Recently, I’ve received some comments from a defender of the Virginia Flaggers, the people protesting the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts’ decision to not fly a Confederate battle flag at the Lee Chapel, which is on the VMFA grounds and for which the VMFA has leasing rights. At Kevin Levin’s blog, Civil War Memory, I found a video (originally on youtube) of this lone flagger getting refused admittance to the VMFA grounds. See, a lot has changed since 1865!
21 responses to “Virginia Flagger”
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I see the flaggers as confrontational, but I’m not sure that I see what their strategy for victory is. How would taping a confrontation with a security guard (and backing down) win over a single person?
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I’m not sure who took the picture or why. But as you suggest, it doesn’t make the protestor look good.
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Because the flag dummies are trying to portray themselves as innocent victims…like that guy seriously thought he could go in there carring a big ass flag of ANY sort! The VMFA is the victim here, being constantly harrassed and threatened by the flag dummies who spin their own verison of “facts” that are entirely untrue. Also, the Va taxpayers are victims of the flag dummies too, for they have to pay the cost to have increased security at VMFA, and to cover the cost of the ridiculous FOIA requests they constantly make. The flagger dummies make me ashamed to admit I am Southern…
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“Flagger dummies”. Original. Thoughtful. Typical of those who have nothing to offer in a dialogue. I am a Virginia Flagger. I would like to start off by correcting the author on the name of the Chapel. The Lee Chapel is the name of the Chapel on the campus of Washington and Lee University, where Robert E. Lee is buried. The Chapel on the grounds of the Old Soldiers Camp, on the Boulevard in Richmond is called the Pelham Chapel, or the Confederate War Memorial, as it is so designated by the Commonwealth of Virginia and the U.S.
I would invite all readers to stop by and visit with the Flaggers and you will find that we are anything but confrontational. There is a bit of history behind this video. We have been peacefully and effectively flagging the VMFA since October 1st. Our numbers have steadily grown, as has support for our efforts. Up until about three weeks ago, we could walk freely on the grounds of the VMFA, which is state property. This all changed when I was approached by a guard as I attempted to walk across the property. When asked about the new rule, I was told that we could walk across the grounds with any other flag, just not a Confederate flag. Our requests for a written copy of the new rule went unanswered.
Obviously, this video was done intentionally, but mainly because we were trying to find out what the details were of the new policy. Also obvious is the fact that we did not receive an answer. “Because I said so” did not really give us any insight.
Also for the record, the Chapel is not on VMFA property. It is on state property. In 1993, Gov. Wilder gave the VMFA caretaker duties of the Chapel. Part of these duties include negotiating the lease renewal every 5 years with the Lee-Jackson Camp #1, Sons of Confederate Veterans. In 2010, they added a clause to the lease that no flags could fly from the portico. The SCV camp was forced to sign the lease, or lose the Chapel.
The Va Flaggers feel that this move was a direct insult to our ancestors, the veterans who built the Chapel, and the 260,000 Confederate who are memorialized there. Each day we are on the sidewalk, we talk with folks, most of whom have no idea that this has taken place and support runs about 3 to 1. We are steadfast and we are determined, but we are also polite and educated and we believe that since the museum has been unable to remove us legally since we never come close to causing a disturbance, they are now making up the rules as they go, looking for ways to make us give up and move on.
We may have “beat a retreat” to avoid escalating the confrontation in this situation, but we were just trying to get information. Oh, and by the way, the gentleman in this video is one of the original Dupont 7, so I think we can safely say that he is not one to give up easy!
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Thanks for the thoughtful comments. However, I wasn’t clear in the part where you said the owners of the Chapel were “forced” to sign the lease in 2010 with a clause that said no flags could be flown from the site. Was the state threatening to take the site away? I thought it was privately owned by a Confederate group, not the state of Virginia.
