Amherst County Va NAACP Demands Monument Removal

 

AMHERST NAACP WANTS CONFEDERATE MONUMENT IN AMHERST REMOVED Details below. After a request full of lies and woke nonsense, the Chairman of the Board of Supervisors of Amherst County, one of the most conservative counties in the Commonwealth (80%+ voted for Trump in 2020)  asked county staff to schedule a time for board discussion on the request at an upcoming meeting.

Amherst NAACP asks board to address Confederate monument's place on county property The Amherst NAACP chapter recently wrote the county board of supervisors a letter asking that it address a Confederate monument on the Amherst courthouse grounds. Brook Vandervelde, representing the local NAACP chapter, read from the letter during the public comments portion of the board’s May 16 meeting. She described the plaque’s language honoring the “noble cause” ideology of the South during the Civil War as a “throwback to an era of an institutionalized racism” that is painful for a large portion of county residents. “This county must not even seem to be contributing to its survival in our time,” Vandervelde said. The plaque states the Ladies of the Dr. John Thompson Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy erected the monument in 1922. The wording on the plaque states: “To the memory of The Sons of Amherst County, who from 1861 to 1865 upheld in arms the cause of Virginia and the South, who fell in battle or died from wounds, and survivors of the war who as long as they lived were ever proud that they had done their part in the noble cause.” Vandervelde said the sentiment from the plaque is one not all county residents share and is “clearly offensive to many.” “Its continued presence on public land at the courthouse complex can easily be construed as an endorsement of its sentiments by our currently elected authorities and citizenry,” she said. “Our courthouse complex should unequivocally promote equal justice for all.” In 1922, a private organization was allowed to occupy “a privileged place on public property that honored only a subset of our community,” Vandervelde said. “Times have changed,” she said. “Amherst can ill afford to continue to propagate a divisive message — 100 years is enough. Reflecting not only selective memories but also severe inequalities, this unbalanced presentation positioned in front of the United States flag does not foster unity.” The Amherst monument’s plaque is an “anomaly,” “out of sync with our times” and its presence on public property is problematic, Vandervelde told supervisors on behalf of the Amherst NAACP. “It is an artifact of another era and it should be removed,” Vandervelde said. “We applaud previous action by the board of supervisors to remove the Confederate battle flag graphic from the county seal. We propose that the same reasonable approach be taken to remove the ‘noble cause’ ideology that after a century still survives.” Vandervelde added the ‘noble cause’ ideology is controversial, divisive and a liability. “The only kinds of publicity that Amherst County needs are those that project positive and welcoming attitudes for all residents, visitors and commercial enterprises — a perfect slice of Virginia,” Vandervelde told supervisors. “Our goal is a solution that is amenable to our community. We stand ready to collaborate.”  Tom Martin, the board’s chair, asked county staff to schedule a time for board discussion on the request at an upcoming meeting. Amherst County, Virginia Board Members     Tom Martin Supervisor - District 1 Phone: 434-946-1235 Email: tmartin@countyofamherst.com  Term ends December 31, 2023 Claudia D. Tucker Supervisor - District 2 Phone: 434-841-3716 Email: cdtucker@countyofamherst.com  Term ends December 31, 2025     L. J. "Jimmy" Ayers Supervisor - District 3 Phone: 434-907-2340 Email: jayers@countyofamherst.com  Term ends December 31, 2023 David Pugh, Jr.  Supervisor - District 4 Phone: 434-509-2038 Email: dwpugh@countyofamherst.com  Term ends December 31, 2023   Drew Wade Supervisor - District 5 Phone: 434-338-9626 Email: mdwade@countyofamherst.com   Despite the fact that Virginia citizens are overwhelmingly against monument removal and destruction, and voted to flip the House of Delegates and Executive Office RED in Virginia after Democrats moved to destroy numerous monuments in the Commonwealth, localities still want to give WOKE monument destroyers a voice.  Please contact each member of the Board of Supervisors listed above and let them know how you feel about the removal of ANY war memorial.