Photo:
Monument Avenue a few days ago. The beauty of the trees and fog hides
most of the hate shown in the Capital of the Confederacy over the past
few months. The general rides high above the filth!
A mixed bag out of Richmond today:
Bad news:
A Richmond Circuit court judge dismissed the case filed by Monument
Avenue residents to stop Governor Northam from tearing down the
magnificent Robert E Lee memorial on Monument Avenue.
GOOD NEWS:
The same judge ordered that the injunction preventing Northam from
touching the monuments stays in place until the appeal, which won’t be
heard until NEXT YEAR!!
LEE STAYS UP!
God bless all those who had the courage to bring this lawsuit and the attorneys who bravely represented them in court.
Be of good courage, Virginians. God WILL vindicate.
Most of you are well aware that Ben
"Cooter" Jones is a descendant of Confederate Veterans, and a fierce
defender of our history and heritage, something very rare among
celebrities today. You might not know that he and Ms. Alma are also
dear friends and steadfast supporters of the Virginia Flaggers.
When we heard yesterday that he was having trouble with his stores'
website, we contacted him immediately to offer our assistance, and true
to form, by the end of the conversation, he wound up boosting my spirits
and encouraging me, instead of the other way around. :)
Please take a look at the video message from Ben below, followed by his
latest correspondence. By the end of the weekend, all Confederate flag
merchandise will be removed from his website. PLEASE KNOW that this is
TEMPORARY while his folks work to move to a new platform.
In the meantime, we are asking our supporters to go to the site and
order something BEFORE THE END OF THE WEEKEND to show Ben how much we
appreciate EVERYTHING he does for our Cause, AND to help pay for the
transition to the new site, which will be costly.
PLEASE take a moment to visit the website here... https://cootersplace.com/pages/shop-cooters
or give them a call and place your order over the phone...
COOTER'S PLACE NASHVILLE
(615) 872-8358
Message from Ben Jones AKA "Cooter"
Hey Y'all,
My daddy used to tell me, "Don't put your business in the street..." He
was an old-school railroad man. He mostly kept his opinions to himself,
and he had a traditional sense of what should be private.
But in show business and in politics, two careers I've had in which I'd
like to think I have been reasonably successful, what you do and think
becomes public, and even the things that should be private have a way of
"getting out there."
So as much as I like to keep my business "close to the vest" we have
suddenly found ourselves in a position in which I must speak out and
also ask for the support of our friends and fans. For the last few
years, our online business has been handled by a company called
"Shopify", which is based up in Canada. Its a big internet outfit and
works in many countries. But like so much business in the digital age,
it does not have a personal touch.
Out of nowhere, totally unexpected, an unsigned e-mail arrived from
Shopify which informed us that we were in violation of their "hateful
content" policy, and if we didn't remove everything with the Confederate
Battle Flag on it within 10 days, they were going to pull the plug
on our business, basically putting our internet shop out of business.
You can probably guess what my response is. We have a really
distinguished attorney, a man of character and intellect. He is dealing
with that aspect of it, letting them know that this is a punitive action
on their part and an unexpected body blow to our company. We will
be pursuing this as a legal matter, while at the same time telling
"Shopify" to "fold it four ways, tie a ribbon around it, and put it
where the moon don't shine!" That is nicest way I can put it.
For we are Christian people. The Flag is a Christian Cross, the
Crucifixion Cross of St. Andrew, who was thought to be Christ's first
Disciple. It is a symbol which has been used for 2,000 years in his
honor and memory. We honor the spirit and sacrifice of all of the
South's people, and I share the blood of my African brothers and
sisters. The Dukes of Hazzard has a huge African-American following, and
that audience has enjoyed the sweet nature and good fun of our show as
much as anyone in the 40+ nations where our show has been seen, for over
40 years now.
As one who was deeply involved in the Civil RIghts Movement of Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr., and as one who is descended from a slave, and
as one who personally knows and cares about hundreds of our
African/American fans, I am offended close to the point of rage at this
latest example of narrow minded sanctimony and political correctness. It
is dividing our nation on a daily basis. It is wrong, and the people
behind it are wrong.