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Nossir. Over the years, the United Confederate Veterans, and later the Sons of Confederate Veterans, turned over all of the property which was originally part of the Robert E. Lee Camp Old Soldiers home, including the Pelham Chapel, to the Commonwealth, in return for assistance in providing for the care of the veterans who lived there. The Commonwealth owns the Chapel and the land it sits on. The Lee-Jackson Camp #1, SCV leases it from the Commonwealth and operates as a historical site, providing guides to give tours to the public, and sponsors many other historical events there throughout the year. The best known and perhaps best attended event is the Memorial Day Service, held each year on Memorial Day, and usually drawing a standing room only crowd.
If the men of the Lee-Jackson Camp had refused to sign the lease, they would have lost the rights to the Chapel and it would become just another architectural attraction, if it survived at all. They were given three days’ notice of the new terms and made the decision they felt was best for the long term well being of the Chapel, but did so under duress.
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Thanks for addressing the ownership issue. “Duress” is a strong word, though, for in legal terms true duress would invalidate a contract. Instead, it sounds like the Confederate group supporters got a bad deal for themselves. Also, I have to disagree with you when you say the Flaggers are not confrontational. Just today, I received an obscene comment from a guy in South Carolina (holding a Rebel flag) who Calls himself “DixieCrossDefender” didn’t like my complimenting Kevin Levin’s blog. Marching on the streets of majority African American Richmond in 2012 holding a Confederate flag is in itself pretty confrontational, to put it nicely. When I saw them in December, the Flaggers were not by the Chapel, which would make sense, but the Boulevard entrance to the VMFA, where the Chapel is not visible. This kind of pro Confederate demonstration stirs people up, even if the Flaggers (as the video I posted show) are verbally reasonable. I’m just not clear what the Flaggers hope to gain in all this. Neither the VMFA nor most of the people of Richmond (it’s safe to assume) care to see a Confederate battle flag flying at the Chapel site. The story of the Chapel’s history, which is what’s most important, does not depend on any type of flag flying there.
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There are no Va Flaggers from South Carolina, so it is safe to say that comment was not from one of us. I can’t say that I would agree with you complimenting Kevin Levin’s blog, but someone who stands on the Boulevard with a flag would be pretty hypocritical if I ever tried to deny his freedom of expression, or yours, for that matter. We do not condone, nor would we put up with any member of our group expressing themselves by way of obscenities.
I also feel that it is no more fair to judge all Heritage activists by the comments of one man, than it would be if I were to judge all VMFA employees based on the comments of “Snoopy”.
We are not flagging the Chapel, we are flagging the VMFA, so we stand in locations where VMFA officials can see us, although we often stand at the Chapel, as well.
I do believe that you assume too much when you say “most people of Richmond” do not want to see a Confederate Flag flying at the Chapel site. If you would spend an afternoon with us, you would find that support for flags on the Chapel is more prevalent than one might be led to believe. Even those who would never fly a Confederate flag usually agree that if it should be allowed to fly anywhere, a Confederate Memorial is one of those places.
You also might find it interesting that African Americans are not the ones who typically give us any kind of negative comments or reactions.
From one of my first weeks out: I was standing near the Chapel and a white woman stops as she is jogging by and starts unloading on me about the racist flag I am carrying. She says she has a black child and would hate to have to explain it to him. While I am discussing this with her, a van pulls up at the corner on which we are standing and the driver asks me for parking directions to the VMFA (a regular occurrence). In the car are an African-American woman and 4 teenaged African-American boys. I give her directions, she thanked me, and as she is pulled off, the jogger calls out to her…”would you tell this lady how offensive that flag is that she is carrying”, to which the African-American lady responds “Ma’am, I am sorry to disappoint you, but I don’t give a minute’s thought to that flag. It doesn’t bother me one way or the other.” Of course, having shot down her argument, the jogger took off in a huff.
