Thousands Remember Sen. Clementa Pinckney at State House Viewing
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COLUMBIA, SC — The Reverend Clementa Pinckney was honored during a public viewing at the State House in Columbia Wednesday. Pinckney was one of the nine killed in the Charleston shootings and was also a South Carolina State Senator.
“Just to be simple to you, I ain’t wanna be anywhere else today,” said Columbia, SC resident Tracey Quarttlebaum. He waited with thousands in the scorching Columbia sun to pay his respects to Pickney. “I’m just happy today to see this. Everybody getting along. We not divided today. We be as one today,” he says.
Inside, people passed by quietly to pay their respects.
“Quite a bit of emotion, then a lot of silent, storied moments. A lot of personal moments kind of being taken in individually,” says Columbia, SC resident Art Ramsey.
Outside though, protesters remained around the Confederate Battle Flag flying just feet from where a horse drawn caisson carried Pinckney’s body.
“It’s such a twisted juxtaposition. I’m not even sure how to manage it,” says Durham, NC resident JoAnne Andrews.
The flag kept flying, though some called on Governor Nikki Haley to lower it temporarily for the public viewing. Overall though, many people say the state is more united than ever.
“I think it’s a uniting moment for America, not just South Carolina. Look at all that’s happened just in the last few days,” says Columbia, SC resident John Johnson.
“We are here to show that this horrendous act did not just affect one people, one person, or one group of people. It affected everyone. A nation and everyone in the world,” says Columbia, SC resident Robin Grace.
