Members of the athletic department at the University of South Carolina are calling for the Confederate flag to be removed from the capitol building following the massacre of nine people at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston.
Athletic director Ray Tanner was the first of the staff to call for the flag’s removal, posting this message on Twitter.
It is time to remove the flag. We are ONE !! #CharlestonStrong #Gamecocks
— Ray Tanner (@RayTannerSC) June 22, 2015
Following his tweet, Frank Martin and Dawn Staley, the coaches of the men’s and women’s basketball teams respectively, tweeted their support for Tanner’s message.
I am on vacation out of the country but I applaud and support @RayTannerSC @HarrisPastides @nikkihaley @SteveBenjaminSC proud 2 stand with u
— Frank Martin (@FrankMartin_SC) June 22, 2015
I REPEAT: LEADERS MAKE THE UNPOPULAR BUT RIGHT DECISIONS. #STAYTUNED https://t.co/1SsmVC2VVG
— dawnstaley (@dawnstaley) June 22, 2015
This is not the first time that a coach at South Carolina has spoken out about the Confederate flag.
In 2007, football coach Steve Spurrier denounced the flag after a fan was seen waving a Confederate flag on TV during a 2006 game against Tennessee.
“My opinion is we don’t need the Confederate flag at our capitol,” Spurrier said. “I don’t really know anybody that wants it there, but I guess there are a lot of South Carolinians that do want it there.”
On Monday, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley called for the flag to be removed from the state capitol.