But that one doesn’t end there. When the woman and her family (turns out these were her brothers she was raising) came out of the VMFA, she walked up to us and asked why we were out there and what the flag was all about. I explained everything to her and invited her to take a tour of the Chapel and she agreed, and took her brothers with her. When she came out, she thanked me again, and we had a discussion about appreciating and respecting each others’ history.
I have many other similar stories, and certainly a few others with not such a happy ending. I am in no way trying to imply that EVERY African-American or every WHITE American for that matter feels that way, or is magically converted after talking with us, but what I have found in 26 weeks, is that if you get the flags OUT from under the museum case and out in the public, it invites discussion, and in MANY, if not MOST cases, a better understanding across racial, socio-economic, and even political lines. Hiding it, for fear of offending “someone” has only made the situation worse.
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Sir;
Susan explains very effectively why we are Flagging the VMFA. However, I get the sense from your questions that anything she, or I say it will never satisfy your views. As a Southerner, Lutheran, orginial intent Constitutionist, Tea Party member, Son of Confederate Veterans & proud American, I am often looked down on by “Elites”; BUT that’s O.K., because we all share this American Right that we each can express our view openly & freely. I share with you our Right to disagree & speak our minds…PLEASE, respect Us too, as We do to your views.-
As usual, you have no idea what you are talking about. Typical of a romantic revisionist.
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You say revisionism as if it’s a bad thing. Or has Fox News said otherwise? In any case, only someone who doesn’t know what he’s talking about thinks history isn’t constantly being revised. I may be a romantic, but not when it comes to history. It’s the Flaggers who have a romantic view of the past.
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Historical background to the VMFA – R. E. Lee Camp Confederate Memorial Park Issue, starts in 1933 when the Commonwealth of Virginia is presented a collection of art called the “Barton Payne Collection”, only if they could exhibit it within a reasonable period of time. Those conditions caused Governor Pollard to seize a parcel of property from the R. E. Lee Camp Soldiers’ Home, however his Attorney General corrected the Governor by saying the vote of the R. E. Lee Camp Soldiers’ Home would be needed, before any land could be “Granted”. The Confederate Memorial Institute (Battle Abbey), and the Confederate Home for Women already had been established on the grounds of the R. E. Lee Camp Soldiers’ Home, with Permission and Approval of the R. E. Lee Camp executive committee. At first, the members of the Lee Camp did not want a collection of Art, unrelated to Confederate History on the grounds, as the theme of the Historic Grove Park simply would not be Congruent.
Governor Pollard on bended knee came to Commander William McKendree Evans to ask for the parcel of land, and to assure the Confederates that the Commonwealth of Virginia would honor their desires to have the land and the park honored with Confederate Memories, some assurances were made, not only by the Governor of Virginia but by the Commonwealth Legislative Assembly, with Legislation that created both entities at once: (1) Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, with a seperate Board of Governors, and (2) R. E. Lee Camp Confederate Memorial Park, with it’s Board. Part of the deal negotiated in 1933 included R. E. Lee Camp No. 1 S.C.V. member, Douglas Southall Freemen (a son of W.B. Freeman, ex Commander of the Camp & frequent Treasurer) , and the original Confederate Veterans of the Lee Camp, still living at the time.
The 1934 beginning of the construction of the VMFA saw Douglas S. Freeman, and notable Lee Camp Veterans in front of the VMFA with a 100 Foot Flag Pole to Designate the Opening of the R. E. Lee Camp Confederate Memorial Park. Atop that 100 foot flag pole was flying a Confederate Battle Flag, and in the Battle Abbey, where the R. E. Lee Camp No. 1 C.V. Art Gallery was located, the Barton Payne Collection was placed, with funding and monies raised by the Lee Camp to make the display of the Collection possible, so the Commonwealth would be able to keep the valued collection. The Confederates of the R. E. Lee Camp made possible the VMFA, but with Assurances from the Commonwealth of Virginia – that the land would be used for a State of Virginia “Confederate Memorial Park”.
