June 3, 1999

The Sons of Confederate Veterans strongly protest the removal of the Robert E. Lee mural from the Canal Walk scheduled to open to the public tomorrow.

We will not mince words. The removal of this artwork from this project which is designed to bring people together and attract tourists to this city while showing off the rich heritage of Virginia is an affront to every right thinking person.

Until the mural is returned, we urge every citizen to boycott this project and show your distaste for the cowardly removal of this honorable American and Virginian from the project. Do not support this desecration of our history by financially supporting anything about this project.

Robert E. Lee and his family have contributed so very much to this state. His honorable past is a lesson to all people of every race. Never was his character questioned. his honor and honesty was unquestioned. We deserve better than the kneejerk reaction of removing his likeness based on the complaint of councilman Saad El Amin.

Yhe success of the project is important to both Virginia and this city but it is simply wrong to allow political correctness to dictate our every action instead of relying on historical correctness. The removal of Virginia's history severely wounds both the state and nation.

The Sons of Confederate Veterans will never allow a desecration like this to occur. We won't go silently into the night and turn our heads. We will explore every avenue to have our heroes remembered.

Once again we urge a boycott of this project, its opening and any fundraising projects related to it. Until the mural is returned to its rightful place, we will continue to boycott and should it not be replaced, the Sons of Confedrate Veterans demand that every mural be removed.

Robert E. Lee is a great Virginian. He is a Confederate. the Sons of Confedrate Veterans recognize this but he is not simply our hero. He is a hero to all Virginians and this boycott is not simply for the SCV but for all Southerners and Virginians. Virginia was paramount in the building of America and without a rememberance of the past there will be no future.

Robert Barbour
Commander, Virginia Division
Sons of Confederate Veterans