At Tuesday night's meeting of Charlottesville's "Blue Ribbon Commission on Race, Memorials, and Public Spaces", commission members voted 6-3 to recommend that the statues of Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson REMAIN in Charlottesville's City Parks, which also bear their names.
Along with that vote, they will recommend that the names of the Parks be changed, and that the history surrounding the statues is “retold” and their meanings “transformed.”
Perhaps the most troubling recommendation was one to make March 3 offically “Liberation Day” or “Freedom Day” to recognize the day that Charlottesville was surrendered to the Yankee invaders in 1865. This on the heels of City Council's decision to remove Lee-Jackson Day from the city calendar.
http://www.dailyprogress.com/news/local/panel-votes-to-recommend-keeping-statues-in-their-parks/article_30049e90-a0a5-11e6-80de-f704bb943291.html
The GOOD NEWS is that the panel made the RIGHT recommendation to keep the statues, since moving them would be a violation of state law. We will remind the commission and City Council that any attempt to alter the monuments is also a violation of state law, so that their PC attempts to "retell" the history and "transform" their meanings will have to be done at a distance and thankfully can be removed and replaced just like the council members themselves.
We are cautiously optimistic, considering that commission members have flip flopped continuously in the months since the panel was created.
A quick rundown of commission members' stated positions will help to explain our caution:
Gathers wants to move both. Douglas insisted in a fog of academic art-speak jargon that putting Lee in his place can’t be done without moving him (she is less hostile to Jackson, that being better art). Burrus originally was against moving either; he changed his mind in the last two weeks and now agrees with Douglas. Dukes wanted to “challenge and confront” Lee. But he’s pessimistic about actually moving any monument in a tangle of lawsuits and bureaucratic red tape.Mason said there are few successful examples of transformation of monuments"in situ" but he’s willing to give it a try. Smith seemed to have wandered back to her original “thorn in our side” position — in any event she voted to keep them. Lloyd (citing the Berlin Wall) thinks landscaping and design changes can reduce Lee’s visual power,change what he “says.” O’Bryant and Lewis concurred, and Lewis thoughtfully cited those in the community who still look up to Lee.
Remember... these members were appointed by City Council, and generally reflect that body's PC, leftist views.
The final meeting of the commission is one week from today, November 10th, at 6:00 p.m. at Walker Upper Elementary School, 1564 Dairy Rd, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903. Those who have attended the meetings to date, report that while the majority of citizens have expressed a desire for the statues to remain, a small, but very loud group of "social justice warriors" continues to pressure the commission members with their false narratives and demands.
Call to Action:
1) If you are able, attend the final meeting next Thursday night.
2) Contact commission members. Ask them to recommend leaving the statues and park names alone.
We have a victory in this initial vote to recommend the monuments stay, but we need to make sure that does not change at next Thursday's meeting. We also encourage everyone to remember that the commission is being paid thousands of taxpayer dollars to make these recommendations, which City Council can choose to accept or ignore, just as they did in Alexandria. Considering the contempt that Vice-Mayor Bellamy and Councilman Szacos have shown for Lee, Jackson, our Confederate history, and anyone who supports Confederate heritage, it would not be surprising if they ignored the recommendations of the very commission they formed.
Should that happen, and they attempt to violate state law, we will be ready to file criminal and civil suits to prevent it. Charlottesville City Council has already wasted thousands of taxpayer dollars on this "commission". It will be interesting to see if they are willing to waste even more in futile attempts to move the monuments, just to appease Bellamy, Szakos, and a handful of their radical friends.
Whatever they decide, we are prepared. With your help, the statues will remain, and the honor and valor of Lee and Jackson will be remembered long after those attempting to eradicate our history and heritage are long forgotten.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Saturday, November 5th: 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm Flagging the VMFA, 200 N. Boulevard, Richmond
Thursday, November 10th: 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm, Flagging the VMFA, 200 N. Boulevard, Richmond
Saturday, November 12th: 10:00 am - 1:00 pm, Flagging the VMFA, 200 N. Boulevard, Richmond
Saturday, November 12th - Sunday, November 13th: Capital of the Confederacy Civil War Show. RIR. The Va Flaggers will have a table at the show. Stop by and see us!
Tuesday, November 15th: 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm, Flagging the VMFA, 200 N. Boulevard, Richmond
Saturday, November 19th: 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm, Flagging the VMFA, 200 N. Boulevard, Richmond
Saturday, November 26th: 10:00 am - 1:00 pm, Flagging the VMFA, 200 N. Boulevard, Richmond
Tuesday, November 29th: 3:00 pm - 6:00 PM, Flagging the VMFA, 200 N. Boulevard, Richmond
Sunday, December 4th: Mechanicsville Christmas Parade - Join us in one of the most Confederate friendly parades in the Commonwealth. Ride or walk, all are welcome!
Friday, January 20th, 2017: Susan will be the guest speaker for the Lee-Jackson Banquet of the Lt. General Wade Hampton Camp #273, Columbia, SC.
Saturday, January 21st, 2017: Susan will be the guest speaker for the Lee-Jakson Banquet of the Horry Rough and Readys, Camp #1026, Myrtle Beach, SC
Saturday, May 6th, 2017: Susan will be the guest speaker for the Confederate Memorial Day service at Oakwood Cemetery in Raleigh, NC, sponsored by the Waddell Chapter, MOS&B.
Saturday, June 24, 2017: Susan will be the guest speaker for the SCV Camp #513 Confederate Memorial Day service in Oklahoma City, OK. More details to follow.
To assist with our Interstate Battle Flags and ongoing Heritage Defense projects, please make checks payable to “The Virginia Flaggers” and mail to:
P.O. Box 547 Sandston VA 23150
Follow us on Twitter: @thevaflaggers
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