Mistake Or Political Statement ?

Citizens of the state of Mississippi will recognize the top flag above. It is their state flag. The bottom flag is not. It is the battle flag of the Confederacy -- and a modern symbol of racial intolerance. It seems that there are some state workers in Mississippi that can't tell the difference between those two flags.

For a couple of hours last Friday, the bottom flag was flown over the Mississippi Supreme Court building. A spokesman for the state said it was an accident. Here is how that accident happened according to The Clarion-Ledger:

The Confederate battle flag was placed atop the state Supreme Court building about 2 p.m. Friday as a result of a mistake, explained Kym Wiggins, public information officer for the state Department of Finance and Administration.

She said the flag accidentally was put up to replace a Mississippi state flag that was tattered and torn.

Wiggins said workers had gone to the local vendor to get state flags and were given two boxes labeled “Mississippi State Flag.”

Unknown to the workers, the boxes actually contained Confederate battle flags, she said.

A maintenance worker put the flag up at 2 p.m., and it had been replaced by 4 p.m. after the mistake was realized, she said. “It’s unfortunate.”

I don't know about you, but I'm having trouble believing this was an "mistake". Does anyone really believe these workers can't tell the difference between those two flags -- especially since they undoubtably view the real state flag almost every workday? I certainly don't.

I believe these workers were making a political (and probably racist) statement. And once the "mistake" was realized by others, the workers lied about it -- probably suddenly realizing their stupid little venture might actually cost them their jobs.

The "mistake" did provide the chance for a little humor by Joseph Parker, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Southern Mississippi, though. He said, "Have we seceded already? The execution is faster than I thought."