State, national NAACP call for boycott of South Carolina

COLUMBIA, S.C. - The NAACP&#39;s two-year-old tourism boycott against South Carolina will send members to rest stops on the state&#39;s border, reminding motorists of the efforts to remove the Confederate flag from Capitol grounds, group leaders said Saturday. <br> <br> ``We ask that you not stop, not buy gas, don&#39;t spend the nights in the hotels,&#39;&#39; said the Rev. Nelson Rivers, national field director for the NAACP. ``Fill up on the North Carolina side and keeping driving until you get to the Georgia side.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> But South Carolina Attorney General Charlie Condon says the civil rights group&#39;s plan break the law. <br> <br> ``It&#39;s an illegal secondary boycott and so on behalf of the state of South Carolina I&#39;m going to be looking into the possibility of bringing a lawsuit against them for monetary damages,&#39;&#39; Condon said. <br> <br> The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People also will continue to ask athletes, entertainers and other prominent persons nationwide not to spend money or perform in South Carolina. <br> <br> ``South Carolina is confused,&#39;&#39; Rivers said. ``The rest of the country is united after 9-11, but South Carolina continues to have two flags. Is she going to stand with the rest of the country to be united by the United States flag or will she continue to embrace the symbol of hatred, racism and terrorism? If she insists on embracing this, she should pay the price for it.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Some state lawmakers have said the flag debate was no longer an issue after it was removed from atop the Statehouse in July 2000. A similar flag was placed at the Confederate Soldier Monument. <br> <br> The NAACP will voice its concerns Jan. 21 at the third King Day at the Dome rally at the Statehouse, which drew 3,000 protesters last year. <br> <br> Two years ago while the Confederate flag flew atop the Statehouse Dome, an estimated 46,000 turned out to protest the banner. <br> <br> State NAACP President James Gallman the organization will honor this year ``the one and only flag, the American flag.&#39;&#39;

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