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Dowdell Apologizes for Auburn Grave Desecration
kimi
Member Posts: 44,719 ✭✭✭
Dowdell kowtows and apologises to the Sons and Daughters of Confederate Veterans
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Dowdell Apologizes for Auburn Grave Desecration
Amy Weaver
Staff Writer
May 5, 2009
Auburn City Councilman Arthur L. Dowdell apologized Tuesday night for removing four Confederate battle flags from Pine Hill Cemetery on April 23.
Statement from the Mayor of Auburn / Bob Norman's statement and text of the resolution and Slideshow of the meeting available at link below.
Dowdell, the representative for Ward 1, pointed his apology toward members of the United Daughters of the Confederacy and Sons of Confederate Veterans attending the council's regular meeting.
At the beginning of the meeting, the council passed a resolution urging Dowdell "to make a public apology to the citizens of Auburn." With the resolution, the city council also condemned Dowdell's actions as "inappropriate and beneath the office of a city councilman."
Dowdell opposed the resolution since he hadn't seen it prior to the meeting, but agreed to voice his opinion to the council and citizens later in the meeting.
During the citizens comments portion of the meeting, Dowdell and the rest of the council listened to 25 citizens express their opinions on Dowdell and the Confederate flag for nearly two hours. After 12 people had spoken, Ward 8 Councilman Bob Norman asked to suspend the rest of citizens communications in order for the council to proceed with the remainder of the agenda. The remaining business took all of five minutes and citizens were speaking again.
The majority of citizen speakers were from outside Auburn. About half supported Dowdell and his actions, agreeing use of the flag was offensive.
"I don't care if it was one flag or 100 flags, if it don't say United States of America, to me, it's wrong," said the Rev. Larry Taylor, who identified himself as Dowdell's brother.
Others, including several members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, disagreed, and said they considered the flag removal a violation of civil rights.
"You may not agree with them, but that doesn't give you the right to violate freedom of speech," said Auburn resident Benjamin Bacon.
Billy Bearden said he traveled 90 miles from Mt. Zion, Ga., because he was so motivated by the issue. Bearden, dressed in a full Confederate uniform, carrying a small Confederate battle flag, marched up and down the sidewalk in front of city hall for a couple of hours before the meeting.
"I'm here to speak for those who can't," he said, referring to the Confederate soldiers.
Bearden told the council he considered Dowdell's actions to be the same as someone knocking over his father's headstone in Arlington National Cemetery and spitting on it.
Dowdell defended his actions in his address. Since neither the city manager nor the mayor were able to tell him why the flags were in Pine Hill, Dowdell said he thought they were there for a KKK rally. Had he known they were there for the Confederate Memorial Day ceremony, he said he would have walked away.
He apologized to both Confederate groups. He said it was not his intention to hurt them. Dowdell said his actions were the result of "miscommunication" and "ignorance." "I'm sorry this happened," he said. "I hope we can get passed it."
During the meeting, the mayor and Norman each read prepared statements expressing their disapproval of their fellow councilman's action.
Ward 5 Councilman Robin Kelley got in the last word of the evening when he expressed his disappointment in Dowdell for not asking him about the flags. Pine Hill is in Kelley's ward.
"I was never contacted," Kelley said. "If you called me, I would have told you (what they were for.)
"It's desecration what you did. End of discussion."
http://sonsofconfederateveterans.blogspot.com/2009/05/dowdell-apologizes-for-auburn-grave.html
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Dowdell Apologizes for Auburn Grave Desecration
Amy Weaver
Staff Writer
May 5, 2009
Auburn City Councilman Arthur L. Dowdell apologized Tuesday night for removing four Confederate battle flags from Pine Hill Cemetery on April 23.
Statement from the Mayor of Auburn / Bob Norman's statement and text of the resolution and Slideshow of the meeting available at link below.
Dowdell, the representative for Ward 1, pointed his apology toward members of the United Daughters of the Confederacy and Sons of Confederate Veterans attending the council's regular meeting.
At the beginning of the meeting, the council passed a resolution urging Dowdell "to make a public apology to the citizens of Auburn." With the resolution, the city council also condemned Dowdell's actions as "inappropriate and beneath the office of a city councilman."
Dowdell opposed the resolution since he hadn't seen it prior to the meeting, but agreed to voice his opinion to the council and citizens later in the meeting.
During the citizens comments portion of the meeting, Dowdell and the rest of the council listened to 25 citizens express their opinions on Dowdell and the Confederate flag for nearly two hours. After 12 people had spoken, Ward 8 Councilman Bob Norman asked to suspend the rest of citizens communications in order for the council to proceed with the remainder of the agenda. The remaining business took all of five minutes and citizens were speaking again.
The majority of citizen speakers were from outside Auburn. About half supported Dowdell and his actions, agreeing use of the flag was offensive.
"I don't care if it was one flag or 100 flags, if it don't say United States of America, to me, it's wrong," said the Rev. Larry Taylor, who identified himself as Dowdell's brother.
