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Columbia,
SC
-
U.S.
Senator
Tim
Scott
(R-SC)
released
the
following
statement
after
calling
for
the
removal
of
the
Confederate
battle
flag
from
the
South
Carolina
Statehouse
grounds:
"Character
is
often
revealed
during
our
darkest
days,
and
the
world
has
learned
much
about
South
Carolina's
character
since
last
week's
tragedy.
"The
way
our
communities
and
state
have
come
together,
the
way
we
have
seen
love
overpower
hate,
kindness
soothe
our
pain,
and
good
will
defeat
hostility,
is
absolutely
incredible.
"After
the
terrible
tragedy
at
Mother
Emanuel in
Charleston
last
week,
fueled
by
hate
and
racism,
our
hearts
were
broken.
While
the
Confederate
battle
flag
did
not
cause
this
violent
act,
it
is
clear
that
our
state
and
the
people
of
South
Carolina
have
reopened
the
debate
on
the
flag.
"There
is
no
doubt
that
South
Carolina
has
a
rich
and complex history,
and
the
Confederate
battle
flag
is
a
part
of
that.
The
flag
means
many
things
to
many
people.
"I
do
not
believe
the
vast
majority
of
folks
who
support
the
flag
have
hate
in
their
hearts.
Their
heritage
is
a
part
of
our
state’s
history,
and
we
should
not
ignore
that.
"However, for
so
many
others
in
our
state,
the
flag
represents
pain
and
oppression.
"Because
of
that,
as
a
life-long
South
Carolinian,
as
someone
who
loves
this
state
and
will
never
call
anywhere
else
home,
I
believe
it
is
time
for
the
flag
to
come
down.
"I
hope
the South
Carolina
General Assembly
will
move
to
this
topic
swiftly,
so
that
our
state
can
continue
to
move
forward.
Following
last
week's
tragedy,
South
Carolina
has
been
united
as
never
before,
and
because
of
that
love
and
hope,
I
have
never
been
more
proud
to
be
from
here.
"We
continue
to
pray
for
the
families
of State
Senator
Rev.
Clementa
Pinckney,
Rev.
DePayne
Middleton-Doctor,
Rev.
Sharonda
Coleman-Singleton, Rev.
Daniel
Simmons,
Sr.,
Cynthia
Hurd,
Susie
Jackson,
Ethel
Lance,
Tywanza
Sanders,
Myra
Thompson
and
all
of
the
members
of
Emanuel
AME. Their
strength,
their
dignity
through
these
terrible
times
has
been
amazing.
God
bless
them,
and
God
bless
the
people
of
South
Carolina."
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