In later years, the Commonwealth of Virginia would recognize the Confederate War Memorial Chapel, with it’s Memorial Church Windows and the Memorial Arches, from Shockoe Machine Works, and designed by famed architect, Marion J. Dimmock- as a Commonwealth of Virginia War Memorial. Rescued in 1958 from being bulldozed for extra parking for the VMFA, The Chapel was refurbished with fundraising efforts of the UDC & SCV in time for the Centennial Civil War observance, with the Commonwealth of Virginia investing large sums of money.
Recently, a few years ago, more than $30,000 was invested in the restoration of the prized Stained Glass Window, from the family of Governor William “Extra Billy” Smith, in honor to Col. Austin Smith killed at Gaines Mill. Other windows include the Pegram brothers of General John and William Pegram, donated by their sister, who married to General Joseph Anderson, was a member of the R. E. Lee Camp. Another window dedicated to the Pegram Artillery Units of Pee Dee, Letcher, Fredericksburg batteries, and to the dead from those units. The UDC donated the side windows at the both ends of the Gables, with a Crown and a Cross. The Metal Arches manufactured by Shockoe Machine Works – Dedicated to “All of the Confederate Dead”, with phrases of “In This House Will I Give Peace” and “Saith the Lord of Hosts”. The Metal Arches dominates the Gothic Style, and are lettered in Gold Gilt. The two windows in back are windows dedicated to Capt. Henderson and Major Boisseaux, and they are adorned with American Styled Shields. The Last Window dedicated to Maj. James R. Branch, who going to a political function, which was attempting to include Blacks in Richmond Politics, drowned in a flash flood, trying to save some of the citizens. The Organ in the Chapel donated by the G.A.R. Lynn, Mass Union boys, who came to visit the Chapel and Lee Camp in July of 1887.
The Grounds of the Soldiers Home and the Confederate War Memorial Chapel are some of the Most Sacred Grounds in the Country. On these grounds a Nation Came Together again, and Members of Two Armies worshiped together in Many Parades, Reunions, and gatherings of the Lee Camp and G.A.R. Posts from around the Country. There are hundreds of letters from G.A.R. Posts in the boxes of correspondence of the Lee Camp, Including those of General Grant, who Contributed $500 of borrowed money he was using to write his book, in the last months of his life. In the Dozens of Meetings between the R. E. Lee Camp and the G.A.R. Posts – there were always a Combination of Both Flags always Present. Even in a letter written by Grant, by his son Franklin – Weeks before he died, Grant Thanked the Lee Camp for the Courtesies and Pleasantries that were extended by the Camp.
The VMFA Museum has Conveniently Forgotten their Promise to the Members of the Lee Camp, and they have failed to provide a Room in the Museum for Confederate Works. They have failed to adhere to the promises made to keep the Oak Trees on the fabled old Grove of Richmond, by cutting down almost every oak tree on the grounds. They have failed to honor the R. E. Lee Camp Museum and HQ building by renaming it the “Robinson House”, having nothing to do with the history of the grounds. They have failed to honor the purpose of the Commonwealth of Virginia Legislation by Recognizing and Allowing the Confederate Memorial State Park to be used for Confederate Memorial displays of Flags.
I would think that Douglas Southall Freeman, Clifford Dowdey, Senator Harry F. Byrd, Jr., and all of the Sons of Confederate Veterans of the R. E. Lee Camp No. 1, and the founding Camp of the R. E. Lee Camp No. 1 C.V. men https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0ApPOjddE4crsdFVLUVQ2NXM2ZzBmLUNyc3BldTBTTUE&hl=en#gid=0 Would be Turning Over in their Graves. Look through the List of 700 Members of the R. E. Lee Camp, and you can easily understand – why there needs to be a Flag Flying at the Chapel.
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Susan, I apologize if I lumped the good gentleman from South Carolina with the Virginia Flaggers proper. I don’t know if he’s an official member or affiliated with the VA Flaggers. It was clear from the flag-embracing avatar and his general POV that he supports the views of the VMFA protestors. But enough about him.
