Charlottesville Virginia recently face a common southern state issue, how to deal with symbols of its confederate past. The city council voted 3-2 to remove a Robert E. Lee statue from a park with the same name. The cause has been led by the only African American councilman Vice Mayor Wes Bellamy. The statue may stay where it is, opponents to its removal gave filed a lawsuit that if precedent seen in a similar suit in Alexandria City they will win.
Key Takeaways:
- After months of contentious debate — and a meeting repeatedly disrupted by attendees — the City Council voted 3 to 2 to remove the statue.
- The state is home to legions of reenactors, descendants of Southern soldiers, Lee devotees and flag-revering groups who have fervently defended Confederate history for decades.
- Those opposed to the statue’s removal intend to file a lawsuit. pointing to a state statute that says Virginia towns have no authority over the war memorials they inherited from past generations.
“After months of contentious debate — and a meeting repeatedly disrupted by attendees — the City Council voted 3 to 2 to remove the statue. The decision triggered both cheers and boos from the overflow crowd. Some waved signs with bold black letters: “Remove the statue.” Others held up images of the memorial next to the word “SAVE.””
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