Stockbridge Government Dysfunctional.
On March 10th 2016, I emailed the city of Stockbridge Georgia requesting to be put on the agenda of March 29th 2016. The request was for me to address the city council to give a brief history of Confederate Memorial Day and Heritage History Month that is April. I requested for a proclamation to be issued at the April 11th council meeting. Once the agenda came up for the meeting of the 29th I noted I was not on it I contacted the city official and was told by email that it was on schedule for April 11th agenda.
Upon arriving at City Hall on April 11th I was informed that the city council had denied the proclamation by a consensus of the city council. This is a flagrant violation of a Citizen’s First Amendment rights to ask for the proclamation. I was not even given a chance to ask for this.
I knew going into this, that I might encounter some opposition to my request. One Jr. council member has consistently attacked me and my blog. As well as defamed my character on social media. This junior council member lacks the education of the Civil War to make an informed decision. This council member is not liked by many people in the county he is constantly calling and Henry County and Stockbridge South Atlanta. Atlanta is 35 miles away from us people throughout the county and the City of Stockbridge constantly refer to him as the village idiot. I feel he was instrumental in getting me taken off of the agenda for the April 11th council meeting.
If Stockbridge is to move forward, it must show the people that it is truly open to all of its citizens and not just a select few. By denying the proclamation for Confederate Heritage and History Month. They have denied American veterans a place of honor in Stockbridge. They have denied a Citizen's First Amendment rights. The council is constantly talking about diversity within the city, what they have failed to understand is that Confederate history and Heritage is diversity. Anyone that can not understand this does not need to be leading the citizens of Stockbridge.
Below I will post what I had planned to read to the council but was not able to due to the lack of First Amendment rights that exist in Stockbridge Georgia.
Good evening Mayor Pro Tem, City Council and Citizens.
I am Alfred Britt founder of the Cemetery Research Group of Henry County and Co founder of the B&M Civil War Research Group.
I come to you to request a proclamation in recognition of Confederate History and Heritage Month in April.
Now I know some may not like this, but let's remember something it is our history, it happened, there is no denying it. If we are to grow to be a better people we must learn from our past. In some ways, the Federal Government has learned that. They provide Confederate tombstones for the graves of Confederate Veterans. And that was started in 1958 when Congress created a law making Confederate Veterans American Soldiers with all the respect of Union Soldiers. That is just one way they honor them. Even today at West Point Military Academy the tactics of many of the Confederate Generals is taught. Now I have been hearing a lot of talk about wanting to do away with everything Confederate to be a more diverse society. What these people do not understand is diversity includes Confederate heritage and their history.
With that I would like to share a little known diverse Confederate history.
While there were only a few hundred Asians living in the South at the time the War began, records exist for several of these men becoming Confederate soldiers. Charles Chon, a Chinese National, was a private in Company K, 24th Texas Dismounted Cavalry Regiment, C.S.A. He was killed at the Battle of Franklin, TN, on Nov. 30, 1864, and is buried on the battlefield.
Another Asian-Confederate was William Henry Kwan of Co. B, 15th (or 12th) Virginia Battalion of Light Artillery. Kwan is a Cantonese (Chinese) name.
Perhaps the most famous Asian-Confederate soldiers were the two sons of the famed P.T. Barnum Circus world-renowned Siamese Twins, Chang and Eng Bunker. (The Thai twins took the name "Bunker" to Americanize themselves.) Chang & Eng, joined at the chest from birth, were devoted Confederates, tobacco growers, living as farmers in North Carolina after they retired from the circus. In 1865, Gen. Sherman tried to conscript (draft) a most unwilling Eng for the Union Army, but could not, since Chang had not likewise been conscripted! If Sherman had known more about their family, he wouldn't have bothered to even try to draft a Bunker, so fierce was the family's devotion to the Confederacy. The twins had married the Yates sisters and had several children, rotating between each others' houses every few days. During the war, the Bunkers strongly supported the South, providing food, clothing, and nursing to Confederate troops. Chang's son, Christopher, served in Co. I, 37th Battalion, Virginia Cavalry. He was wounded and captured at Moorefield, WV, and spent several months in a POW Camp before being exchanged. He had to eat rats to keep from starving in the POW Camp. Stephen Bunker, son of Eng Bunker, joined the same cavalry unit. He was wounded at Winchester, VA, and again before war's end. He and his brother both became farmers after the war.
If we are to be a diverse society then we must include everyone or exclude everyone and do away with all proclamations as it would be hypocritical and prejudicial towards one sector of our society who only wish to have their dead ancestors remembered. Yes, this war in large part dealt with slavery but the vast majority of those who fought in the war did not own any slaves. It is wrong to own any human being and it is wrong to vilify the poor dirt farmer who went off to fight and to protect their State, families and homes. Stockbridge was a key player in the war during 1864. I humbly ask for this proclamation in their memory.
Thank you for your time this evening.
