*When Stacey Abrams was a student at Spelman College, the Georgia state flag still had the Confederate emblem in its design. So she exercised her First Amendment rights by helping to burn it in protest on the state Capitol steps, and many — even today — applaud her efforts.
But now, that moment has mysteriously resurfaced on the eve of the first televised debate between Abrams, now the Democratic candidate for governor, and her Republican opponent, Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp.
According to multiple reports, Kemp and his allies have sought to portray Abrams as “too extreme for Georgia.”
The 1992 old newspaper photo emerged on social media Tuesday, showing the gubernatorial candidate burning the Georgia state flag.
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Ms. Abrams’s campaign, in a statement Monday, said her actions in 1992 were part of a “permitted, peaceful protest against the Confederate emblem in the flag” and part of a movement that was ultimately successful in changing the flag, msn.com reports.
“During Stacey Abrams’ college years, Georgia was at a crossroads, struggling with how to overcome racially divisive issues, including symbols of the Confederacy, the sharpest of which was the inclusion of the Confederate emblem in the Georgia state flag,” the statement read. “This conversation was sweeping across Georgia as numerous organizations, prominent leaders, and students engaged in the ultimately successful effort to change the flag.”
It added: “Abrams’ time in public service as deputy city attorney and as a state legislative leader have all been focused on bringing people together to solve problems.”
Abrams, 44, was a freshman at Spelman College at the time of the protest.
The Georgia state flag has undergone two revisions over the years and no longer boasts the image of the Confederacy.
If elected, Ms. Abrams would become the first black female governor in the nation.
Audio leaked to @RollingStone reveals @BrianKempGA telling attendees at a closed-door campaign event that @staceyabrams’s voter turnout operation “continues to concern us, especially if everybody uses and exercises their right to vote.” Read my report. https://t.co/uAob3x4TVx
— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) October 23, 2018
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