Calls to Take Down Mississippi’s Flag Grow as Lawmakers Prepare to Vote

Some have framed the debate in moral terms, arguing that the flag stands in the way of scabbing over the wounds left by the past. Yet the latest efforts for change have gained momentum in large part because of economic considerations, with business and industry leaders saying that the flag discourages the investment needed to boost one of the poorest states.

The financial threat had been underscored by recent announcements by the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the Southeastern Conference that Mississippi would be precluded from hosting championship events until the flag is changed.

“Because of the N.C.A.A. and the SEC, we can point to a quantifiable damage, if you will, that is occurring — a consequence, a punishment,” Philip Gunn, a Republican who is the State House speaker, said in an interview on Friday afternoon.

Still, the growing calls to change the flag belie the extent of the division that still exists over the banner and how to interpret the legacy it symbolizes. Various polls show that, even as the number of people supporting a change has increased, nearly half of the state is resistant to the idea.

Many remain attached to the flag because they see it as an enduring recognition of the blood shed by their ancestors who fought for Mississippi and their pride in the state’s history.

“We firmly believe that this political correctness, this movement we are sensing out there right now to delegitimize our American institutions and our American history is a movement that’s incredibly dangerous and cannot be appeased,” said Chris McDaniel, a Republican state senator.

State lawmakers extended their session that had been set to end on Friday, paving the way for a vote this weekend. There is uncertainty over what, exactly, a new flag would look like. Some lawmakers are pushing for a referendum that would give the choice to voters.