Weeks after the University of Mississippi took down the Mississippi state flag on campus, a group of flag supporters, called Our State Flag Foundation, has put up a billboard directed to Ole Miss.
The billboard is located on HWY 6 between Panola and Lafayette counties. It reads, “Ole Miss, You Take Our Money, You Fly Our Flag. -Taxpayers of Mississippi.”
“We believe as a Mississippi funded university, we should fly the state flag of the State of Mississippi. Ole Miss received over 7 million dollars last year from the State of Mississippi,” the foundation said. “Most, if not all, of the student Senators who voted to remove the state flag receive scholarships, grants or fellowships and student aid from the University of Mississippi and the State of Mississippi. Additionally, the Faculty Senate receive their paychecks from the State of Mississippi as well. They should be supporting the State that offers these funds.”
The foundation has also written a petition aimed at Ole Miss students. The petition is called “Keep the flag of the state of Mississippi flying at the University of Mississippi.”
“In order to live in a free society, the possibility to be offended will occasionally occur. Removing symbols, flags, and monuments will do nothing to change the way people feel in their hearts,” the petition reads. “Ole Miss Students and my fellow Mississippians, rise up and push back on political correctness and support the state flag.”
The petition, on change.org, has a goal to reach 5,000 signatures. So far, it has 2,938.
Our State Flag Foundation recognizes the different talents, honors and awards that Ole Miss students and faculty have received in the foundation’s mission statement and even says they will support the change of the state flag, if the voters of Mississippi decided to do so.
“If at a later date the general population of the State of Mississippi votes by majority to change the State of Mississippi flag, we will support the new flag as well,” the foundation said.
Emily Newton is a staff writer at hottytoddy.com and the editor of Experience Oxford magazine. She is a recent graduate of the Meek School of Journalism and New Media at Ole Miss. Emily can be reached at emily.newton@hottytoddy.com.Â
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