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This 3 Minute Rant By A Lawmaker Who Supports The Confederate Flag Proves Why It Needs To Come Down

In this Thursday, May 21, 2009 file photo, Sen. Lee Bright, R-Spartanburg, right, holds onto the microphone as Sen. Brad Hutto, D-Orangeburg, objects to the disruptions during the last day of the legislative session as they were dealing with the governors budget vetoes at the Statehouse in Columbia, S.C. Bright thinks America is at a vital crossroads and must make the right decisions to survive. The Spartanburg County lawmaker’s political career seems to be at a similar juncture, as he decides whether to cash in on his conservative credentials and take on U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham in the 2014 Republican primary. CREDIT: AP PHOTO/MARY ANN CHASTAIN
In this Thursday, May 21, 2009 file photo, Sen. Lee Bright, R-Spartanburg, right, holds onto the microphone as Sen. Brad Hutto, D-Orangeburg, objects to the disruptions during the last day of the legislative session as they were dealing with the governors budget vetoes at the Statehouse in Columbia, S.C. Bright thinks America is at a vital crossroads and must make the right decisions to survive. The Spartanburg County lawmaker’s political career seems to be at a similar juncture, as he decides whether to cash in on his conservative credentials and take on U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham in the 2014 Republican primary. CREDIT: AP PHOTO/MARY ANN CHASTAIN

Before he could address his belief that the Confederate flag should remain flying on the South Carolina State Capitol property, ultra-conservative state Sen. Lee Bright (R) decided to show the legislature the extent of his bigoted beliefs. In an almost three minute rant, he stood before the legislature and ranted against the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision legalizing gay marriage across the country and called out the White House for shining the “abomination colors” the night of the Court’s decision.

“Like President Reagan said, if we’re not one nation under God, we’ll be one nation gone under,” the lawmaker from Spartanburg, SC said early in Monday’s state Senate session. “And to sanctify deviant behavior from five judges… It’s time to make our stand and we’re not doing it. We can rally together and talk about a flag all we want, but the devil is taking control of this land and we’re not stopping him.”

He added that “we cannot succumb to what’s being done to the future of this nation” and that the state legislature should take a stand against “sin in the state of South Carolina.”

Watch his rant:

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Bright has been one of the most vocal supporters of the Confederate flag in the state Senate. He proposed an amendment to allow voters to decide the fate of the flag which died during debate with a vote of 36–3. He also posted a “Keep the Confederate Flag” petition on his website offering other flag supports the chance to explain why it should stay flying.

“Let’s stand together and preserve a piece of our history that symbolizes states’ rights,” his petition said.

Bright ran an unsuccessful campaign to unseat Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), now a presidential contender, in the 2014 election. He has championed a number of extreme conservative views, including believing that the state should allow high schools to teach students to shoot guns and that anyone enforcing Obamacare should get a year in jail. He also also repeatedly sought to ban public funding for abortion for victims of rape and incest and funding for rape crisis centers.