I completely agree with the Flaggers right to protest and have their views heard. I’ll accept that the Flaggers won’t change my mind if they’ll accept that I could never change theirs. I’m sorry if the Flaggers haven’t gotten the answers they want from the VMFA. For now, what the VMFA says goes. As I well know from living in Virginia and having dealt with slimy landlords, a contract is a contract.
Legal issues aside, I don’t think that Bruce or Susan has answered my basic question which is: what do you expect to gain from this Flagger protest? It’s clear that the Chapel has no right to fly the Confederate battle flag at this point in time. And so? Is the intent of the Flaggers to persuade people, either the officials at the VMFA or Richmonders, or the state of Virginia in general, to put a Confederate battle flag at a site where there is not a flag now?
I can respect the views of those who are interested in Confederate history and believe it was not only about slavery. I really can. But let’s face it, in 2012, the Confederate battle flag, when flown, makes the flyer look bad, whether it’s in South Carolina, Richmond, Va., or Austin, Tex. The flag simply should not be flown on state property, whether it’s the Capitol grounds or a state-owned museum.
I know some people, like Bruce, equate their embrace of the flag with patriotism. But allow me to share with you a story. It was just after the 9-11 attacks and I was a graduate student in Baton Rouge. One night, I was talking to a law student neighbor who was saying how the day after the attacks, he took “Dixie” down from his wall and replaced it with a U.S. flag. Also, I noticed around that same time that a house on Highland Road had also taken down a Confederate battle flag (visible to anyone traveling past the house on that very busy road) and replaced it with a U.S. flag. I will leave to to you to decide what that says about patriotism.
I had a Civil War professor at LSU who sometimes would get southern students asking him, “How could we have won the war?” He would tell them: “go to the parade ground, look at the [U.S.] flag that’s flying there and then ask me again who ‘we’ are?”
I know those who defend the Confederate flag will say they are merely protecting local history or southern “heritage.” I know the code words. But, really, many who are flying it feel a need to provoke others. It is after all, a symbol of rebellion.
I find it funny that the Flaggers are now taking issue with the state of Virginia, when it was states rights that lay at the heart of the Confederate mission. Obviously, Virginia has moved on. Where does that leave the Flaggers?
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Honestly, there are no code words for what we are doing, or why we are out there…in most cases there is simply a desire to honor and respect our ancestors, although we do have some who stand with us that are not descendants of Confederate soldiers. It does seem, however, that many Southerners are just waking up from a slumber that has allowed for the gradual and almost complete removal of any trace of our Heritage. The speed and rate at which our group has grown is a testament to that fact.
The intent of the Flagging is to convince the VMFA Board of Directors, who made the decision to remove the flags, to reverse that decision and put them back on the Chapel, where they belong. Your points about patriotism and the U.S. Flag are valid, but remember that the Confederate flag is an American flag, as well, and the men who fought and died under her were Americans.
Obviously, we will have to agree to disagree that flying a Confederate flag makes the flyer “look bad”. Some of the best and most honorable people I know fly her and wherever they go, they are treated with the respect they deserve.
We agree wholeheartedly that it is sadly ironic that we are having to battle the State of Virginia in this fight, considering it was the Commonwealth who called these men to bear arms and defend her. It seems that their final betrayal is to be at the hands of those who sent them into war. Where does that leave us? On the Boulevard…forwarding the colors and changing hearts and minds.
Again, I would like to extend a cordial invitation to you to visit with us. Come out to the sidewalk and meet some of our folks face to face, talk with us, observe our interactions, and continue the conversation in person.
