Senator Dick Black’s statement on Civil War Memorials

written by Jeanine Martin August 22, 2017

Senator Black’s comment today regarding the following statement “while written two years ago, this statement still reflects my views. Under no circumstances will I vote to change the law that protects war monuments, including Confederate ones.”

STATEMENT OF SEN. BLACK REGARDING REMOVAL OF HISTORIC CIVIL WAR SYMBOLS AND MONUMENTS

July 17, 2015

Mob hysteria has swept our nation, targeting historic Civil War symbols and monuments. A Virginia group is attempting to rename the Jefferson Davis Highway; another would remove the 1908 Confederate War Memorial from the Leesburg Courthouse.

Tearing down flags and statues won’t satisfy vengeful people. Already, many Republicans on Congress support a mean-spirited attack to deny families’ rights to put little battle flags at their ancestors’ graves on Memorial Day. A self-styled “slave historian” claims the fleur de lis symbol of the New Orleans Saints is “racist,” and a federal judge said the same thing about the Redskins football team. There is no end to this silliness.

Erasing Civil War history isn’t enough. They want to rename the nation’s capital, citing George Washington’s association with slavery. The Thomas Jefferson Memorial is under attack too. Memphis, Tennessee, passed a macabre plan to unearth corpses of a Confederate general and his wife. This business is simply disgusting. It denies our nation’s heritage and attacks freedom of belief and expression.

I’m astonished by the emerging divisions afflicting our nation. These actions incite hatred where none existed before. America’s traditional respect for the fallen is being replaced by a nasty bitterness, which is unbecoming of our great nation.

Respect the gallant dead who fought the Civil War. Walking those hallowed grounds, I cannot help but feel a deep and somber love for all who shed their blood in that great conflict. It is shameful to revisit Civil War disputes that patriots resolved long ago, through brotherhood, forgiveness, and friendship.

I treat Civil War veterans and their memorials with dignity and respect:

I do not support removing the Confederate memorial from the Leesburg Courthouse grounds;
I do not support renaming the Jefferson Davis Highway; and
I do not support destroying, removing or vandalizing historic symbols and monuments.

I’ve seldom seen a more racially poisoned atmosphere in this country. It is time to reunite our nation and reject the demagogues inflaming hatred toward the history of this land. I urge others to join me in ending this divisiveness in America. We are better than this.

[Note: Senator Dick Black (R-13) represents Loudoun and Prince William Counties. He served 8 years in the House and is now a prominent leader in the Virginia Senate. As a JAG Colonel in the Pentagon, he was Chief of the Criminal Law Division. He testified before Congress and advised the Armed Services Committees on issues of national significance. He prepared Executive Orders for the President’s signature. As a Marine, he flew 269 combat helicopter missions in Vietnam. During bitter ground combat with the 1st Marine Regiment, he was wounded and his radiomen were both killed. Black holds the Purple Heart, 3 Legions of Merit, 13 Air Medals and the Navy Commendation Medal with combat “V” for valor.]

Senator Black Confederate monuments

Jeanine Martin

Also known as Lovettsville Lady, I am a Republican activist in the wilds of western Loudoun County.

mark Jawsz

Bravo Senator Black. But you know, if leftist kooks and extremists are so obsessed with those historical figures who owned slaves, then I wonder what they would have us do with mosques in which the Prophet Mohammed, Peace Be Upon Him, is revered. After all, the Prophet Mohammed, Peace Be Upon Him, was a man who took, bought, and sold slaves. In contrast, Jesus never bought any slaves, nor did he capture any in battle. In fact, Jesus did not tell his followers to enslave anyone or kill anyone, unlike the Prophet Mohammed, Peace Be Upon Him. So, we should ask our friends on the Left in what way is the Prophet Mohammed, Peace Be Upon Him, any different than George Washington or Thomas Jefferson. For if America is to be tainted with the sin of slavery, what do we say about the religion that Mohammed founded? I am just thinking out loud, of course, knowing that I can rely on the resident liberal smart asses in this forum to obfuscate and sidetrack this question.
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- T Kane
  
  Mark: Big difference between that which is publicly owned and that which is privately owned. The monuments are the former, the mosques the latter (and they are religious expression).
  
  Conservatives worship these differences, which makes your comment here odd and out of place.
  - mark Jawsz
    
    Thanks, T Kane for not failing to disappoint. I knew your “big difference” obfuscation would arrive right on schedule. You are predictable, and that is somewhat admirable. But first, I must correct the record. I am not a conservative. I am a populist. Second, I thought many of those confederate statues were paid for by private organizations such as the Sons of the Confederacy. So, is your beef that the monuments are on public property then? Or anywhere? But at least you agree that Mohammed Peace Be Upon Him, was a slave holder and that Islam is a religion that worships a slave holder and indeed encourages the taking of slaves. So, your powers to obfuscate do have a limit. That is good to know. And besides, isn’t the Left all rattled over White Supremacy? Islamic Shariah Law fosters Islamic supremacy and treats non-Moslems as second class citizens, so our leftist friends should be supportive of all attempts to outlaw Shariah law in the USA, right?
    - T Kane
      
      Delighted I could be of service to the conservative — errr, sorry, populist — cause. Keep your government hands off religion and private matters, but that which is government is up to the government. As regards government-owned public art I have little to no opinion and really could not care less what is decided by any particular government, which I prefer to be limited and focused upon necessities.
  - smartypup
    
