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In this YouCentral article, we’re publishing Buddy Rawley’s speech from Danville City Council’s Thursday night meeting.
From: Buddy Rawley
Gentlemen,
We are heading down a very slippery slope.
I think we can all agree that the Sutherlin house and property has historical significance only because of the Confederate President and Cabinet stayed and or met there for one week.
This property should be sold and merchandised for what it is “A historical landmark”. Thousands of people visit every year places such as;
Fort Sumter in SC
Manassas Battlefields, Appomattox, and Richmond in VA
Shiloh Military Park in TN
Antietam in MD
Gettysburg in Pennsylvania
Vicksburg in Mississippi
Andersonville and Chickamauga in GA
Why not Danville?
The current Museum is losing money every year. The Citizens of Danville have put in nearly $300,000 in just the last three years alone. In my opinion, over the next nine years of the lease the Citizens of Danville will spend between $1 and $2M. You could take the proceeds from the sale of the property and fix up one of the many buildings we already own downtown. Now you have an arts destination downtown.
What’s next for this country? Digging up and moving graves, taking down monuments, changing the name of streets. On Yeah that is what is happening now.
As I said earlier we are heading down a very slippery slope.
Recently there were signs at the museum property that said “Flying this flag embarrasses me and my city”. From where I sit white, black, red or yellow men who wear their pants down to their knees embarrasses me, music that you hear every day on the radio that denigrates women embarrasses me, people who step on and burn the American flag embarrasses me. However we live in the United States of America. There is no law forbidding what I have mentioned above.
The state of Virginia has more than 200 specialty licenses plates. Our Governor has recently said he was not interested in a plate by plate review, but added that he does not support any plate that would cause people pain or hurt feelings. The Governor also said I don’t like any plates that cause controversy. There are approximately 1,700 plates in Virginia that show the Confederate flag and now will be stopped. However there is also a Planned Parenthood license tag that no one is talking about. Since 1973 there have been 58 million abortions in this country alone. Do you think that doesn’t cause pain and hurt feeling to some especially the 58 million who died?
My point is who determines what is embarrassing, hurtful, or painful and to whom.
Would it not be great if at every city council meeting we had overflow crowds telling us how they are helping the new school superintendent be mentors in schools, how much they are helping people understand the value of an education, and that they are being positive in all they say and do about our community.
Gentlemen, what we are talking about doing tonight is just skirting the issue. What unintended consequences will come from this? We have already made an exception for the MIA/POW flag. Gentlemen we are heading down a very slippery slope.
Thank you for indulging me for these last few minutes.
I close with this “History is to be learned from Not Erased”.
I will be voting against the resolution on the floor.
Danville is always and constantly promoting economic develoment and business in the river district. What a shame the law found to remove the confederate flag also removes the international flags on Bridge street. Today—Saturday 8/8/15 on 8:00 WDBJ morning news the city attorney said those international flags in river district on Bridge street meant ” Danville is open for business.” The law found sounds nit pick that it includes those flags too. Also sounds contradictory to remove a symbol that is meant to build up and bring business and people to a portion of Danville that city council and economic development thinks is the bee all end all for Danville.–they “cut their nose off to spite their face !!”
Also–if any building deserves to fly a confederate flag no matter where it is located it is the SM/DFAHM given what the building once was and its claim to history.
I have to agree on all points. This man has put some serious thought into his position, and was taking a stand that would have stopped the rush to community division such as we have not seen in a long time. Being offended is not against the law…we are offended constantly, but we do not whine about it. Some folks are making a living doing that very thing, while Planned Parenthood gets a pass. Save the whales, but kill the unborn babies–and sell their little body parts. Thank you, Mr. Rawley.
Slavery, mistreatment of humans, separating families, raping women, saying you are superior because you were born white, hating people who are different from you and claiming to be a Christian…..these things embarrass me.
This horrible scene happened, when? During the time of American and European slavery? And, where? It happened under the U.S. flag for 84 years before there was ever a Confederate flag…it happened aboard ship, on Massachusetts and Connecticut-built “Yankee Clippers”…slaves were mistreated in New York City, and then buried without ceremony. I know of no one who does these horrors in my lifetime, but I have been surrounded with families who reject any race being ”Supreme”…pity parties embarrass us all, and prevent the maturity and equality that has been offered. imho.
Are you aware the United States flag, the Stars and Stripes flew over slavery for nearly 90 years? The Confederate flag is not responsible for the actions you listed, any more than the Stars and Stripes is. It is unreasonable to hate the flag you know nothing about. The Confederate flag does not celebrate rape, murder any more than the American flag. Your post is all about your personal; hate of something you know nothing about.
Really? This happen last night? You know it happened or did someone tell you about it?
in all honesty and sincerity–i have never understood the alignment of the confederate flag with rape?? Didn’t all the rape happen between slave owners and the female slaves? Thomas Jefferson to name one. DId the slave owners barge into the slave quarters waving a confederate flag and rape the black women? Did KKK men rape black women bringing a confederate flag with them and sitting it down before raping the black women? I wish someone would THOROUGHLY explain how the confederate flag is associated with rape.
Thomas jefferson founded uva. Tj had slaves im offended. uva must go.
Reckon the Jefferson Memorial in DC should be torn down? Maybe we can dig up TJ’s grave and put him on trial. The madness is not over yet, so don’t be chuckling.
Danville should re-elect Shanks and Rawley by landslides and get rid of the rest . Especially the turncoats.
no matter how good they are for the community, you want to kick them to the curb over a difference of opinion?…how short-sighted.
let them rant and rave my friend… they have no clue.. the families of the confederate soldiers and sailors buried in our national cemeteries that fought for our country thank you for standing up for these devoted american veterans and their flag…
Thank you Buddy for taking a stand.
I wish yall had a like button, Thanks to the two Council Members, that voted no and didn’t fall to the three puppet masters.