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struggle4progress

(118,317 posts) Thu Dec 10, 2015, 01:55 AM Dec 2015

Portsmouth city council discusses Confederate monument at closed meeting

POSTED 6:21 PM, DECEMBER 9, 2015, BY NADEEN YANES

Portsmouth, Va. - The Confederate war memorial in downtown Portsmouth is at the center of controversy for city council once again ...

City council member Mark Whitaker motioned to keep the public out of the conversation, citing legal reasons ...

Mayor Kenny Wright tells NewsChannel 3 the meeting needed to be behind doors because it involved litigation and it's a discussion that could adversely affect the city if done in public ...

None of the councilmembers were able to tell NewsChannel 3 what was discussed because it was a closed session ...

http://wtkr.com/2015/12/09/portsmouth-city-council-discusses-confederate-monument-at-closed-meeting/

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Portsmouth city council discusses Confederate monument at closed meeting (Original Post) struggle4progress Dec 2015 OP

Some background struggle4progress Dec 2015 #1

struggle4progress

(118,317 posts)

1. Some background

Reply to struggle4progress (Original post)

Thu Dec 10, 2015, 02:03 AM

Dec 2015

Portsmouth councilman wants Confederate monument removed
Associated Press, 13NewsNow.com 7:36 p.m. EDT June 24, 2015
PORTSMOUTH, Va. (AP) — A Portsmouth councilman wants the city's Confederate monument removed from downtown. Dr. Mark Whitaker says it's inappropriate to have a memorial to a cause that supported slavery in a public place. More than half of Portsmouth's residents are black. Whitaker made the comments at Tuesday night's council meeting ...

Supporters fight to keep Confederate monument in place
By Joe Fisher
Published: July 5, 2015, 9:25 pm
... Hundreds of people protested Sunday to keep the piece of history in place, nearly two weeks after City Councilman Mark Whitaker and Mayor Kenny Wright voiced their desire to take it down. “It’s been there a hundred years. It’s not bothering anybody. Leave it there,” said B. Frank Earnest, with Sons of Confederate Veterans ... “This transcends all borders and all races,” said Thomas Neal, who has lived in Portsmouth since 1959 and is in support of the monument. “This is to honor the dead. This monument is like a large tombstone. It honors these gentleman” ... “It is a symbol of white hatred and racism and those that fought for a cause that was treasonous against this country,” said Whitaker, with Wright by his side ...

Portsmouth Council discusses Confederate monument
Staff and Kristina Zverjako, 13News Now 12:03 a.m. EDT July 15, 2015
... Councilman Mark Whitaker said that he wanted to see the monument torn down. Councilman William Moody said he thinks the monument should stay. "When you look at this monument, you don't see the faces of slaves that fought, you see the faces of the white confederates that fought the war," said Toiya Sosa, with the Portsmouth NAACP. If city leaders went through with the removing the memorial, it would cost tax payers more than $100,000, plus potential legal and court fees ...

Warning shot fired in battle over Portsmouth Confederate monument
By Matt Gregory
Published: August 6, 2015, 8:57 pm
... In 1997, Morris’s father and local historians applied to have the monument put on the national register of historical places, and it was accepted. As a historic monument, Morris believes state law protects it ... This week, Morris’ Sons of Confederate Veterans group hired Suffolk-attorney Fred Taylor to represent them. “We believe state law protects this monument where it’s at,” Taylor said. “We believe it’s very clear you cannot remove monuments or memorials to war veterans.” Wednesday, he sent a letter to the Portsmouth city attorney that stated he will pursue any and all legal action, if the city violates Virginia laws to remove it. The city attorney for Portsmouth has not responded to the letter, yet. A spokesperson said the city has nothing new to add on the issue ...

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