COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – Thousands of people wrote to South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley after she said the Confederate flag must come down in response to last year’s church shootings.
The Associated Press reached out to these letter writers after the Republican governor’s office released 10,000 pages of documents last week in response to public records requests.
Among the emails and letters are poignant notes from flag supporters explaining how their feelings evolved after a white man who posed with the flag was charged with gunning down nine black churchgoers.
Justin Hough said he now sees that a symbol he revered could be hurtful to others, and says flag supporters are lying to themselves if they think otherwise.