The city council meeting in McComb Tuesday night was explosive over the state flag, and whether or not it should fly again on city property.
The sparks started flying when Selectman Albert Eubanks stood to speak on the state flag, and stated he wanted to show a presentation of what the flag represents.
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“We’re not going to do that,” said Mayor Whitney Rawlings. “That wasn’t on the agenda.”
At that point, a heated argument ensued, in which Rawlings pointed out it wasn’t on the agenda as a presentation.
“Tough,” said Eubanks. “It’s part of my comments… why don’t you want to hear your history?”
At the counsel of the city attorney, Selectman Eubanks was allowed to start his presentation, only to discover technical issues with his presentation.
“Someone messed with this,” said Eubanks. “Did someone see this?”
The city administrator admitted to reviewing the presentation.
“Here’s what happened,” said Eubanks. “They did something and now it doesn’t work.”
Eubanks proceeded to read from his presentation notes, outlining the history of the flag and how it is perceived. At one point, Mayor Rawlings suggested that Eubanks was off point.
“I’m not off point,” said Eubanks. “I have the floor. I have the floor.”
The police were called in to mediate the situation.
“You’re going to have to physically remove me,” said Eubanks. The officer said he would not physically remove him, that he’d ask him first.
Eubanks relented, and sat down.
Two citizens also approached the podium to speak against the flag, and asked that it not be flown again.
Devante Huff spoke first.
“If you had asked me before how the state flag coming down changed my life, I’d say ‘not at all,'” said Huff. “But our city employees were having to be afraid to work under this flag, under the majority of this board. I appreciate the mayor working to keep it down.”
Vernell Simmons spoke against the flag as well.
“Thank you, mayor for working to keep the flag down,” said Simmons. “We lost that war. No other country on the planet celebrates a flag for a cause that was lost.”
Here’s full video of the flag debate from the McComb City Council meeting on Tuesday:
The next city council meeting is slated for July 11, 2017 at 5:30pm.
RELATED: McComb selectman discusses controversial flag vote
