Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley (R) ordered the removal of four Confederate-era flags from the grounds of the state Capitol Wednesday morning, saying it was simply “the right thing to do,” reports The Huffington Post.
Bentley told AL.com his decision to take down the flags was, in part, a response to last week’s massacre of nine African-Americans in a historic black church in Charleston, South Carolina. Dylann Storm Roof, the accused shooter, was a racist who proudly displayed the Confederate flag. The incident has sparked renewed criticism of Confederate tributes across the South.
“Yes, partially this is about that,” Bentley said. “This is the right thing to do. We are facing some major issues in this state regarding the budget and other matters that we need to deal with. This had the potential to become a major distraction as we go forward. I have taxes to raise, we have work to do. And it was my decision that the flag needed to come down.”