So we are transferring everything to another internet web host. But that
is an enormous job and will take some time. In the meanwhile, we've put
all our merchandise with images of our beloved flag on sale. The sale
will last through Monday, Oct. 12th. By then we'll say goodbye to
Shopify.
The truly intolerant and narrow minded bigots are those who have no idea
about the good hearts and the undying love of those of us who side with
Uncle Jesse rather than George Soros. What kind of people would we be
if we just caved to these self-righteous and narrow minded people?
Unlike these boneheads, we understand our culture, our heritage, and the
great and colorblind television show that has made millions of friends
around the world, who understand that our show is about people looking
out for one another, regardless of their color or age or politics or
whether or not they are poor or are millionaires. Hazzard Nation is a
loving bunch of people who are not impressed by the latest political
idiocy.
Hang in there,
Ben Jones aka "Cooter"
P.S.
Now, here is how Shopify defines "Hateful Content".
Hateful content: You may not use the Services to promote or condone hate
or violence against people based on race, ethnicity, color, national
origin, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, medical
condition, veteran status or other forms of discriminatory intolerance.
You may not use the Services to promote or support organizations,
platforms or people that: (i) promote or condone such hate; or (ii)
threaten or condone violence to further a cause.
Does that sound like us to you?? Seems to me that we do is the opposite of "hateful content".
Earlier this afternoon, The Virginia Flaggers sponsored a banner plane that flew
for several hours over the NASCAR race at Richmond International Raceway and portions of downtown Richmond. The promotion, code named “Confederate
Air Force”, featured a large Confederate Battle Flag and the message “STILL THE
CSA CAPITAL”, and served to remind Mayor Stoney, Governor Northam, and their
extreme leftist Democrat friends in the Virginia legislature, that no matter
how many graves they desecrate, monuments and memorials they destroy, or street
or school names they erase, it does not change the fact that Richmond was, and
always will be world renown as the “The Capital of the Confederacy”.
Recent polls confirm that the majority of the citizens of
the Commonwealth overwhelmingly OPPOSE Virginia democrats’ hate-filled, violent
destruction of our history and heritage, and this plane sent the message loud
and clear that those of us who understand the true history of the South,
and understand the honor and valor of the citizen-soldier who answered the call to
defend hearth and home against invasion, will continue to do our duty to
remember their courage and sacrifice.
Once known as the “Grandest Avenue in the South” and
celebrated as one of Richmond’s top tourism draws, Monument Avenue now
resembles a desolate war zone after months of riots and violent protests,
encouraged and celebrated by Virginia democrats. Historic art has
been destroyed and vandalized, with vulgar profanity and anti-law
enforcement messages painted on public and private property, and left on
full display by city officials. When this campaign of terror and destruction
finally ends, and even if they manage to destroy every Veterans’ memorial in
the Commonwealth in the process, one thing is certain, the names of Lee and
Jackson, and the men who bravely fought under their command, will be spoken
with reverence and honor by true Virginians long after those who are attempting
to tarnish their memory are gone and forgotten.
“The vandals of
Monument Avenue do not diminish these men; that is not within their power.They merely diminish themselves, which is
entirely within their power.”~ H.V.
Traywick, Jr.
The Virginia Flaggers is a Richmond-based, grass roots
organization of citizens of the Commonwealth who stand AGAINST those who would
desecrate our Confederate monuments and memorials, and FOR our Confederate
veterans.We are committed to preserving
the true history of the Commonwealth and appreciate the outpouring of support
in the past few months from outraged citizens, determined to help end the
campaign of terror that is being waged against our Confederate dead.We stand by our
pledge to raise new Memorial Battle Flags and War Memorials for every one removed,
destroyed, or desecrated.
Under cover of
darkness, and against the wishes of the majority of Virginia's citizens, House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn, D-Fairfax, oordered the
removal of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee from the state
Capitol Thursday along with busts and artifacts representing eight men
who served in the Confederacy. The
statuary removed Thursday night was located in the Old House Chamber, a
room where delegates met before the building was expanded, which is now
used as a museum and for historical tours, ironically, exactly where
these leftists typically say our Confederate memorials belong.
