Confederate flag still flies in SC capital, sparking debate

This week's fatal shooting at a historic black church in Charleston has sparked a controversy over a long-held tradition in South Carolina of flying the flag of the Confederacy near the state capitol.

In tribute to the nine churchgoers killed in Charleston this week, two flags atop the State House in Columbia, South Carolina, have been lowered to half-staff -- but not the Confederate flag, which continues to fly high.

What may seem like an unfortunate oversight is in fact a state law.

"In South Carolina, the governor does not have legal authority to alter the flag," South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley's press secretary told ABC News. "Only the General Assembly can do that."

On Friday Republican State Rep. Doug Brannon announced he would be introducing legislation to take the flag down.

"I had a friend die Wednesday night for no reason other than he was a black man," he said during an interview on MSNBC. "Senator Pinckney was an incredible human being. I don't want to talk politics, but I'm going to introduce the bill for that reason."

While the country is divided on the rebel banner, it's legally protected under the South Carolina Heritage Act. Gov. Haley said during her campaign last year that there was no need to take down the Confederate flag, but now is seems to be changing her tune.

"I think the state will start talking about that again, and we'll see where it goes," Haley told CBS News on Friday.

A recent poll conducted by SurveyMonkey found that nation is split when it comes to the Confederate flag. 49% of Americans see it as a sign of racism, while another 49% see it as a symbol of southern pride. The other 2% had no opinion.

People began targeting the flag on Twitter with the hashtag #TakeItDown, with some directly calling out the governor.