After a deadly shooting on June 17 during a bible study at Emmanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, the families of the nine victims who died "shocked the world" when the suspect Dylann Roof received their forgiveness, according to Representative Wendell G. Gillard, an African-American Democrat from Charleston.
"And now we see what needs to be done," he said. "The right thing to do is what we call the healing thing. The gentle laying down of the past and a hopeful road to the future," he further added, according to New York Times.
The backlash against the flag started when photos of Roof were seen on a web page that displayed a racist manifesto, with the 21-year old self-confessed shooter waving the Confederate flag. An emotional senate state debate ended when the legislation to remove the Confederate flag from the state capitol garnered a final senate vote of 37-3 and on Tuesday 93-18 bypassing the committee. A poll is also being done by the Charleston Post and Courier and stated that there are enough votes to remove the flag, according to CNN News.
There is also a great chance for the appeal to be approved in the senate as majority of the senators are showing support for the flag's removal. "When I see a Confederate soldier, I don't get goosebumps and get all warm and fuzzy. All I'm saying is you can't force all of us to have the passion that some of you have about certain things," said Darell Jackson, a black Democrat Senator, reminding the legislators that the flag means something different to the descendants of slaves.
For years the debate on whether to remove the flag has been present but was ignited and strengthened by the recent massacre.
"The flag is the beginning; it can't be the end," said Nikki Haley, a Republican Governor, according to ABC News.
