honoring Our Shared Spaces

Rev. Dr. Lawrence E. VanHook. Courtesy of Rev. Dr. Lawrence E. VanHook.
Activism4 days ago

OPINION: California’s Legislature Has the Wrong Prescription for the Affordability Crisis — Gov. Newsom’s Plan Hits the Mark

#NNPA BlackPress5 days ago

The Constitution and Immigration Chaos

Shutterstock
Antonio‌ ‌Ray‌ ‌Harvey‌6 days ago

Air Quality Board Rejects Two Rules Written to Ban Gas Water Heaters and Furnaces

#NNPA BlackPress6 days ago

OP-ED: Joy as Resistance: Reclaiming Juneteenth in a Time of Backlash

Uncategorized6 days ago

Oakland Housing and Community Development Department Awards $80.5 Million to Affordable Housing Developments

#NNPA BlackPress6 days ago

Tiguan’s AI Touchscreen & Gear Shift: VW Just Changed the Game! #2

Sly and the Family Stone play the Opera House in Bournemouth. Mojo review. Photo by Simon Fernandez.
#NNPA BlackPress6 days ago

IN MEMORIAM: Legendary Funk Pioneer Sly Stone Dies at 82

U.S. Rep. Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12). File photo.
Activism6 days ago

Congress Says Yes to Rep. Simon’s Disability Hiring and Small Biz Support Bill

Dr. Head and Zakiya Jendayi, Their 28 year old friendship was ignored by Probate Court Judge Bean who ruled in favor of Dr. Head's estranged sister's. One sister could not identify Head, in a picture shown while under oath.
Activism6 days ago

The Case Against Probate: False Ruling Invalidates Black Professor’s Estate Plan, Ignoring 28-Year Relationship

#NNPA BlackPress6 days ago

PRESS ROOM: Clyburn on 10th Anniversary of Mother Emanuel AME Church Shooting in Charleston

Trending

Copyright ©2021 Post News Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.