They take pride in their history of betrayal and backstabbing...

Wednesday, November 4, 2015 by Caleb Pritchard

... County Veterans Services Officer Olie Pope told the commissioners that he would step down from his volunteer role as chair of the Travis County Veterans Day Parade Committee. While the committee – which is not a part of county government – organizes the annual parade in downtown Austin, Pope and other staff within the Veterans Services Office handle much of the parade’s administrative work. His abrupt announcement came immediately after County Judge Sarah Eckhardt said the court would not take action to try to ban the display of the Confederate flag during the parade ...

In August, the parade committee voted to allow the organization to continue to display the flag, a decision that caught Eckhardt’s attention in October. According to Ayers, she suggested that the county could back out as a sponsor of the parade if the committee upheld that vote ...

“You talk about being an American soldier,” said Linder. “What America are you talking about? You guys tried to destroy this country. You didn’t try to preserve it. You fought based on the economic profits from slavery” ...

http://www.austinmonitor.com/stories/2015/11/confederate-flag-controversy-rains-veterans-day-parade/

BY ADAM HAMMONS
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD 2015

... Eckhardt later released a statement saying:

"The Veterans Day Parade and actions of the Committee are neither official Travis County nor City of Austin activity. But given the many years of administrative support provided to the Committee by the Travis County Veterans Service Office, the Travis County Commissioners Court considered the implications of the Committee's decision.

In response to the Committee's vote, the Travis County Veterans Service Officer Olie Pope resigned from the Committee. A majority of the Commissioners Court voiced opposition to display of the Confederate Battle Flag and voiced support for for Mr. Pope divesting himself and his staff of administrative duties for the parade. Travis County expects the Veterans Day Parade will continue under the supervision of the Committee. Travis County will make every attempt to withdraw its administrative support in a way that does not imperil this year's parade."