The
Virginia Democrat Taliban continues its work. Remember how they said
statues and artifacts belonged in a museum? Apparently not. The statues were in a museum called the OLD House Chamber where the events of the War
Between the States era actually occurred and where the legislature of
the Confederacy actually met are now removed.
Virginia
has a unique and remarkable history.... and we exist now on the same
spot where it all unfolded. NOT commemorating that history and the
people who were legendary leaders 150 years ago is anti-intellectual and
anti-American.
Last night’s secret removal is shameful.
Remember
it was Democrats who acted like the Taliban. Remember and support only
those who will replace everything removed once we regain control of the
Commonwealth.
Filler-Corn’s
office sclaims the state constitution and the rules of the House gave
her the authority to make changes to the space, including by removing
artifacts.
Filler-Corn was born in New York, and raised in New Jersey.
She
announced that she formed a “Speaker’s Advisory Group on State Capitol
Artifacts” to advise her on what to do with the removed memorials and
possible further actions. She appointed Del. Delores McQuinn,
D-Richmond, to oversee the group.
“The
artifacts at the Capitol are a painful reminder of the deep-rooted
wounds of slavery and 401 years of oppression,” McQuinn said in a
statement. “These Confederate artifacts are constant reminders of
individuals who had no intentions of guaranteeing justice, equality and
equity for all. I am proud of Speaker Filler-Corn for taking this action
to not only remove these hateful symbols, but also create a process to
make sure our State Capitol reflects our ideals.”
In a statement, Minority Leader Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah, criticized the statue’s removal:
“The
Speaker’s statement reaffirming her commitment to telling the whole
history of the Commonwealth is perplexing, given the fact that that the
Lee statute in the old House chamber literally marks the spot where Lee
accepted his general’s commission, setting off some of the most historic
and tragic events in our nation’s history. Unlike the Lee monument on
Monument Avenue, this statue is a historical marker. Another historical
reality is that the Capitol building itself served as the Confederate
Capitol, a fact that should no doubt force the Speaker’s new Advisory
Group to recommend that it be razed to the ground.”
This
is heartbreaking, to say the least, but certainly doesn't come as a
surprise to any of us who have watched the Democrats and their EVIL,
vindictive actions since they gained control of our legislature in
November.
We understand, like few others, that all of this destruction and
desecration is because 150+ years later, liberal Democrats are still
terrified of the Confederacy and what we stood for...and they know full
well it had NOTHING to do with slavery or race.
It was the last time Godly men of honor and valor had the courage to stand against evil tyranny...and THAT scares them to death.
The
destruction of the “Grandest Avenue in the South” has begun. Just
moments after Richmond Mayor Lamar Stoney announced that he had ordered
every Confederate monument removed, a giant crane arrived and began the
task of removing the magnificent Stonewall Jackson statue from the
massive monument on which is sat, quietly watching over the city, for just a few months shy of 100 years.
The scene was absolute chaos, with crowds of monument haters cheering and
jeering as the work took place.
ONE YOUNG MAN, a Richmond resident,
dared to make his way into the crowd and speak out in favor of saving the monument. Watch how he was violently attacked and then led out like a criminal...
His
flag was stolen and burned at the monument shortly after he was
removed. We have reached out to him and confirmed that he is ok, thankfully.
We now endorse a full and complete boycott of the once beautiful city.
God help those left behind in the burnt out remains. We encourage all
decent folks to stay out of the city limits. City leaders have let
godless radicals have complete control and it is no longer safe for
anyone to visit for any reason.
Apparently, Stoney could not find anyone locally to help him. These are the folks he hired to do his dirty work...
What
is happening in the Capital of the Confederacy is no surprise to us. We
knew after the democrats gained control of our legislature in November
that they would make it a priority to take out their revenge on true,
God fearing Virginians by destroying our sacred memorials.
It’s also no surprise to our Savior, who, as hard as it is to see right now, is still in control.
Evil may have the upper hand today, but will not prevail as long as WE do what is expected of us. What is our duty.
Those of you with children must teach them.
You
must teach them that once Americans were brave enough to fight against
tyranny; that great Christian men such as Lee, Stuart, Jackson and Davis
led them; that the South was Right to resist and our Heroes wore Grey.
