Attendees react to historic flag change

Attendees of the bill signing react to historic flag change.

CENTRAL DISTRICT TRANSPORTATIONCOMMISSIONER, WILLIE SIMMONS HASBEENSUPPORTING EFFORTS FOR A NEWSTATE FLAGFOR DECADES.BACK IN 1988, I WAS THERE WHENTHINTRODUCED THE FIRST BILL AND IN2001 WE CAMPAIGNED FOR IT.

ANDNOW WE HAVE IT OFFICIAL.

THISDIVISIVENESS WE HAVE HAD OVERTHIS SYMBOL IS HISTORY.REPUBLICAN HOUSE SPEAKER PHILIPGUNNHAS BEEN AN OUTSPOKEN SUPPORTEROF CHANGING THE STATE FLAG FORYEARS.HE SAYS THE CONFEDERATE EMBLEMIS USED BY GROUPS TO SENDNEGATIVEMESSAGES OF RACISM AND HATE.GUNN ACKNOWLEDGES THAT NOT ALLPEOPLEWHO LOVE THE FLAG ARE RACIST,BUT THCHANGE WAS NECESSARYIT DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE DON'THONOR THE PAST.

WE ARE STIMISSISSIPPIAN.

WE REMEMBER THAT.BUT I THINK WE HAVE SET THESTAGE FOR A NEW DAY INMISSISSIPPIAND I'M THRILLED TO BE A PART OFIT.ALSO IN ATTENDANCE, REENAEVERS-EVERETTE.SHE IS THE DAUGHTER OF CIVILRIGHTS ACTIVISTMEDGAR EVERS, WHO WASASSASINATED AT HHOME IN JACKSON 57 YEARS AGO.HER FATHER'S SPIRIT - VERY MUCHALIVE WITHE SIGNING OF THIS BILL.WHAT THIS SIGNALS, AND MY MOTHERMENTIONED IT IN ANARTICLE, THAT HIS WINGS ARECLAPPING.

BECAUSE AS WSAY, HIS DYING WAS NOT IN VAIN.AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE MOMENTSWE CAN LIFT UP AND SAY, SEE?SEALL THAT YOU FOUGHT FOR.'

REENA EVERS-EVERETTE SAYS, SHE'SNOT ONLYTHINKING OF HER FATHER TODAY...BUT ALSO - THETHOUSANDS WHO HAVE FOUGHT FOREQUALITYAND JUSTICE FOR EVERYONE.