Jackson Free Press

"I think it's important for us as a university community to be positive as far as change and not be critical of anything or the values of anyone in our state."

— Mark Keenum, president of Mississippi State University, on his decision to continue flying the state flag at the Starkville campus.

Why it stinks: Even the University of Mississippi, which has often had to be dragged kicking and screaming into modern times, is on the right side of this issue. Both UM and the University of Southern Mississippi recently joined several of the state's historically black colleges and universities in taking down the flag. Not only should a university president respect and encourage critical discussion, but he has to recognize that the flag contains a Confederate symbol that offends a significant number of Mississippians of all races, including State students.