EDITOR’S NOTE: R. Kevin Stone, Commander North Carolina Division Sons of Confederate Veterans, sent this letter Thursday — see below — to Edenton Town Council and the Chowan County Commission regarding the future of the Confederate Memorial on South Broad Street.
Dear Town Council and Board of Commissioners:
The reason the Memorial in Edenton is being attacked today is based on the false premise that the Chowan County Confederate soldiers were fighting for slavery, and the Memorial is therefore a monument in support of slavery. There is a mountain of evidence against that premise. For example, most Chowan County soldiers did not own slaves, Governor Ellis’ call to duty, and the Corwin Amendment.
The Memorial is a remembrance to the 38 Chowan County Confederate soldiers who died in the War and not to slavery.
Preserving memorials to Confederate veterans is the right thing to do. North Carolina Confederate veterans, who are American Veterans under Federal Law, answered the call of their State and sacrificed their lives in defense of North Carolina, their families, friends, and neighbors.
For many Southern families, these memorials were places to mourn their dead, as in many cases, their loved ones’ bodily remains were buried in distant unmarked graves, never to return home.
Those who desire to remove Confederate memorials are often motivated by an ignorance of our State’s history and a deep hatred for Southerners.
Calls for acceptance, diversity, and inclusion are often driven ironically by excluding Southern American history, Southern Americans, and our cultural heritage. It is well past time for folks to support the inclusion of all Americans of all backgrounds and push back against those who would commit what amounts to cultural genocide against those they deem different from themselves.
I, and our membership, many of whom live in Chowan County, commend all of you for your willingness to revisit and reconsider the MOU and the ancillary Consent Judgment.
Standing:
We have stated in numerous communications with the Town and its attorney that we wish for the Town to state in writing, either in the MOU or a separate communication, that it does not object to Judge Tillett’s consideration of including the Standing language in the Consent Judgment. Provided that this one item is included, we will agree to sign off on the Consent Judgment.
As stated before, we are committed to agreeing to the terms of settlement, if Judge Tillett allows the Standing language to be included in the Consent Judgment.
If, however, you are to reconsider the language in the newly proposed MOU, we do have some suggestions to make this set of Agreements better for the residents of Chowan County:
1) Please consider adding the Plaintiffs, NC-UDC and NC-SCV, as a signatory party to the MOU;
2) Please consider reaching out to the opposition plaintiffs, Rod Phillips, et al, and the Southern Coalition to add them to the MOU that the Memorial will be moved behind the new courthouse.
3) Please consider adding to the MOU that the NC-UDC and the NC-SCV has some kind of oversight as to the landscaping, the benches, maintenance, etc.
The NC Division SCV looks forward to working with you and the people of Chowan County to resolve this matter in a positive way.
R. Kevin Stone is Commander North Carolina Division Sons of Confederate Veterans
Faith In Our Community and Local Leaders
BY MILES LAYTON
A few things…
The Albemarle Observer has published many news stories and columns about the Confederate Memorial – giving voices to all sides of the issue, not just the side favored by the mainstream media.
I strongly believe that all voices need to be heard, and the matter needs to play itself out with a decision to move forward that folks can support.
My position – I don’t want people living elsewhere coming into my living room and smugly telling me how to arrange the furniture because they are perpetually offended. Even if the statue is moved to preserve the peace, it will never be enough for some folks.
I’ve always felt the community – Town Council and the Chowan County Commission – should decide and offer guidance based on state law as to where the statue stands. And these leaders have done this – come to a compromise – see our story.
Twelve elected officials (County Commission and Town Council) unanimously approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding the removal of the Confederate memorial at a joint meeting in November.
Of the 12 officials who voted in favor of the MOU – four are African-American: Town Council members Elton Bond and Aaron Coston; County Commissioners Ellis Lawrence and Tray Taylor.
On that note, the Chowan County Commissioners and Edenton Town Council will hold a special joint meeting and public hearing at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 24. The special joint meeting and public hearing will be held in the College of the Albemarle Culinary Arts Building, 118 Blades St., Edenton.
The purpose of this special joint meeting and public hearing will be for both Boards to hear public comments, discuss and consider the County and Town entering into a new Memorandum of Understanding and Agreement regarding the relocation of the Confederate Monument from its present location on South Broad Street to property owned by Chowan County and located behind the Chowan County Courthouse in the open space between the Chowan County Detention Center and the Veterans Memorial.
The MOU is similar to the previous document. The only difference this time is that a public hearing will be held prior to the votes to authorize the MOU.
This has been a contentious issue for a long time. The Albemarle Observer encourages people to make their voices heard at Monday’s meeting. No matter which side you support, we should respect the opinions of those folks who feel passionately about the matter.
I support our community leaders’ decision because that’s how democracy works — I have faith in our local leaders.
In Edenton and Chowan County, we embrace our past, and we have an enduring history of coming together that speaks volumes about who we are as a community.
A longtime journalist, Miles Layton is co-editor of the Albemarle Observer.
2 responses to “Chowan County’s Debate: Resolving the Confederate Memorial’s Relocation”
In discussions of the monument, a few things ought to be kept in mind.
First, the monument is labeled “Our Confederate Dead.” It would be better if it were labeled “Our Civil War Dead.” What gets rarely, if ever, mentioned is that there were many Union soldiers from North Carolina who fought and died as well.
Second, monuments are not the best way to remember history. Monuments are really a symbol that expresses a message. That is why General Robert E Lee opposed the erection of such monuments: “I think it wiser,” the retired military leader wrote about a proposed Gettysburg memorial in 1869, “ … not to keep open the sores of war but to follow the examples of those nations who endeavored to obliterate the marks of civil strife, to commit to oblivion the feelings engendered.”
Germany has not forgotten its horrid history in Nazi authoritarianism, and its own guilt in racist horrors. It outlaws any brandishing of Nazi symbols or the erection of any monuments to Nazi soldiers. Simply because its memory is clear. If you want to stay true to history and remember it, then read history — even histories that are painful to read.
Third, it is a mistake to suggest that the opposition to the monument is prompted by “hatred of southerners.” That kind of language can only make this discussion more difficult. A person may oppose the monument or want it moved but still be a proud son or daughter of the South.
Fourth, we really must avoid alienating and incendiary language. And I say that to both sides. I oppose any talk of boycotting merchants — and I have said that directly to the one(s) proposing this anti-monument agenda. I do not understand why the pro-monument people insist on complicating their message with contemporary partisan speech.
Even though others have said “A pox on both houses,” I will not. I have friends that I care about on both sides who believe strongly in their position. And frankly, I do not know yet what the solution is. I don’t know if I ever shall.
All I want is the protection of our town from hatred, anger, prejudice. All I want is peace, justice, dignity, and a responsible appreciation of history and virtue.
And for these things, the best thing to do is to pray and love, forgive and hope. And to consider that there are bigger problems, larger anxieties, going on in this world right now than a statue (with the wrong uniform on) that’s means different things to different people. I will confess my bias toward anyone who looks at that statue and feels fear and anxiety and sees in it the specter of slavery, even though it may be that it was not meant that way.
But in any and every case, we must all remember that “in Him we live and move and have our being.” All actions, all thoughts, have to be laid at the feet of Christ and upon His judgment — He Who “came not to be served but to serve, and give His life as a ransom for all.”
[…] Opinion: Chowan County’s Debate: Resolving the Confederate Memorial’s Relocation: R. Kevin Stone, Commander of the North Carolina Division Sons of Confederate Veterans, argues for preserving the Confederate Memorial in Edenton. A meeting is scheduled to discuss relocating the memorial. […]