We find it completely unacceptable that the flags that have flown in honor and sacred memory of Robert E. Lee since 1930 were stripped from this chamber, for NO OTHER REASON than to cater to the extortion-like "demands" of a half dozen students.
Once again, we want to thank each and every one of you who have made phone calls, sent emails, and mailed letters since we first forwarded the contact information last week. We understand from our sources that phones were tied up and emails were filled with messages voicing disgust and outrage with the actions of officials at Washington & LEE University.
Starting tomorrow morning, we are going to ask you to switch gears and contact these folks:
Alumni Affairs Staff
Waller (Beau) T. Dudley
Executive Director of Alumni Affairs
wdudley@wlu.edu
Thomas D. Lovell
tdlovell@wlu.edu
Associate Director of Alumni Affairs
Mary Webster
Assistant Director for Engagement
mwebster@wlu.edu
Washington and Lee University
Office of Alumni Affairs
Lexington, Virginia 24450
(540) 458-8468
Please contact these folks and let them know that the removal of the flags from the chamber of the Lee Chapel was unacceptable and must be corrected immediately. These contacts are particularly important to share with anyone who is an alumnus or has alumni contacts. We must let them know we will stand united and end ALL support until the flags are returned.
If, for some reason, you have yet to contact the President and staff, we have included the original contact request information at the bottom of this email.
Many of you have asked repeatedly about when we are going to "March on Washington & Lee" and start flagging them. Most people see this outward expression of what we do, and may not realize that it is a powerful tool, but one that is typically held in our arsenal and used when all other efforts are exhausted. We contacted the W&L administration in April, when news of "The Committee's" demands first surfaced, and have been collecting information and investigating the situation ever since.
Of course, the actual removal last week has kicked our efforts into overdrive. We have contacted W&L officials again, and our next communication will let them know that if the flags are not returned by our deadline, flaggings will begin. In the meantime, we are making trips to Lexington to scout the area, investigate all pertinent laws and regulations, and preparing literature and talking points so that our Flaggers, and those who join us, have everything needed to be successful. We never step onto the sidewalk until we have covered all of our bases and have all needed resources lined up and available. Everything from parking, to bathroom accessibility is covered.
While we expect to begin scheduling flaggings within the next few weeks, IF the flags are not returned, our main push will come in September, once students are back on campus. We realize full well that the announcement of the flag removal in July, while students were on summer break, was very much by design. We have been contacted by and are in communication with students who are ready to join us in these protests, and whose presence will be a huge boost to our efforts. Student move-in dates, Parents' weekends, home football games, and other high profile events will be the targets of our activity. We are organizing now and are looking for anyone who is willing to join us, especially those in the Lexington area, to contact us for more details.
Misc:
University officials are deleting any and all comments about the flags from their FaceBook page, but you can leave a "rating" here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Washington-and-Lee-University-School-of-Law/103129179727624
And it appears that comments are allowed and posted on their blog site:
http://alumni.blogs.wlu.edu/president-ruscio-responds-to-concerns-raised-by-law-student-group/
Please sign and share this petition:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/washington-lee-university-keep-the-confederate
Stay tuned for more updates and information, as we have much more to share... and please continue to forward these emails to everyone on your contact list. We must keep the skeer on through phone calls, emails, and letters...and have flags ready for the call...it's coming soon!
RETURN the flags!
RESTORE the honor!
Grayson Jennings
Va Flaggers
Virginia Flaggers
P.O. Box 547
Sandston VA 23150
info@vaflaggers.com
Follow us:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Virginia-Flaggers/378823865585630
Twitter: https://twitter.com/VaFlagger
Blog: http://vaflaggers.blogspot.com/
Original contact request information:
President
Mr. Kenneth Ruscio
Washington and Lee University
204 West Washington Street
Lexington,Virginia 24450
(540) 458-8700
president@wlu.edu
Provost
Daniel Wubah
Washington and Lee University
Washington Hall 214
Lexington,Virginia 24450
(540)458-8418
dwubah@wlu.edu
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Secretary of the University:
James D. Farrar, Jr.
Washington & Lee University
203 Washington Hall
Lexington,VA 24450
(540)458-8465
jdfarrar@wlu.edu
Executive Assistant to the Board of Trustees:
Katherine Brinkley
Washington & Lee University
202 Washington Hall
Lexington,VA 24450
(540)458-8417
kbrinkley@wlu.edu
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