Mississippi lawmakers should be ashamed of themselves for their attempt to penalize the eight public universities that made history last year by refusing to fly the state flag containing the Confederate emblem. This bill has been introduced by lawmakers to set us back. The Confederate symbol represents hate. The Confederate symbol is forever connected to bigotry, hatred and murder. When a person declares that they are proud of their Confederate heritage, this means that they are proud of the murder that has been committed under that symbol. This bill to withhold funds from those courageous universities is a slap in the face to every family that has suffered under the Confederate emblem. What will it take for Mississippi to join the rest of the country in denouncing this symbol of hate? Will our state have to experience a crime as terrible as what happened in South Carolina before we decide to finally move forward and let go of the racist ghosts of the past? This is no longer a Mississippi fight. This is a battle for the soul of America. Sincerely, Duvalier Malone