Apparently South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley can not lower the confederate flag over the capital.

[RKP5637]

Amazing, absolutely amazing. It is protected, she has no jurisdiction over it, only the General Assembly does.

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/charleston-church-shooting/south-carolinas-confederate-flag-not-lowered-half-mast-after-church-n378316

But in a bewildering display, a Confederate flag on statehouse grounds is still flying high. It wasn't an oversight. It's because of state law, according to reports.

South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley has jurisdiction over how and when state flags fly — but the Confederate flag is under the authority of the state's General Assembly. It can't be changed in any way without a sign-off from the General Assembly, The Washington Post reported.

A state press secretary confirmed that detail to the online magazine Slate.

"In South Carolina, the governor does not have legal authority to alter the flag," the press secretary said. "Only the General Assembly can do that."

[Lilith Rising]

1. Well then the General Assembly

should get it's shit together and take it down.

[RKP5637]

7. Yep! Exactly what should happen, and ASAP! n/t

[backscatter712]

29. Considering that one of its members was murdered in this case...

...you'd think they'd be right on it.

[TheCowsCameHome]

2. Why is that so amazing?

I don't think any one person in state government should have the authority to say what stays and what goes.

Can you imagine what some teabagger stooge like Rayond LePage of Maine would do with unbridled authority?

Put the pressure on the S.C. General Assembly where it belongs, if anywhere.

[RKP5637]

8. Yep, the S.C. General Assembly should take action ASAP! n/t

[RKP5637]

13. What you say makes a lot of sense. Some teabaggers would trash everything if unbridled authority. nt

[Kelvin Mace]

3. Yes, she can

She walks right out there and takes it down. I am sure she could get back up from a few thousand members of various AME churches in SC. What are they going to do? Shoot the governor? Arrest her? And if they do any of those things, how will that help their cause?

[Gidney N Cloyd]

5. And if the assembly members wants it put back they can damn well go on record ordering it.

[RKP5637]

10. It should be down and forever down. It represents a tragic time in the history of this country.

It belongs in a museum as an artifact, but not flying over a capitol like a badge of honor.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

14. Of course it should be down.

I'm just saying any politician who thinks otherwise, especially in the light of this most recent tragedy, should be forced to go on record with it.

[RKP5637]

15. Yep, on record forever!!! n/t

[Recursion]

18. It's not on a lanyard. By law.

I wish I were kidding, but it's not on a lanyard; it's bolted to the flagpole.

[Kelvin Mace]

32. Gosh, that means we'll need

something like this:

[Recursion]

34. I'm all for it (nt)

[smirkymonkey]

38. Exactly! What is that saying about "Asking for forgiveness later, rather than asking for permission

before"? I am paraphrasing, but it's something like that. F**k the General Assembly. Take it down, damn it.

[MineralMan]

4. Of course she can.

She is the commander of her state's National Guard. She can make one phone call and have them remove the flag, pole and all, forthwith. All she has to do is declare an emergency and deem the flag a threat to public safety.

She can do it, but she will not. It would cost her the next election. She likes her phony-baloney job too much.

[RKP5637]

6. I would think so too. It sounds like a bullshit cover. She could do it and then deal with the

consequences.

[LordGlenconner]

19. It's pure CYA

What a disgusting human being that witch is.

[Kelvin Mace]

9. Exactly!

These people have ZERO ethical/moral depth.

[RKP5637]

11. I wonder if they will take any action at all to remove it. If not, it will certainly

cement what they are really about, TPTB in S.C.

[Kelvin Mace]

12. No, they won't. I lived there a few years

and they worship that flag.

[trotsky]

33. "She likes her phony-baloney job too much."

Harrumph!!

[JI7]

36. and even if she couldn't she could call for it to be taken down

and give her position on the issue.

[tritsofme]

37. Rule of law be damned, I'm mad right now!

Pressure should be put on the responsible party to act, not on the governor to ignore the law.

[taught_me_patience]

16. she can at least say something about it

She's too much of a coward, though.

[KamaAina]

17. Are they aware that the Dixie Swastika is flying above the U.S. and state flags?

That's a no-no.

h/t geek tragedy for "Dixie Swastika"

[riderinthestorm]

20. Wow, you're right! I had to look it up. It IS illegal per US law....

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/4/7

No other flag or pennant should be placed above or, if on the same level, to the right of the flag of the United States of America, except during church services conducted by naval chaplains at sea, when the church pennant may be flown above the flag during church services for the personnel of the Navy. No person shall display the flag of the United Nations or any other national or international flag equal, above, or in a position of superior prominence or honor to, or in place of, the flag of the United States at any place within the United States or any Territory or possession thereof: Provided, That nothing in this section shall make unlawful the continuance of the practice heretofore followed of displaying the flag of the United Nations in a position of superior prominence or honor, and other national flags in positions of equal prominence or honor, with that of the flag of the United States at the headquarters of the United Nations.

[KamaAina]

21. So let's have U.S. marshals take it down

They can fly it over Fort Sumter if they like.

[jwirr]

23. I posted something about this yesterday. That flag is not an official flag of the USA. If displayed

it should not be above either our flag or any state flag.

Am I correct - is the flag on the dome of their capital also the confederate flag? If so they have always been flying it above the US flag. So much for the gop meme about flag and country.

[riderinthestorm]

25. I went searching for a picture and found this one

it looks like it's already lower even flying at full mast, so that rule wouldn't apply

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/06/19/why-south-carolinas-confederate-flag-isnt-at-half-mast-after-church-shooting/

[Fred Sanders]

28. Dixie Swastika.....a keeper! Bring it down. Laws were made to keep it up, laws can be unmade.

[brooklynite]

22. My tweet:

@nikkihaley says lowering Confederate Battle Flag in honor of #Charleston massacre requires action by Gen Assembly; has she asked for any?

[RKP5637]

35. Here's the latest I found, still sounds the same. Maybe there's later, but I couldn't find any. n/t

http://abcnews.go.com/US/confederate-flags-flies-south-carolina-debate-continues-symbol/story?id=31892710

[harrose]

24. I don't care if she has the authority or not...

... sometimes you just have to do the right thing, whether it's legal or not.

Stupid Repuke racists.

[moondust]

26. Could a small drone rip it up? n/t

[Fred Sanders]

27. So ask for fuck's sake...and still not agreeing to?? #taketheflagdown

https://mobile.twitter.com/hashtag/taketheflagdown

Call in the National Guard to take it down....it is hate symbol.

[olddots]

30. that flag is their gang bandanna

their swastika and their desperate attempt to live in a past that has to be put in perspective as being against all they say they say they stand for.

[Lizzie Poppet]

31. Maybe the feds can send in troops.

Okay, I'm being facetious, but consider: that's not the Confederate States of America's national flag, it's the battle flag of the Army of Northern Virginia. Might not raising an enemy battle flag be considered a warlike act? Again, I'm just joking here, but I think this distinction between flags just points up what a complete dick move flying that flag is in the first place (to say nothing of not taking it down or flying it at half mast after an atrocity like the one in Charleston).