As the national debate over the Confederate flag rages, one South Georgia man took it a step further Wednesday. Chris Adams, a member of the 12th Georgia Company C of the Confederate States Army of Irwinville, Ga., stood next to the Confederate monument at the Coffee County Courthouse holding the Georgia flag.
Adams said the South Carolina flag controversy being debated was only scratching the surface of the issues. He said he was concerned that Governor Nathan Deal was going to head up an effort to ban the sale of car tags with the Sons of Confederate Veterans’ themes. Also, he said other states were in the process of considering the banning of Confederate flags on state property.
Adams stated he feared a “cultural cleansing” was taking place, and this movement will wipe out the memory of thirty of his ancestors who fought for the Confederacy. Adams cited Fitzgerald as a town where history is celebrated. He pointed out that streets in that South Georgia city are named after both Union and Confederate generals, and that a spirit of unity carried on there.
Adams said he planned to stand at the courthouse with the Georgia flag throughout the day Wednesday to remind people of the importance history plays in our community.