Press Release - May 16, 2017
For Immediate Release Media Contact: David McCallister 813-778-1202 Email: floridasshe@gmail.com
SOUTHERN HERITAGE GROUP CALLS FOR VOTER REFERENDUM ON ORLANDO WAR MEMORIAL
Orlando – Save Southern Heritage FL calls on the Orlando Mayor and City Council to let the voters decide what the fate of the 1911 Veterans Memorial on Lake Eola will be. “Save Southern Heritage FL (“SSH FL”) congratulates and thanks the Mayor for his appreciation of why the 1911 memorial was erected, and later moved to its current position. What we take issue with is the decision-making process” said David McCallister, SSH FL spokesman. Yesterday Mayor Buddy Dyer is reported as saying “some, like myself, see them (War Memorials) as historical markers dedicated to men who died during a war”. But at the same time Mayor Dyer also suggested he intended to use his sole Executive authority to move the monument into a city graveyard – out of sight of the public “in the closet” so to speak, to placate critics of the War memorial who in the same City Council meeting trotted out the same old tired argument that the Veterans memorial is a symbol of slavery and, so, deserves to be purged. “Our research shows that Floridians oppose removing war memorials – even if they are Confederate” he added. Save Southern Heritage FL is publicly calling on the Mayor and Council to let the voters decide whether to disgrace the service of the local men and boys who died trying to protect their homes and families by moving their memorial from its current location. “You can’t have it both ways….you can’t say it’s a war memorial and then relegate it to a ‘safe space’ out of view without dishonoring it” said McCallister about the Mayor’s plan. In describing the Council meeting McCallister said “of the 50 or so of the public who spoke, the majority were for keeping the memorial right where it is. This isn't surprising because public opinion polls routinely show Floridians honor their veterans and don’t want War Memorials removed...even if they are Confederate". “We have noticed that left leaning activist groups seem to unite to hate all things Southern” said McCallister. Black Lives Matter, homeless, animal rights and LGBT activists, the Green Party and Antifa all have been actively involved in efforts to purge American history relating to the South. “I find it a teensy bit hypocritical that those who have fought so hard to get out of the closet want to shove another group into it” said McCallister. Similar comments at the Council Meeting drew gasps of surprise. “Its pretty simple…if you have the right to fly the rainbow flag, why do you want to take away someone else’s right to fly their flag” McCallister remarked. "They say they're for love and inclusion..but it feels like hate to many of us" he added.
It has been estimated that one half of American's population descends from someone who fought during the war on the side of the South. “I’m guessing quite a few of them are LGBT…but being Southern is now more taboo” he concluded. “The voters of Orlando will have their say now or later on how the Mayor handles this, we hope he will call a special election and let them decide now” concluded McCallister.
SAVE SOUTHERN HERITAGE Inc. is a 501 c(4) public welfare corporation that educates & advocates on behalf of Southern Heritage & History. It was started in 2015 in response to the knee-jerk Anti-Southern institutionalized bullying and “Eracism” levied against the people of South Carolina by Governor Nikki Haley, after she broke all previous agreements about how South Carolina’s historical veterans and their symbols should be treated and respected. The Florida branch was activated in mid-January 2016, in response to three initiatives in the Florida Legislature that are part of a hate campaign led by Anti-American extremists, who refuse to respect the various cultures that make up the fabric of Florida’s society. Since that time, it has grown in membership and has been active in Heritage battles throughout Florida including the “We’ll Remember in November Campaign” that resulted in #heritagehater candidates to loose elections in Florida. More info: www.sshfl.org.