Others, including several members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, disagreed, and said they considered the flag removal a violation of civil rights.
"You may not agree with them, but that doesn't give you the right to violate freedom of speech," said Auburn resident Benjamin Bacon.
Billy Bearden said he traveled 90 miles from Mt. Zion, Ga., because he was so motivated by the issue. Bearden, dressed in a full Confederate uniform, carrying a small Confederate battle flag, marched up and down the sidewalk in front of city hall for a couple of hours before the meeting.
"I'm here to speak for those who can't," he said, referring to the Confederate soldiers.
Bearden told the council he considered Dowdell's actions to be the same as someone knocking over his father's headstone in Arlington National Cemetery and spitting on it.
Dowdell defended his actions in his address. Since neither the city manager nor the mayor were able to tell him why the flags were in Pine Hill, Dowdell said he thought they were there for a KKK rally. Had he known they were there for the Confederate Memorial Day ceremony, he said he would have walked away.
He apologized to both Confederate groups. He said it was not his intention to hurt them. Dowdell said his actions were the result of "miscommunication" and "ignorance." "I'm sorry this happened," he said. "I hope we can get passed it."
During the meeting, the mayor and Norman each read prepared statements expressing their disapproval of their fellow councilman's action.
Ward 5 Councilman Robin Kelley got in the last word of the evening when he expressed his disappointment in Dowdell for not asking him about the flags. Pine Hill is in Kelley's ward.
"I was never contacted," Kelley said. "If you called me, I would have told you (what they were for.)
"It's desecration what you did. End of discussion."
http://sonsofconfederateveterans.blogspot.com/2009/05/dowdell-apologizes-for-auburn-grave.html
What's next?
Comments
I'd like to extend a hearty thank you to any GB members who complained to the mayor and city council members about Dowdell's racist actions.
I don't like to speak for anyone but myself, but I am sure it was our pleasure [:)]
quote:Originally posted by kimi
I'd like to extend a hearty thank you to any GB members who complained to the mayor and city council members about Dowdell's racist actions.
I don't like to speak for anyone but myself, but I am sure it was our pleasure [:)]
Thank you kind sir. How's the weather up your way this evening?
Thank you kind sir. How's the weather up your way this evening?
[/quote]
Nice. A little cool, but that kind of cool that you don't mind, feels good. Rain coming back though I hear
He should be honored for taking it upon himself to remove trash from the city.
He cowed. He knelt down and put what face he has to the dirt, and cowed, like the coward he is. Too bad we have to put up with racists like Dowdell, and Erlene, all in the same day. [:D][;)][^]
I'd like to extend a hearty thank you to any GB members who complained to the mayor and city council members about Dowdell's racist actions.
Add me to the list that did.
He pulled the typical "cop-out" though.
He fully knew what he was doing. Just didn't expect that a whole load of "whiteys" that are of Southern heritage would do something about it. They are used to getting away with everything in modern times with the simple mention of racism.
I would have expected nothing less from his racist type BTW.
Self preservation kicked in.
He should be honored for taking it upon himself to remove trash from the city.
He is the trash that should be removed from the city.
The apology is great and all, so whats his court date?[}:)]
He should be honored for taking it upon himself to remove trash from the city.
Ya know , if you really knew what the war of Northern Aggression was about you might think different. History books & stupid liberals try to turn the war into a racist act, it wasn't & you should read up a little sport. It's ignorance like you spew that keeps the pot stirred.
Long live the Confederacy & may its flag fly forever.
Either lynch him or move on.
I vote move on.
quote:Originally posted by kimi
I'd like to extend a hearty thank you to any GB members who complained to the mayor and city council members about Dowdell's racist actions.
Add me to the list that did.
He pulled the typical "cop-out" though.
He fully knew what he was doing. Just didn't expect that a whole load of "whiteys" that are of Southern heritage would do something about it. They are used to getting away with everything in modern times with the simple mention of racism.
I would have expected nothing less from his racist type BTW.
Self preservation kicked in.
Thank you, Mark. It looks to me as if some of the good folks here at GB are from outside of Dixie also complained to Auburn officials about Dowdell's act too! [:)] I'll be sending all of the council members a thank you note for their efforts to get the subject apology.
He should be honored for taking it upon himself to remove trash from the city.
Remember when you got miffed and left the forum in a huff? It's probably time you do it again. I know you have every right to dislike the Confederate battle flag, just as I have every right to tell you to KISS MY SOUTHERN *.[:(!]
The war of Northern Agression needs to be remembered for what it was. Yankee politicians trying to control the economy of the Country (and the South in particular). It was not "about" slavery, it was about economics. We defended and died for our constitutional rights.
My family were small southern farmers, not slave owners. Another Great Grand Father was a ships Captiain, his family was from the Channel Islands. I have one Great Uncle who was a history Prof at Auburn, cant wait to hear what he thinks about this rot.
This perp need to be prosecuted on Hate Crimes law. It is after all a 2 way street.