LAKE CITY, S.C. (WBTW) – Just one day after the Confederate flag was removed from the South Carolina state house one group in Lake City came together to fly their flags.
It’s something that surprised many who live in the area.
“I gasp, I was like wow, they’re really doing this, like wow,” said Rhonda McFadden.
But those who participated say they’re standing up for their heritage.
“It’s just a southern pride thing that we grew up here and we’re proud to be Americans first and second we’re proud to be southerners by the grace of God,” mentioned Confederate flag supporter Will McLaughlin.
“It represents Confederates and racists and the racist people have run it down in the ground,” said supporter Brandon Driggers.
Driggers says to him it’s more so a symbol of his childhood.
“I’m a country boy. It’s been raised in my background. Honestly everybody in my family has flown a Confederate flag just for our country and redneck,” added Driggers.
And that was the goal of the event.
“Not one of us out here is racist. Like I said I have a biracial family and proud of it, but this is also my family too,” McLaughlin said.
Others say honoring that heritage still doesn’t change their view of what the flag really means.
‘When I read about the Confederacy and what it stood for it was built off hate and control,” says McFadden.
“This has nothing but to do with the country boy. That’s all it is,” said Driggers.
But at the end of the day everyone on both sides remained respectful of each other’s views.
McFadden says as long as its peaceful, you know they have that right, so that’s okay.
Supporters say there will be a flag rally Sunday morning at 11 a.m. that will start in Hartsville and head to the state house in Columbia.
