Thursday, August 16, 2012

Conversations at the Confederate soldiers' monument in Waynesville, N.C.


Conversations at the Confederate soldiers' monument in Waynesville, N.C.
On Monday morning August 12, 2012, I would place a stick flag of the great State of Texas adjacent to the Confederate soldiers' monument. It didn't take long before who I believe to be the secretary of attorney Bob Clark to come and tell me that she couldn't tell me not to stand at the monument with the Battle flag, but that I needed to remove that flag, pointing to the Texas flag. However, because she was a lady, I chose to not even respond. She didn't even know what the flag was, but because it was posted beside the monument, it had to go.
Shortly after, a middle aged White lady would approach me. Sir, I drove pass, and to see a Black man standing at the Waynesville County courthouse with the Rebel flag. I said to myself, that man must not know what is going on in this county. My daughter is in court today because her friends burned a cross on my lawn because she started dating a Black man, and sir she continued, this is only the tip of the iceberg. There is a lot of hate in this county between Black and White folks. My reply to her was;" ma'am the more the reason for me to be here". This flag is a shared common heritage for all of us who are Southern. I wonder what must be on the minds of those young people who head into court for burning that cross and have to look over to me and see me standing here in support of their ancestors as well as mine. She would hug me and tell me that my point was well taken and was food for thought for her self as well.
Next to come was a middle aged Black man who would give me what is commonly referred to as the evil eye. After holding up traffic, he would tell me that I needed help. I told him that he was right, and that I had an extra flag in the car.
On Tuesday evening, my brother, Terry Lee would receive a call from my cousin Eddie Edgerton who expressed concern about my safety after having conversation with a Black resident of Waynesville about the stir I had caused strutting about with that red shirt on that depicted the flag and strutting about the town with the Battle flag. He went on to say that a White minister had called him voicing the same concerns about my safety, and the Klan who too might not like me being there. God bless them all, for I shall post the Christian Cross of St. Andrew again on Thursday morning, August 16, 2012 at the Confederate soldiers' monument at approximately 9:00am. 
HK Edgerton