Early in the day on Thursday,
we received word that severe storms were expected in Danville around 4:00 p.m.,
so we made the decision to raise the flag as soon as the pole was set, and
canceled the planned 5:00 p.m. ceremony.
This turned out to be a
providential decision, as council chambers had already started to fill when we
arrived at 4:30. By 5:30, all seats were taken, and the Fire
Marshall began turning people away who wanted to attend. Over 100
people, most of whom were Confederate supporters, were left to stand outside
during the proceedings.
We knew that the flag we had
just raised was in a great spot -- high visibility and located at the main
entrance of town -- but imagine our surprise and joy when we arrived and
discovered that the flag is visible from City Hall. This is the
view out of the City Manager's window!
We were the overwhelming
majority in council chambers, and most of hose who addressed City Council were
opposed to the ordinance that would officially ban ALL flags from city owned
flag poles EXCEPT the US Flag, Virginia State Flag, Danville City Flag, and US
POW/MIA flag, but was obviously specifically proposed to force the removal of
the Third National flag from the Confederate Memorial from the grounds of the
Sutherlin Mansion. The meeting started promptly at 7:00 and by
the time council finished discussing the ordinance, we understood why.
One member of council actually admitted that it really didn't even
matter what the citizens thought on the matter, or had to say, because this deal
had been brokered in "work sessions" and was already decided.
We listened as council members
called for "peace and unity" following the vote -- no matter what was
decided -- when, in actuality, they had already decided to vote to remove the
flag. Apparently, even after seeing the fallout that has occurred
across the South after similar measures, these men actually still believe that
appeasing the demands of these people will lead to "eace and
unity." In fact, if they had been paying attention, they would
know that pandering to the PC crowd not only leads to increased unrest and
strife, it is NEVER effective, as these folks are NEVER satisfied with whatever
it is that is handed to them. Minutes after the vote, SCLC
representative Avon Keen, the man who has been complaining about the flag loudly
and agitating in Danville for years, made this perfectly clear in his statement
when he bragged that this flag was just "one of the dominoes which had to
fall," and that their "battle has not concluded."
I often speak of the fact that
there are very few elected officials left with any kind of backbone ANYWHERE in
the South. Last night, we found two of them in Danville, VA. These men stood up
to the bully politics that apparently caused others to cave and turn their backs
on their history, their heritage, and the citizens of Danville who elected them.
They fought to the end, knowing full well their stand would be unpopular with
their colleagues and the militant leftists pushing the agenda of Confederate
Cleansing. God bless councilmen Buddy Rawley and Fred Shanks. PLEASE take a
moment to thank them for their support and courageous
stand!
http://www.danville-va.gov/878/Fred-O-Shanks-III
After the vote, Representative
Shanks asked the Mayor if the flag was going to be removed "as discussed" in
the closed work sessions. Mayor Saunders seemed highly agitated,
and claimed that he knew nothing about the removal and refused to answer the
question.
In fact, the bucket truck was
already on site, waiting for the official result which was already decided long
before the roll vote was called, and the flag was cut down, the monument
desecrated, and the honor of our ancestors SPAT UPON by order of City Council
within minutes of the vote. Apparently, Mayor Saunders expected
us to believe that those police officers acted on their own volition, and that
council had no idea it was going to happen.
As to the turncoats who
decided to vote for this ordinance, after pledging to support Confederate
history and heritage in Danville, we are left only to wonder what they were
promised for their vote --¦and if it was worth selling their
soul.
While it was painful to sit
and watch the proceedings, and more hurtful than I can describe to ride down to
the Sutherlin Mansion afterwards and find the empty pole, those of us who have
been engaged in this war that is raging in Danville are far from
discouraged.
Yesterday, we raised the first
Roadside Memorial Battle Flag in Danville,
Va.
The actions of the City
Council, in fact, served to trade one 3x5 Third National, tucked away in a quiet
part of town, for ONE (so far) massive battle flag in a prominent location on a
major highway. If this was the ONLY thing accomplished yesterday,
we would have plenty to celebrate, but there is much, much
more.
*A lawsuit has already been
prepared and will be filed immediately, challenging the flag removal, which
obviously violates State Law.
*A 501C4 has been formed for
the express purpose of making sure the turncoats on Danville City Council who
voted for this ordinance are not re-elected next spring.
*The Confederate Memorial
Association in Danville has been re-activated, and will be organizing to further
pursue historical, legal and legislative action.
*The Va Flaggers have over ½
dozen flag sites in Danville already under construction, with new calls coming
in every day from landowners wanting to install flags in response to this
action.
*Efforts to purchase the
Sutherlin Mansion and return it to private hands that will best honor and
protect it will be stepped up, with new offers coming in the next few
weeks.
And in the
aftermath...sweet irony. The ordinance that was designed to remove the flag at
Sutherlin Mansion...
...also brought down the
national flags from the display of flags of countries doing business in
Danville...
I wonder if we can talk
to city officials about taking these poles off of their hands, now that they are
no longer needed? We will put them to very good use!
;)
As it has in communities
across the South, this unnecessary and divisive action by the Danville City
Council has served to "awaken the sleeping giant and fill him with a
terrible resolve." We are not only confident that the flag WILL
be returned to its rightful place at Sutherlin Mansion, but believe that the end
result will be that Danville will be even more Confederate than ever before.
This flag installed yesterday
is the first of several scheduled for installation in Danville, and the eighth
Roadside Memorial Battle Flag installed in the Commonwealth of Virginia by the
Virginia Flaggers since the fall of 2013, made possible by generous gifts and
support from folks across the country. We would like to
especially thank the many UDC, SCV, OCR, Mechanized Cavalry, and private
citizens in Danville who have stepped up to help us with the flag projects, and
with whom we have worked closely and successfully over these past months in
Danville.
"For every flag removed, a
thousand more will rise to take its place"
Va
Flaggers