Teach them so that the thousands of boys in grey did not die in vain and their names and brave deeds will NEVER be erased, no matter how much the heathens rage.
In
the meantime, know that we are exploring every legal option available,
and are working on a couple of things that will, God willing,
materialize in the next few days....AND...we plan to make good on our
promise to raise a flag and place a monument for every one removed.
Thank you Mayor Stoney, for the inspiration for our next mega flag, the
General Thomas J “Stonewall” Jackson Memorial Battle Flag. We are
actively seeking property in the Richmond area for the installation.
Please contact us at vaflaggers@gmail.com if you can assist.
God bless the eternal memory of Gen. Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson, and God save the South!
Just before the
race at Talladega yesterday, a banner plane, sponsored by Save Southern
Heritage-SC and the SCV flew over the track, with a big, beautiful
battle flag, and the message "DEFUND NASCAR"!
For those who are not aware, NASCAR recently implemented a COMPLETE ban
on the Confederate battle flag, warning that fans who attempt to even
wear a ball cap with a battle flag on it could face arrest...
This
announcement came as officials ALSO declared that drivers and employees
WILL be allowed to kneel during the National Anthem, a reversal of their
previous policy. We STRONGLY urge all Southerners to boycott NASCAR
AND contact all sponsors and let them know you will boycott them, too,
as long as they sponsor the Un Patriotic and Un American NASCAR.
In the meantime, God bless all those who are not going away quietly into
the night. From this scene driving past the trucks at the front
gate...
To a rolling flag rally organized and carried out in Talladega yesterday...
It looks like
Alabama NASCAR fans are not going down without a fight, to the dismay of
NASCAR Executive Steve O'Donnell, who obviously was bothered enough by
the flyover to take to social media to call Confederate flag supporters
"Jackasses".
KUDOS to Save
Southern Heritage-SC and the SCV for sponsoring the banner plane, and
God bless each and every one who decided to stand and fight in
Talladega. We hope this continues at each race.
This
is the most difficult Va Flaggers update I have had to write, to date.
Even now, several days after his passing, I am having great difficulty
putting down the words I need to share.
Earlier this week, after a brief illness,
Va Flagger Spokesman Barry Isenhour went home to be with his Lord and
Savior. To say we, his friends, family, and compatriots are devastated
is a gross understatement. Many of you know Barry as the public face of
the Virginia Flaggers, a volunteer role he stepped into and filled
without hesitation, and with eloquence and Southern charm, but there was
so much more to Barry.
I met Barry in the few first few weeks of flagging in Richmond, back in
2011. We became fast friends. He said I reminded him of his sister, so
I became "Sis" and he called me that ever since. Barry was a Tar Heel
and quick to tell you so, but he was also a proud defender of his
adopted home, Virginia. He was highly educated and knowledgeable in
many areas, and had the unique gift of being able to talk to just about
anyone about anything. I can honestly say, that with the exception of
our enemies, those "Heathen Yankees and Scalawags", as he called them, I
never heard him say a harsh word about anyone.
Barry was, first and foremost, a Christian, and he reminded me, almost
daily, that if we ever took our eyes of Christ and tried to move forward
in our will instead of His, we were doomed to failure. His trust and
faith was in Christ alone and my faith was strengthened from the
influence.
It is hard to list everything did for me, the Virginia Flaggers, and our
Cause. In addition to his duties as spokesperson, Barry headed up our
Guardians of the Flags across the Commonwealth, organizing flag repairs,
participating in almost every flag replacement, delivering flags from
Lexington to Danville, and constantly reminding me when we needed more.
He also personally saw to the replacement of the Third National flags
in Hollywood Cemetery. His last communication to me before he died was
to make sure we had received new flags for that purpose and to ask me to
make sure they were replaced. I honestly cannot remember a time that I
asked something of Barry and he said "no". He was ALWAYS willing to go
and do whatever was needed.
He enjoyed a good cigar, a good hot dog, and spending time alone in cemeteries with "his boys", as he called our veterans.
He was ALWAYS an encourager. If I ever got down or feeling a little
defeated, he was quick to send encouragement, usually laced in
scripture, and get me back on focus.
He also had the ability to produce, without argument, the loudest, most
fierce rendition of the Rebel Yell of anyone I have EVER known.