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I think the one thing I don’t understand from the historically accurate point of view, is that the VMFA took the flag down not out of fear, hate, or ignorance, but because there was NO record of the battle flag being flown prior to 1993. Being a museum, and charged with historical accuracy, why is there no rational response to this? Is there not a journal, diary, photo, news story, SOMETHING showing that the battle flag was flown at the chapel? To me it would make more sense to argue with those facts, to show the historically accuracy of the flag, vs just protesting, harassing the museum on facebook, youtube and other venues. I have lost a lot of faith in groups supposedly dedicated to preserving heritage, but only the heritage as they want it to be, without those crucial pieces of history showing the flag.
Interestingly enough, I find that very few churches or chapels fly ANY flags, as Christianity does not stop at any borders or political beliefs.
I am sorry Susan, bur from all the things I have seen, it is less about the accuracy of the heritage, which would seem to honor our fallen ancestors, and more about trying to impose a version of history not bound in fact/evidence. Not to mention that they are not “removing of any trace of our heritage” but trying to make it historically accurate.
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I am so glad you brought that up, Sir! The claim by the VMFA that removing the flags is part of their desire to bring “historical accuracy” to the Chapel is one of the most lame they have offered. In my meeting with them, they kept bringing up the “magical” year of 1892. They claim that they are SO interested in historical accuracy, that they researched the issue and could not find where a flag flew on the Chapel in 1892.
First of all, to return the Chapel to “historically accurate” to 1892 would take much more than simply removing the flags. There have been numerous changes, additions and things removed since then.
Secondly, in October, the Museum ripped the center flagstand off of the portico of the Chapel. If you go to the Chapel today, you can see that the scar that this action left shows the original wood of the building, meaning that the flagstand most likely was there from the very early days of the Chapel’s construction. Exactly what kind of flag do they think was flown from that flag stand? What they did research was the fact that they have no photos of the flag being flown there, so that they could use this talking point, but that certainly does not mean it did not happen.
Thirdly, Why 1892? Why not 1993 for historical accuracy? How about 1861? We tear everything down and cultivate tobacco? How about 1910? No electricity! Of course, all of these examples are ridiculous, but no more ridiculous than their claim. What else did they do to “maintain historical accuracy”? Nothing. It just gave them a convenient talking point when they removed the flags.
Further, in 1892, the Veterans raised and lowered a MASSIVE battle flag every day, looks to be about 20×20 from the photos we have, on the giant “ladder” look flag pole that now sits on St. Benedctine property. If we are going for historical accuracy, shouldn’t we put that one back up?
Finally, it really doesn’t matter WHEN the flags were added to the Memorial, the fact is they were added, became a part of the memorial, and should NOT have been removed, according to Va State Law, which clearly states: “it shall be unlawful for the authorities of the locality, or any other person or persons, to disturb or interfere with any monuments or memorials so erected, or to prevent its citizens from taking proper measures and exercising proper means for the protection, preservation and care of same. For purposes of this section, “disturb or interfere with” includes removal of, damaging or defacing monuments or memorials, or, in the case of the War Between the States, the placement of Union markings or monuments on previously designated Confederate memorials or the placement of Confederate markings or monuments on previously designated Union memorials.” (§ 15.2-1812)
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What nonsense showing up here. Va. Museum is legal guardian of chapel and has been since the early 1990s when state transferred oversight to that agency. And SCV knows it. Who else did they sign a lease with? Landlords determine conditions to renters. Period. Gov. Pollard, board members of 1934 long dead and circumstances have changed. But flagger bullies live selectively in the past. Other governors and GA members since then have torn down 95% of the soldiers home, given chunks of property to VHS and Daughters, and supported and encouraged VMOFA repeatedly by approving and helping fund multiple expansions, including the wing that just opened. So I reckon the state has shown over past 78 years what it wants there at the former soldiers rest home.
Other lie flaggers tell people walking by: the museum doesn’t care about history there. What about the outdoor history signs they put up last year all about the soldiers’ home? They’re interesting and accurate. Flaggers stand out front so their propaganda victims won’t see those.
