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Jenny Horne delivers emotional speech stirring Confederate flag vote
Dylan StablefordSenior editorJuly 9, 2015
Associated Press VideosEmotions High During SC Confederate Flag Debate
A Republican House member made an emotional appeal to bring down the Confederate flag from the South Carolina Statehouse, saying anything less is an insult to the family of a slain Charleston legislator. (July 8)
Following a contentious debate that lasted more than 13 hours, the South Carolina House voted in the wee hours of Thursday to approve a bill calling for the removal of the Confederate flag from the Statehouse grounds. But it was a fiery four-minute speech by Rep. Jenny Horne, a Republican state representative and descendant of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, that is being credited with moving her fellow lawmakers to agree to take it down.
“I cannot believe that we do not have the heart in this body to do something meaningful, such as take a symbol of hate off these grounds on Friday!” Horne shouted through tears from the House floor.
The debate came just weeks after the shootings at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C., where nine black church members, including S.C. State Sen. Clementa Pinckney, were killed during a Bible study session. The alleged gunman, Dylann Roof, was seen waving Confederate flags in photos posted to social media before the rampage.