Flags of The Confederate States of America
Dear Sir:
It has come to my attention that you sponsored a motion to the Executive
Committee of the Board of Trustees of VFMA forbidding the display of "the
Confederate Battle flag or any of its derivatives" on "museum property," said
motion being carried unanimously.
To begin with, the "Museum property" to which you referred is legally a
part of the Confederate Memorial Park as specified in an agreement between the
State of Virginia and the United Confederate Veterans. As such, you, the
Executive Committee, the Board of Trustees and the VFMA have neither the moral
nor the legal right to make such a determination. Yet, even if you and your
small cadre of politically correct bureaucrats could so determine, that
certainly does not mean that other flags of the Confederate States of America -
such as the First, Second and/or Third National flag(s) - could not be so
displayed.
Therefore, in light of the historic nature of the museum - and since
neither yourself nor any other member of the Executive Committee or the Board of
Trustees or the VFMA itself has (at least openly) forbidden the display of these
legitimate symbols of that which you are supposed to protect and preserve - I
see no reason why said National flags should not be prominently displayed both
inside and outside of the Museum. To fail or refuse to do so proves that it is
not the Battle flag that is the problem, but the bigoted, anti-Southern
prejudice of those like yourself who have been given the charge of protecting
and preserving Southern history and heritage. Worse, it is just one more example
of an elite group considering itself worthy to make decisions contrary to what
the majority of their fellow citizens have shown time and again to be the will
of the People. When the State of Virginia holds a referendum regarding the
display of Confederate symbols - including the Battle flag - and the PEOPLE of
Virginia vote to consign them to oblivion, then and only then will you and your
fellow "trustees" have the right to censor history. Absent public support, you
represent just one more small politically correct elitist clique ruling by fiat
which, unfortunately, seems to be the norm these days.
Valerie Protopapas
Long Island, New York
Long Island, New York