The South has lost one of its most dedicated and devoted defenders.
Barry's political experience in the Tea Party and other groups made him a
natural working behind the scenes in Virginia politics. He was our
point man in the General Assembly and attended almost every relative
committee meeting and vote over the past several years. He was a
dedicated flagger, having logged thousands of hours flagging in
Richmond, from 2011 to just a few weeks ago. He was a key member of our
monument patrols, helping to organize and always willing to fill a slot
when needed.
All of this and
so much more than I can list here means that his passing has left a
void in our organization that I honestly don't know how we will fill,
but more painful to me is the loss of a dear, true, loyal friend,
something that is not easy to find in these times.
Due to the
current restrictions due to the flu outbreak, a memorial service will be
held at a later date. We are in discussions about several ways we want
to honor Barry's memory, hopefully to include a flag site to be
dedicated in his memory, among other tributes... but if I know Barry, I
believe he would say that the best way to honor his memory is to pick up
the flag he has now laid down and continue the work he began.
He never, ever quit, or backed down from a fight.
I wrote this down once, after he said it to me, and I'm so glad I did...
"The Va Flaggers run TO the Colors, not
away from them, because we understand that the battle is won or lost
there, beneath the cross of St Andrew." ~ Barry Isenhour
In the midst of great grief, I rejoice
today, knowing that Barry received his eternal reward on Tuesday, and I
imagine the reunion in heaven was a joyous one, with throngs of our men
in gray waiting to cheer him home.
Tell them we will not abandon the field of honor, bro, and we will join you soon.
God bless the eternal memory of Barry Isenhour, and God Save the South!
Earlier
today, the Va Flaggers raised a 10’x15’ Memorial Battle flag on a 50’
pole on property adjacent to Route 40 in Franklin County.
At
the request of the landowner, the flag was dedicated to the Glory of
God, in memory and honor of all Confederate soldiers, and specifically
to honor the men who fought in the 10th Va Cavalry, Co K along side his
ancestor, who is buried nearby.
Due
to restrictions in place in the Commonwealth, we were unable to have a
ceremony, nor have any of our folks even attend the flag raising. We
will have a formal dedication when it is deemed safe to to do so. Stay
tuned for updates.
We
would like to offer our sincere thanks to Sky High Poles for their help with this installation, each and every one of you whose generous
support makes these projects possible, and the men of the Lt Gen Wade
Hampton SCV Camp 273, Columbia, SC who donated the first flag that was
raised at the site today.
This is the 31st roadside Memorial battle flag that the Va Flaggers have raised in the Commonwealth since September of 2013.
The
attacks against the honor and virtue of our Confederate dead have
reached a fevered pitch in the Commonwealth. Our Governor is poised to
sign legislation, thanks to a new democratic majority in our
legislature, that will allow localities to destroy war memorials. For
every flag or monument moved or removed, we promise another will rise to
take its place. It’s the least we can do, considering their sacrifice.
The
Virginia Flaggers are pleased to report the installation of a NEW
Roadside Memorial Battle Flag in the Commonwealth! This flag, our 30th
since we raised our first one in September of 2013, was raised earlier
this morning to the Glory of God, and in honor and memory of Virginia’s
Confederate Veterans, on Rt. 40 in Pittsylvania County, on a busy stretch
that is heavily traveled by travelers and tourists headed to Smith
Mountain Lake.
We want to thank Governor Northam and Virginia Democrats for the uptick
in folks contacting us about putting battle flags on their property. It
seems their disgraceful attempts to denigrate our history and heritage,
dishonor our veterans, and desecrate our monuments and memorials has
backfired and hopefully will be the catalyst to wake the sleeping giant
of Confederate resistance in the Commonwealth and help to turn Virginia
back in the right direction.
Site #31 is in progress. Stay tuned for information on the upcoming flag raising/dedication service.
Many thanks to each and every one of you whose generous support makes
all of this possible. Without your contributions, and the dedication
and hard work of an army of volunteers, construction on new sites and
maintenance of existing ones would be impossible.
All glory to God. All honor to the Confederate soldier.
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 393 Sutherland VA 23885
Or contribute through PayPal, here:
