3/4/2004

HPA Press Statement

Recent comments in various media outlets by HPA's political advisor, Rusty Henderson seem to have been taken out of context by some in the Southern heritage movement. In particular the quote from the Atlanta Journal & Constitution on 3/4/2004 . The quote was as follows:

"History in Georgia is never over, but as a major contentious issue, [the flag debate] is on a major downhill slide," said Rusty Henderson, national political adviser for the Heritage Preservation Association. "I believe the majority of the people are satisfied with what they have now. . . . What they have is truly a Confederate flag."

This quote was not taken during or after the press conference held by the SHPAC on 3/3/2004 . It was taken well beforehand and edited into the story by newspaper editors wishing to create contention between HPA and other organizations. Mr. Henderson's statements were not designed to hurt or damage any efforts to restore the 1956 flag as the official flag for the state of Georgia . He was simply stating facts as they appear.

What Mr. Henderson said was in reference to the Georgia General Assembly's refusal to take action and add the 1956 flag to a flag referendum. The majority of the currently elected legislators are refusing any efforts made by HPA or any other heritage organization to make the 1956 the official state flag of Georgia . Most people in the legislature are tired of dealing with this issue. This is a simple and irrefutable fact.

It is also an irrefutable fact that the current Georgia state flag (2003 flag) is based on the 1 st National flag of the Confederacy, and more accurately, the battle flag of the 27 th Georgia Infantry, which is currently housed in the Georgia capitol museum. Many heritage-conscious legislators in the General Assembly saw this as a good compromise. HPA does not and never will.

Despite the fact that Georgia has a Confederate-themed flag, and despite the fact that the Georgia legislature has "black-balled" any possibility of returning the 1956 flag as the official state flag, and despite the fact that the 2003 flag won the "referendum" of March 2004 by an almost 4 to 1 margin, the Heritage Preservation Association will continue to push for the return of the 1956 Georgia flag and will support the efforts of those who are like-minded. HPA also fully supports the strategy put forth by the SHPAC which calls for the replacement of those legislators who voted against giving the people of Georgia a real choice in the flag referendum.

Hopefully this statement has clarified HPA's position on this issue.

HPA Headquarters
Atlanta, Georgia