The NAACP’s Plan for Economic Sanctions In South Carolina
Whereas, the Confederate States of America came into being by way of secession from and war against the United States of America out of a desire to defend the right of individual states to maintain an economic system based on slave labor; and
Whereas, the Confederate Battle Flag was raised in the States that comprised the defunct Confederate State of America for the supposed celebration of the Centennial of the War Between the States and as an unspoken symbol of resistance to the battle for civil rights and equality in the early 1960’s; and
Whereas, the Confederate Battle Flag has been embraced as the primary symbol for the numerous modern-day groups advocating white supremacy; and
Whereas, the placement of the Confederate Battle Flag at the South Carolina State House with the flags of two existing governments, the United States of America and the state of South Carolina, implies sovereignty and allegiance to a non-existent nation; and
Whereas, the Confederate Battle Flag in its present position of display makes a statement of public policy that continues to be an affront to the sensibilities and dignity of a majority of African Americans in the state of South Carolina; and
Whereas, the state of South Carolina possess a unique linkage of heritage and family which makes South Carolina a prime destination for African-American family reunions resulting in tourism dollars that benefit the state of South Carolina, an estimated sixty-eight percent of all African-American family reunions are held in South Carolina; and
Whereas, dollars spent on tourism, conventions and meeting by African Americans, other people of conscience and corporate entities serve to enrich the state of South Carolina, the “Mother State of secession,” which continues to fly the banner of secession.
Now Be It Therefore Resolved, that the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People at its 1999 Annual Convention reaffirms its condemnation of the Confederate Battle Flag being flown over the South Carolina State Capitol and displayed within the South Carolina House and Senate Chambers, and renews its call for the removal and relocation of the Confederate Battle Flag to a place of historical rather than sovereign context.
Be it Further Resolved, that all units of the NAACP shall join the South Carolina Conference of Branches in urging all families planning reunions in South Carolina to consider locations outside of the state as reunion sites until such time that the Confederate Battle Flag is removed from positions of sovereignty in the state of South Carolina.
Be it Further Resolved, that the National NAACP shall call upon other African-American National organizations, churches and faith groups, businesses and corporations and similar national entities of other cultural compositions that embrace freedom and justice to consider locations other than the state of South Carolina as convention or meeting sites, until such time as the Confederate Battle Flag is removed from positions of sovereignty in the state of South Carolina.
Be it Finally Resolved that the National NAACP shall apply these economic sanctions against the state of South Carolina as well as any further measures as appropriate, commencing January 1, 2000, until such time that the Confederate Battle Flag is no longer displayed in positions of sovereignty in the state of South Carolina.
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