Nikki Haley defends Confederate Heritage
In a 2010 interview, Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley defends Confederate heritage. Her remarks included South Carolina Confederate History Month, keeping the Confederate flag, and states having the right to secede. It is now 2023 and Haley announced in February that she is running for president. The interview has resurfaced the internet and she is now facing backlash.
Defending the Confederate flag
The Confederate flag was not racist, but part of South Carolina heritage and tradition; according to Haley. When the Charleston mass shooting happened in 2015, Haley declared to remove the flag. Several months later, she remarked how “there is a place for that flag,” complicating her legacy as a governor. She defended her remarks in a Washington Post piece even though not everyone sees the flag as a symbol for “slavery, discrimination, and hate for many people.”
Defending Confederate Heritage Month
Just like Black History Month, Haley saw Confederate Heritage Month as tradition. the comparison of the two groups became similar to Haley because of the positive way they are celebrated. The uplift of the culture is what she saw, but what Haley fails to see is a tradition that harshly impacts the traditions of Black history and the Black community.
Tradition vs Change
In the eyes of Haley, the Civil War is sympathetic to the southern cause while slavery is an afterthought.
“You know, at the end of the day, what I think we need to remember is that you know, everyone is supposed to be free, everyone is supposed to have the same freedoms as anyone else.”
Haley continued the interview defending tradition versus change on life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The rest of the interview doesn’t help.
After her tenure as governor, she was Trump’s U.N. ambassador in 2017 and stepped down in 2018. To know Haley is that she is a pro-life Republican, who criticized Trump for his immigration laws. She is a huge advocate of human rights currently, which raises concerns for her lack of human right awareness to the Confederacy heritage. Her 2024 presidency campaign run will continue despite the backlash.
Featured Image by Nikki Haley via Reuters