    If the public paid for it, and approved it, shouldn’t they be able to have a say, versus the decision making in the hands of a couple of far left ideologues? Or is that democracy thing overrated? Or maybe possibly a public debate?
    - T Kane
      
      Absolutely agreed 100%. Up to the public, not anarchists. I am delighted the Durham Topplers were arrested. It was a sad display that called for intervention.
  - bob
    
    If you think mosques are religious you are a moron. They have one goal , to kill or enslave non muslims and the muslim obummer let them in
    - T Kane
      
      Many thanks for your bigoted opinion, bob. Keep writing, TBE needs more from you to feed its audience and you simply do not contribute enough.
John Massoud

Well said Senator Black.
AmyH

Thank you, Senator Black.
Ian R Griffiths

Very PROUD to call him my friend and my SENATOR. SEMPER FI , SIR!!
ameri…canwork

Dear Honorable Senator,
I do not monuments in Va. of, for or from a time of war honoring the warrior to be removed.
At this point of revisiting history ; were all warriors of the south a volunteer force?
Were some men in Va. Communities forced into enlistment?
The Civil war is history ; this history holds true to the fact men , women and their offspring were sold, exploitated right here in Va. ( the stump in Fredericksburg ).
A man’s freedom is giving to him by G_d. As free men we chose to assemble , wright , debate and sign legislation into law. These are actions of civilized society. Many men ( you , my sons and many legislators ) enlist today voluntary to defend these civilized actions.
How come these same men of today never speak of the exploitation of today ; illegal immigration (modern slavery).
It was an act of integrity for the Committee on Commerce and Labor to send Senator DeSteph’s bill SB483 back to him with no votes. I was negligent to not have and make illegal interdepartmental communication of illegal employment , tax , insurance and Contractor fraud.
Now we have Delegate Randall Minchew HB253. Why is a Republican lawyer *requiring the purchase* of Workers Comp insurance prior to application for Contractors license but there is no requirement for a Va. Employment Commission Account?
How come Va. Republicans some Veterans do not require that Va. Statutes be enforced? How come there is not a Republican movement to end illegal employment and illegal contracting in Va.?
It appears that Va Republicans wag the dog when the allow the illegal employment of illegal aliens yet cry a foul of a Santurary City, excuse me sir but last I checked geographically these Cities are within the State and the laws I speak of are State laws.
Statutes 54.1-1100 and the Va Employment Compensation Act
Why did the last Republican Administration in Va provide criminal to Santurary to illegal aliens?
They can put a hood over the statues in Charlottesville, what good will that do when the is a hood today over labor exploitatation in Va.?
smartypup

We need a lot more of this from our leaders. And we need to have courage to defend our historical sites and dead veterans. The left is insatiable and we cannot expect any reasoning. I want state legislation protecting monuments or at least demanding public referendums. What is happening is totally undemocratic to outright savagery. It only will get more violent and dangerous.
TheVIYOHD

Amen Senator!
stevescroggins

Senator Black deserves support and praise for a clear and unequivoal statement on the current jihad against American history in the form of war memorials. Having written Senator Black myself (as a constituent), his reply included reference to the statement above along with other cogent and relevant remarks. Thank you, Bull Elephant, for posting it.
CMSKL0113

Thanks Senator for standing up for the history of our country. If you’re looking for where all of this is emanating from take a look at Campus Reform. They have been doing a great job of documenting how academia is indoctrinating our youth with an ideology that wants to destroy all symbols of western civilization. Just look at the faces of the protestors – for the most part they’re all college age or in their 20/early 30s.

https://www.campusreform.org/

The College Fix is also documenting all of this as well.

https://www.thecollegefix.com/
- CMSKL0113
  
  And here’s a link from an antifa group at UNC instructing other college students how to set up local anarchist groups on other campuses.
  
  https://itsgoingdown.org/anarchist-student-groups-organize/
bob

The left,i.e., communist treasonous seditious Muslim loving anti-American dumbocrap communist party led by the treasonous Obama and corrupt murdering Clinton’s are with Soros, are responsible for all of this. Led by the propaganda machine, the press, will not be immune when the SHTF.
They are about to cause another civil war and will pay for their treasonous seditious ways.
- Chris k
  
  This is why I keep coming back, great comments like this, thank you sir.
- T Kane
  
  How was the march? Did you carry two torches or one? What was your favorite slogan?
  
  It’s great to see you here, bob. Please contribute more. It draws a crowd.
Peter Wingate

I’m a lifelong conservative Republican Southerner who always believed in the principles of the Party of Lincoln. For years I argued with Democrats who claimed that the parties had flipped ideologically, and that the modern Republican Party is the Dixiecrat Party. Now it is clear that I was naive. It’s clear that my Grand Old Party is more concerned about championing memorials of Confederate “heroes” than the principles of liberty and justice for all. The Leftists point at this zeal for the Lost Cause narrative of the Confederacy, and tell the voters, “See?!” This embracing of Confederacy revisionism is driving good people away from our Party. Where can we go to get back the Party of Lincoln that was stolen by the Dixiecrats?
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Senator Dick Black’s statement on Civil War Memorials

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