PRESS RELEASE
POLL: LEE COUNTY NAMESAKE VANDAL SHOULD BE CHARGED WITH A HATE CRIME “NO DIFFERENT THAN PAINTING PENTAGRAMS ON A CHURCH”
CONTACT: Lola Sanchez Phone: 850-999-5993 E-mail: Floridasshe@gmail.com
Ft. Myers – Save Southern Heritage FL releases today the results of an online poll showing 98.8% of respondents believe that Amira Fox, the Lee County State’s Attorney, should charge the identified perpetrator, David Howes, under Florida Hate Crime Laws in the Lee County namesake vandalism case. Of the 433 respondents, 427 were were in favor of the Hate Crime Charge, whereas only 4 were opposed. The poll was widely circulated online and through social media beginning November 6, and closed November 24, 2019. The request for a Hate Crime charge was raised by Sons of Confederate Veterans attorney, David McCallister, before Judge Thompson at a hearing on October, 28, 2019. Poll respondents were able to provide comments. Many respondents who favored prosecuting the vandalism as a hate crime cited “ethnicity/ancestry/national origin” as the reason they believed Florida Hate Crime laws applied. One stated “Desecrating a memorial for fallen soldiers is no different than painting pentagrams on a church”. “I believe the State’s Attorney has an obligation to the victims to charge this crime appropriately” said David McCallister. “Not considering Florida Hate Crime Law in this case is inappropriate – it lets down the victims, it lets down the community and lets down the justice system” he added. Florida Law states that a Hate Crime is a committed or attempted criminal act by any person or group of persons against a person or the property of another person or group, which in any way constitutes an expression of hatred toward the victim because of his/her personal characteristics. Personal characteristics include: race/color, gender/gender identity, religion, ethnicity/ancestry/national origin, sexual orientation, advanced age, mental/physical disability, homeless status. Click HERE to see the poll questions. Click HERE to see responses.
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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