Flag Protest

2020 will go down as the year of debate in the state.

2020 will go down as the year of debate in the state.

Chad groening takes a look at the latest example of citizens learning to become part of civil discussion "we are here today to talk about to reinforce and to rally together the patriotic spirit of america."

The rally was put on by the newly created organization known as p.r.i.m.e., which stands for patriots for rights, integrity, morals, and ethics and these folks believe their rights are being taken away.

"and we go out today and we listen to people and they start putting down our founding fathers.

And our founding fathers were good men, good honest men who depended on god and that foundation for this country came from the teachings of the almighty.

We've got to protect these rights.

But many of those gathered believe their rights were violated when the state legislature voted to change the mississippi state flag.

"it is not our elected representatives and state senators place to take the vote of the mississippi people whenever they were approached with it they should have said no."

While there was a great deal of passion at this meeting the passion really took off when state senator chad mcmahan who voted to change the flag took the microphone.

"how many democrats are here?

If you're a democrat raise your hand and be proud of it.

Yeah.

See i'm going to give you my personal opinion first.

I'm a republican.

That flag right there- hear me out!

Hear me out!

That flag right there is the democrat battle flag!

Yes it is!

Yes it is!

That's what it is.

But i didn't come to give my own opinion.

I want you to hear me.

I voted the will of the district of the people i represent.

I had over 15- thousand people contact me and ask me to vote to change the flag."

But the mississippi flag wasn't the only issue on the minds of today's rally attendees.

Many were not happy with the mandates imposed by several cities in north mississippi to wear face masks in public.

"if you want to wear a mask, wear a mask.

That should be a personal choice.

If businesses require you to wear a mask as a condition of entering into the business well then respect private property rights and wear a mask.

If the government tells you to do it, the government is without authority because if the government can tell us what we can do with our bodies which is the most fundamental right that we have, then all of our other rights are gone."

Rally attendee gary vaughan summed up the sentiment of many in the crowd, who are concerned about the direction the country could be headed.

"we're going to see the demise of america that we've grown up to love.

We're going to become a socialist country.

That scares me.

Chad groening, wcbi news, tupelo.

And event organizers say they are already planning to hold another rally next month.