PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Media Contact: David McCallister: 813-778-1202 Email: floridasshe@gmail.com
LAKELAND CITY COMMISSION RECEIVES CITIZEN PETITIONS FOR MUNN PARK MONUMENT REFERENDUM
LAKELAND - Approximately 200 citizen petitions calling for a public referendum on the Munn Park Veterans Memorial matter were presented to the City Commission. At it's regular Monday Meeting, Save Southern Heritage - FL ("SSH FL") spokesman, David McCallister hand delivered the petitions from Lakeland citizens. The petitions had been collected in the month following the May 2018 Commission vote to use only public donations to pay for the monuments removal from Munn Park. McCallister encouraged the Commissioners to read the comments which included the following:
"Whipping up a hate campaign against Southerners and a Monument to those who died in the Civil War is disrespectful, hateful, divisive and counter productive. Shame on those behind it. " - William W.
"I'm signing this petition because I believe The People and not the commissioner should decide about historic places or statues. I love Munn Park." - George A.
Media reported that the Commission had voted 4-3 to last Friday to circumvent their May vote and divert red light camera money to expedite the move of the memorial. "Funds weren't coming in fast enough so the take 'em downers had to do something to achieve their destruction" McCallister said. At Monday's meeting McCallister said about Friday's vote; "You gave us the rules and you gave us your word. Let the citizens voice count. That is democracy." After presenting the thick packet to the clerk, McCallister said "the citizens want to keep the monument and you should keep your word". It was learned in the meeting that the full commission still has to vote for the expenditure at a regular commission meeting, which will be held on November 19th. "The commissioners could still decide to send the matter to the voters, especially as there is a special election in January, anyway, to select a new City Commissioner" McCallister concluded. SAVE SOUTHERN HERITAGE Inc. is a not for profit 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 battles over American History and throughout Florida including the “We’ll Remember in November Campaign” that resulted in #heritagehater candidates to lose elections in Florida and others to win. More info: www.sshfl.org.
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