A Nebraska state senator is receiving backlash after he referred to the American flag as a “rag” during a heated debate surrounding a bill about bettering history instruction for students in the state.

Senator Ernie Chambers, an Independent representing Omaha, debated Senator Tom Brewer, a Republican, over LB 399, which would update social studies requirements for students. Chambers was vocal over his concerns that the updates would teach a version of U.S. history that would highlight only white Americans, and not represent all Americans.

Senator Ernie Chambers (I-Omaha) faced backlash after referring to the American flag as a “rag” during a debate. (Photo by Waring Abbott/Getty Images)

“Senator Groene wants to talk about the meaning of respect,” Chambers said Tuesday. “What do white people mean by it and what do black people mean by it? White people mean we’ve gotta bow down to what they tell us as black people to bow down to. I don’t come here for this rag every day, and it’s a rag. That’s all it is to me. When you show a way to persuade Jews to sanctify and worship the swastika — when you show me that I’ll come up here and stand while you all hypocritically pretend that rag is something that it definitely is not.”

Brewer, who served in the military for more than 30 years, held back tears during his rebuttal. KMTV reported his response: “It rips our heart out to hear someone say that they refer to the flag as a rag because for those of us that have brought home, those that we’ve lost, it’s hard to refer to the flag as a rag because you have to fold it and you have to give it to the parents — that’s awful hard to do.”

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