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As we know, Gov. Haley works for CEOs, not us. Someone wondered how many CEOs she heard from this weekend, and I'm thinking the answer is, she had a very bad weekend. Many of you called businesses and cancelled travel plans and the like. Those business owners called Nikki Haley, but they couldn't get through because she was talking to people like the CEO of Volvo, who probably does not care one bit about what some angry white Southerners think. Maybe someone from Boeing or Amazon or Google. That sort of thing.
We have gotten some new factories in South Carolina and that's a good thing. It's good for things to be made in the USA by Americans, and it's great for South Carolinians to have jobs, because that is definitely a problem if you want to make more than eight bucks an hour with no benefits. However, the reason companies want to build factories in South Carolina is because Nikki Haley makes it worth their while, and one of the ways she does that is to sell out her people.
South Carolina is a right-to-work state with no unions and limited worker rights. That's very attractive to corporations because it saves a lot of money. We are desperate and will work for much less with fewer benefits than in other states. You don't even have to give us breaks if you don't want to! It's labor paradise from the corporate viewpoint and labor hell from the worker viewpoint. However, if your old job was at a fast-food grill, just being clean at work is a step up. The people here don't know that labor is not like this everywhere. Nobody wants her to piss off CEOs.
Much has been made about the flag not flying at half staff, and yes, it is disrespectful, and yes, it is against the Flag Code. If the flag had stayed on the dome where it was from the sixties until 2000, it would have been at half staff because it was on the same rope as the US and SC flags. I think when it was moved, no provision was made for it to fly at half staff. It was overlooked. As we know it isn't on a rope and is simply locked to the top of the flagpole, because most people have wanted it down for years. So there was no option for lowering it. Surely, though, the flags have flown at half staff before. After 9/11, it must have been flown full staff, did anyone one notice that at the time?
In hopeful news, one of the hate flags I see every day has been taken down. Another still flies, but temptingly near the road. I'm sure it will be gone soon. I wore a homemade "Take the flag down" pin today and got mixed reactions. An older white lady bent over and whispered to me, "I agree with you. Take it down." Thanks, but you can say it out loud. It's okay. We don't have to hate anymore. You can come out of the closet and let everyone know that you're tolerant.
The hate flag still flies at the Statehouse tonight and it will be flying in the morning. Thousands of people will see it on their way to work. Perhaps the legislature will take it up when they return tomorrow. It seems so soon for them to have to go back to work. I know some hate them, but many of them are Democrats and even the Republicans are my neighbors. One of their own has been assassinated. That must impact the stoniest heart. Let's assume that flag comes down tomorrow. Hooray! Now, we still need your help. The flag coming down is just a baby step. There are many more opportunities for change!
