As if Mississippi lawmakers needed help in dragging down the legislative process, now they are getting help from one of their own. And the state flag is at the center of the latest controversy.

Rep. Jimmy Thornton, D-Greenville, has begun using an archaic constitutional provision to air his gripes about the state flag, which contains portions of the Confederate battle flag. Thornton is using an outdated portion of the constitution to demand that each bill that comes up for debate be read aloud before the entire chamber.

The provision dates from a time when illiteracy was rampant in the state and some legislators could not read the bills for themselves.

Thornton’s personal campaign against the state flag is costing taxpayers money and wasting lawmakers’ valuable time.

Proposals to change the flag have failed so far during this session.

Thornton needs to realize this.

We have no problem with him working to change the flag, if that’s what he feels needs to be done. It’s his right.

But he shouldn’t abuse his position as a member of the House to wage a &uot;flag-buster&uot; marathon using a loophole to put the brakes on the Legislature.

Thornton promised last week to &uot;grind to a halt&uot; legislative action in order to draw attention to his cause.

If Thornton will look around, he may notice that few lawmakers — blacks or whites — are joining him in his verbal attempt at attention getting.

He would be better served by finishing the work of the Legislature — at full speed — and spend the time before the next session to lobby his cause in the conventional manner without wasting more money from our state’s tight budget coffers.