Confederate Flag Down, MLK Statue Up?

Andy Davis

UPDATE: Weeks after being tapped to sculpt a statue of Martin Luther King Jr. at Georgia State Capitol, Andy Davis was pronounced dead July 12 around 10 p.m. Governor Nathan Deal signed an order in 2013 to remove a statue of Tom Watson, a segregationist U.S. Senator known for his racist attacks on blacks. Several Democratic leaders pushed him to replace it with a statue of King. The Confederate Flag was removed from South Carolina State Capitol grounds Friday morning. Davis was struck from behind by a pickup truck while stopping at a red light on his motorcycle later that night in Atlanta.

Davis suffered severe traumas after being hit by a truck.

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We know that everyone loves, cares, and is concerned for Andy right now, and we thank you for all your kind, loving words of support, your prayers, and encouragement. We spoke with the doctors yesterday, who worked very, very diligently and hard to bring the Andy you know and love back. However, they confirmed that any trace of Dad is no longer there, but his strong, heroic heart is still beating.

He's always been our Captain; A fighter, a lover, a friend, and he Never, Never, Never gives up. We are returning today to find out if in fact there is any brain activity, and we will post another update soon.

One thing that we know, is that he would want everyone to think on his life works, his wild, loving Heart, and his Heroism that was so apparent in his barefooted steps.

We love you, and thank you for your support and love.

--The Davis Family

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The King memorial, which Gov. Nathan Deal first announced last year and repeated in his inaugural speech, comes after years of lobbying from black leaders to put King’s visage on the statehouse grounds. Deal called it a “long overdue” honor.

The issue was not easy. An agreement was recently struck between the state and the King family’s intellectual property attorneys. King’s surviving children have long been locked in an unfinished business legal fight over their father’s legacy, according to news reports.

Georgia Memorial Day 

Senator Harold Jones, Democrat for District 22, statement about honoring all Georgian warriors:

We are all saddened by the tragedy that occurred last month in Charleston. My heart hurts for the families of the victims, and for the victims themselves, whose lives were tragically cut short.

The shooting was a despicable act of hatred. There are many discussions to have about how we can prevent something like this from happening ever again. I believe that the most productive conversations to be had are about encouraging an atmosphere of racial tolerance, increasing access to mental health services, and beginning a discussion on enacting a reasonable restriction on purchasing firearms.

Much of the national discussion has centered on the removal of the confederate battle flag from the public sphere. I agree with those who say that it is past time for the flag to go because, unfortunately, it has been used by some as a symbol of hatred and racism.

Georgia removed the battle flag imagery after much debate in 2001. However, there is something else that we can do. Last week I called for Georgia to rename Confederate Memorial Day, which is a state holiday that takes place every April. I suggest that we rename it "Georgia Memorial Day" to honor all Georgians who have died in wartime.

Ultimately, the events in Charleston together with the unrest shown in many parts of the country earlier this year, show that as far as our nation has come on the issue of race, we have a lot farther to go.

Supreme Court Decisions

I was pleased to see the Supreme Court's rulings last month on both the Affordable Care Act and on same-sex marriage. I believe that both are steps forward, but there is still a ways to go on both issues. On healthcare, Georgia needs to expand Medicaid under the ACA, which would make health coverage available for hundreds of thousands of additional Georgians. And while same-sex marriage is now legal in Georgia, there is a movement brewing that would allow businesses to discriminate against same-sex couples - the so-called "religious freedom" bill. I voted against a version of it this past year, and will again oppose any legislation that will lead to discrimination in this regard.

Cyber Challenge

I am continuing to work on creating a statewide Cyber Challenge, which would be hosted in Augusta by Georgia Regents University. I will provide a further update on this project in our next newsletter.

Study Committee appointment

I am pleased to announce that I have been appointed to the Senate Preservation of the HOPE Scholarship Study Committee. I look forward to delving into the details of the HOPE Scholarship program and working to protect it for future generations.

Mayor Ivy Taylor’s Statement on Confederate Monuments

SAN ANTONIO, TX, 7/9/2015 — “Slavery and the Civil War are part of the American legacy. For more than 200 years we’ve been trying to fully realize the revolutionary premise of democracy: all men are created equal.

Selectively erasing pieces of our past may make it more comfortable for us today but it also makes it easier for many to ignore the historic struggles of Blacks and other minorities in this country, a struggle for equality that continues today.

It is offensive to use the rebel battle flag as a symbol of a city or state but it is also offensive to pretend that Texas was never a slave state or that racism has played no role in our history for the past 150 years.

The City Manager has already directed staff to identify any monuments connected with Confederate history or symbolism and I will be receiving that report shortly, after which time the appropriate staff or Council committee can consider opportunities for expanding interpretation at these sites.”