Joe Morrissey: "I Was Wrong" - Backpedals On Call to Remove Confederate Monument

Two weeks after calling a press conference in front of the Jefferson Davis Monument in Richmond, and announcing that his first task if elected Mayor would be to have it torn down, Joe Morrissey backtracked yesterday, admitting that he had made a mistake.   “I don’t think I thought that through,” he told local news.
That's an understatement, Joe... 

More info about the original press conference here: http://wtvr.com/2016/09/26/morrissey-jefferson-davis-statue/ And the statement we released: "The Va Flaggers are disappointed, but not surprised, to hear that Joe Morrissey has called a press conference to announce that if he were elected Mayor of Richmond, the first thing he would do is tear down the Jefferson Davis Memorial on Monument Avenue. Mr. Morrissey has a history of grandstanding and attention grabbing stunts. Tearing down historical monuments is illegal in the Commonwealth. We would hope that Mr. Morrissey is familiar enough with Virginia State Law to know this and trust the citizens of Richmond are not willing to elect a Mayor who would call a press conference to announce his intentions to break the law if elected. The citizens of the Commonwealth see this for what it is: another stunt to create division and tension where it does not exist. He cannot legally destroy the monument, and this press conference is nothing more than an attempt to garner publicity for his failing campaign and cause strife in our community. The Va Flaggers will meet any proposal to remove ANY Confederate memorial with the full force of our resources, the support of the majority of the citizens of the Commonwealth, and with any and all legal means necessary to prevent ANY desecration of our monuments and memorials."   The pushback and fallout from his stunt was immediate and the repercussions led "Fighting Joe" to have a change of heart.  Instead of tearing down the Jefferson Davis Monument, Morrissey now says he favors building a monument that honors African-American Union and Confederate soldiers.  http://wtvr.com/2016/10/10/i-was-wrong-morrissey-offers-new-take-on-jefferson-davis-statue-removal/  Hey Joe!  We appreciate you recognizing black Confederates, but we've got one of those monuments already.  It's at the State Capitol, just a few blocks from where you were standing...   WHERE THE REST OF THE FIELD STANDS  Richmond's Mayoral Candidates on Confederate Memorials Jack Berry "We should not erase our history just because it makes us uncomfortable.’"  Said he would not seek to remove Confederate monuments at a Mayoral forum Lawrence E Williams, Sr. "It’s important that we rep all aspects of the civil war, that is the key to this conversation...  The primary focus of this election should not be about the past but should be about our future.  We need to concentrate on our children and providing the proper services in schools that we need for our city to move forward in order to make all of our citizens successful.”  Said he would not seek to remove Confederate monuments at a Mayoral forum    Michelle Mosby Said she would not seek to remove Confederate statues at a Mayoral forum Jon Baliles Jonathan Baliles is now proposing "establishing a commission" to decide how to handle the memorials.  (We all know what that means...) This after he assured constituents and those attending a mayoral forum that he would not seek to remove Confederate monuments.   Levar Stoney Former Secretary of the Commonwealth Levar Stoney said he "would not shed a tear" if the monument was removed and supports discussing the issue.  “There is no better place than Richmond to begin leading the conversation about what we choose to memorialize. Let’s start the discussion with Jefferson Davis.” Bobby Junes No Information Available Contrary to what the folks at WTVR 6 and Governor McAuliffe's staff would have our citizens believe, Virginia's Monuments and Memorials law is not "murky".  The legislature decisively confirmed its intent in the last session, and the overwhelming majority of the Commonwealth's citizens are against the removal of any Confederate monument or memorial. It is still against state law to alter, move, or destroy any war monument or memorial, and it is our pledge that any individual or locality that attempts to do so will face criminal and civil law suits and the full force of our opposition. "The time for compromise has now passed, and the South is determined to maintain her position, and make all who oppose her smell Southern powder and feel Southern steel."   Jefferson Davis, February, 1861