NO CONFEDERATE FLAG TO FLY ON THE GROUNDS OF THE MUSEUM OF THE CONFEDERACY - APPOMATTOX!
The Va Flaggers read with great interest the story in the Civil War News regarding the March 31st opening of the Satellite location in Appomattox. We were particularly drawn to the section that read… “After museum officials speak and noted Civil War historian James I. “Bud” Robertson delivers the keynote address, flags will be raised on the Reunification Promenade and the ribbon at the front doors will be cut.”
Interested in which flags would be raised, particularly after the battle flag was removed from the Museum façade last year, we did a quick search. The only thing we could find was the artist’s rendering in the museum’s magazine (attached), which showed a large U.S. Flag, and what appears to be state flags in a row behind it.
Correspondence with representatives of the museum confirmed that NO Confederate flag will be flown ANYWHERE on the grounds of the new facility. We then contacted Waite Rawls, Museum Director and asked him to reconsider. He has refused our request and insists that the plan to exclude a Confederate flag has the support of museum members, as well as members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans and the United Daughters of the Confederacy. Mr. Rawls' statement to us , "In the past three months, I have personally shown the final plans, including the flag promenade, which we have named the Reunification Promenade, to 7 different camps of the Sons of Confederate Veterans... and one chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy,... where they have met with uniform acclamation and no objection" has proven to be false and/or misleading, in the case of AT LEAST 4 of the 7 camps who have replied to our request for clarification.
We are, frankly, shocked that the Museum of the Confederacy would even consider operating a facility without a Confederate flag flying on its grounds. Is the Museum leadership ashamed of the flag under which over 260,000 Confederate soldiers died? Are they catering to the NAACP, who insists “that it (the Confederate Flag) is something that should be placed in a museum and stay there.”? I would suggest that this is the case and personally find it insulting to the memory of my four Great-Great-Grandfathers who served under her.
The Va Flaggers are calling on all Southerners to rise up and let your voice be heard. Call the Museum of the Confederacy starting Monday morning and tell them how you feel. (804) 649-1861. We have set up an easy portal at www.vaflaggers.com, where you can send an email. We ask that you both call and email SEVERAL times a day next week, forward this post, and spread the word far and wide.
It is obvious to us that this most recent assault on our flag shows that the Museum has strayed far from its original spirit:
""The need of an organization to preserve a true and faithful record of the gallant struggle made by the soldiers of the South for independence being keenly felt, the Confederate Memorial Literary Society was chartered and organized under the laws of Virginia, its object being to teach all future generations the true history of the war and the principles for which these soldiers laid down their lives."
[From the first paragraph of the Introduction Page: Catalogue of the Confederate Museum of the Confederate Memorial Literary Society, 1905]
The Va Flaggers are ready to stand in opposition to this policy, the Museum of the Confederacy, and its leadership. We are asking for YOUR help.
Are you MAD enough yet?
Va Flaggers
vaflagger@comcast.net
Interested in which flags would be raised, particularly after the battle flag was removed from the Museum façade last year, we did a quick search. The only thing we could find was the artist’s rendering in the museum’s magazine (attached), which showed a large U.S. Flag, and what appears to be state flags in a row behind it.
Correspondence with representatives of the museum confirmed that NO Confederate flag will be flown ANYWHERE on the grounds of the new facility. We then contacted Waite Rawls, Museum Director and asked him to reconsider. He has refused our request and insists that the plan to exclude a Confederate flag has the support of museum members, as well as members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans and the United Daughters of the Confederacy. Mr. Rawls' statement to us , "In the past three months, I have personally shown the final plans, including the flag promenade, which we have named the Reunification Promenade, to 7 different camps of the Sons of Confederate Veterans... and one chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy,... where they have met with uniform acclamation and no objection" has proven to be false and/or misleading, in the case of AT LEAST 4 of the 7 camps who have replied to our request for clarification.
We are, frankly, shocked that the Museum of the Confederacy would even consider operating a facility without a Confederate flag flying on its grounds. Is the Museum leadership ashamed of the flag under which over 260,000 Confederate soldiers died? Are they catering to the NAACP, who insists “that it (the Confederate Flag) is something that should be placed in a museum and stay there.”? I would suggest that this is the case and personally find it insulting to the memory of my four Great-Great-Grandfathers who served under her.
The Va Flaggers are calling on all Southerners to rise up and let your voice be heard. Call the Museum of the Confederacy starting Monday morning and tell them how you feel. (804) 649-1861. We have set up an easy portal at www.vaflaggers.com, where you can send an email. We ask that you both call and email SEVERAL times a day next week, forward this post, and spread the word far and wide.
It is obvious to us that this most recent assault on our flag shows that the Museum has strayed far from its original spirit:
""The need of an organization to preserve a true and faithful record of the gallant struggle made by the soldiers of the South for independence being keenly felt, the Confederate Memorial Literary Society was chartered and organized under the laws of Virginia, its object being to teach all future generations the true history of the war and the principles for which these soldiers laid down their lives."
[From the first paragraph of the Introduction Page: Catalogue of the Confederate Museum of the Confederate Memorial Literary Society, 1905]
The Va Flaggers are ready to stand in opposition to this policy, the Museum of the Confederacy, and its leadership. We are asking for YOUR help.
Are you MAD enough yet?
Va Flaggers
vaflagger@comcast.net
posted by Chuck Demastus at
9:04 PM
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