Minutes 07/28/2020 - Laserfiche WebLink

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July 28, 2020 then, provides valuable opportunities to foster mutual understanding and community interaction that written and recorded communication do not. For the preceding reasons, then, I urge you to withdraw item 20-192 until such time as you can legally act on non-emergency issues and then take action to set a date for an advisory referendum. Mark Geduldig-Yatrofsky PO Box 50141 40. Black lives matter. I believe that. I also believe that “All” lives matter. By definition, “All” lives represent those who are present with us today and those who have gone before us in years past. I believe that most persons would agree with me in saying that individuals such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Frederick Douglass and most recently John Lewis lived and fought for the ideals that were near and dear to their hearts. In that same vein, I believe that many Confederate soldiers fought for their ideals. I would imagine that some fought just to keep the land that had been owned by their families for generations. I do not think that slavery was the only principle for which they fought. There was a tremendous number of Confederate soldiers who fought and died for their beliefs. Some of their bodies were returned to their families for burial. Other families were never able to provide a proper burial for their family members. Thus, the residents of Portsmouth banded together to erect a solemn memorial for the vast majority of those soldiers who never returned home. It was erected “to the brave men who died in the War Between the States.” This reference is from Council records from 1874-1877, page 333 ”. The Ladies Memorial Aid Association (later to be known as the Daughters of the Confederacy) raised money by collecting pennies, nickels and dimes to pay for the memorial in a time when a dime was a terrific sacrifice. The inscription reads “To Our Confederate Dead”. That’s it. In no place does it specify black or white. The only adjective that was mentioned in those Council records from ‘brave’ page 333 was “to the men who died in the War Between the States.” I believe that the citizens of Portsmouth who designed this memorial back in the 1870’s gave a great deal of thought to the words that would appear on it. Their final decision was “To Our Confederate Dead”. It didn’t say “Johnny Reb” or “To Our Confederate Heroes”, it just stated “To Our Confederate Dead”. For years, persons in the City of Portsmouth have viewed this tombstone as a monument that was erected to slavery. I am very sorry that they never took time to read its inscription. In late May of 2020, Portsmouth citizens chose to publically desecrate this memorial. I understand that it was easier to let those citizens maliciously destroy this memorial rather than risk the possibility of those persons vandalizing other public or private property in our city with their anger and rage. I understand that police personnel were instructed to “stand back and watch” and let all of this desecration take place—up until such time as someone might be injured. Now, it is time for our City Council members to take action. My hope would be that the memorial “To Our Confederate Dead” would be restored and moved to a cemetery where other Confederate soldiers are buried. I believe this would be the appropriate remedy for this tombstone that honors so many Portsmouth deaths in the past. Please vote to restore and move this memorial and let those Portsmouth individuals from the past rest in peace into the future. Ann Stewart 3605 Lilac Drive 41. It is with deep regret that I am unable to share my passion and position regarding the monument in person. I pray that this letter will suffice.