They can flag on the sidewalk rain or shine, heat or cold, just won’t make a difference. And childish anonymous spamming of employees and prank calls just makes the museum more firm (I hear from someone getting them that the goofy made up names, poor grammar and spelling are too funny). Harrassing visitors and telling them to leave, well that’s just plain sad. I will keep going to Va. Museum, a cultural treasure in Richmond, Virginia, the South, and the USA. And as for just the “elite” remark above well that’s just about that person’s own low self esteem and paranoia. Hundreds of thousands of people of all backgrounds, including this Richmonder, are happy to visit our state’s fabulous free art museum each year and will continue to do so.
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Thank you so much for clarifying the VMFA’s stance, “Va. Pride”. I am quite certain that there is nothing that museum officials, like yourself, would like more than to see the last 5% of the history of the Old Soldiers Home disappear, as well.
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Wrong again — as you often are. Not a museum official, just a long time member proud of what is happening there. Happy Va. Museum is one of the country’s top ten museums. And also happy the VMOFA recognizes the soldiers home history. I love the chapel and Robinson house and hope they stay there forever too. Just hate the bullying, misrepresentation, propaganda campaign you promote. No integrity there.
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As a tourist to RVA, I have met the Virginia Flaggers.
I have accepted their literature, I have taken the Chapel tour, I have read the outdoor signage,
I have discussed the issue at length with them.Upon my return home, I did research to verify or refute.
My findings were:
The Va Museum of Fine Arts is in full violation of Virginia Law on 2 counts –
Removing the Battleflags and flying the US Flag.The Va Museum of Fine Arts is blatantly hypocritical in the “Historical Accuracy” nonsense.
The Va Museum of Fine Arts, by tearing down historic trees and old structures,
is guilty of destruction of Va History.The signage about the 3 National Flags of the Confederacy is incorrect. The picture of the
1st National is depicted with the measurements of the 2nd National, while the 2nd National
is shown with 1st and 3rd National dimensions. Not “Historically Accurate” at all!Since my meeting with the Va Flaggers, I understand the Va Museum of Fine Arts has
actually intentionally inflicted destruction on the Chapel by prying off a flag holder from the facade,
making yet another violation of Virginia law.I would call the self serving actions of a few elites receiving hefty paychecks from
Virginia Taxpayers in the VMFA hateful, rude, bigotted, discriminatory, biased,
anti American Veteran, destructful, spiteful, nasty, and totally expected from those from outside Virginia. -
The Liberal Carpet Baggers who run the VMFA could care less about when the flag was first placed on the front of the Old Confederate Chapel, all they desire is to change our customs, traditions and Southern history relating to the War To Stop Southern Independence. This situation is part of a major effort to erase the rotten, uncivilized actions of the Lincoln led murderers, arsonist, rapist and looters, who invaded the Southern states to stop them from leaving the Union.
When Lincoln began his invasion, his anticipation was to stop the secession, and all would return to normal within a few months. What he got was (4) long years of war. And as his men did not have the same desperation of the Confederates, who were literally fighting for their homes, their families, and their very lives, the Federals resorted to arson, burning civilian homes, destroying all farming implements, burning crops,looting personal possessions, raping women, stealing the livestock, shelling towns and cities alike full of civilian men, women and children, and doing all sorts of uncivilized acts. So today, they want to erase this bay period, and in achieving this, to remove and erase all symbols, holidays, memorials, one by one, so do not be fooled by their ploy about making the Chapel original, that is a lie, and they know what I am saying is correct.
Shame on the VMFA, they are liars, they are violating the law, and are disrespectful.
Hello,
About
Colin Woodward is a writer, historian, archivist, and recovering podcaster. His latest book is Country Boy: the Roots of Johnny Cash, winner of the Ragsdale Award for best book on Arkansdas history, 2022. He has also written for the Civil War Times, Civil War Monitor, Arkansas Times, Style Weekly (Richmond, Va.), and other publications. He is a frequent contributor to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas.
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