Thread by @socialistdogmom

“we give localities control over the cutting of weeds,” toscano says. “if you like local control, you oughta like this bill,” he says about HB2377 which he’s introducing into the counties, cities & towns subcommittee. it would allow local control over confederate monuments.

quite a few familiar faces here in this richmond conference room this morning! including some representatives from the sons of confederate veterans.

god it’s so early in the morning for public comment.

first up is a richmond resident who says these monuments to white supremacy peddle a false history. they were often built in and on top of black neighborhoods.

now a familiar face from charlottesville! talking about a VA judge who removed a portrait of JEB stuart from his courtroom because courts should be impartial places — there is a confederate statue outside the albemarle county courthouse!

charlottesville city councilor kathy galvin just jumped in line to give a public comment in favor of the bill

the woman speaking right now is visibly choked up recounting her experience in charlottesville on august 11, 2017. her daughter was surrounded by nazis with torches. a legislator just told her “we’re familiar with what happened,” and asked her to stay on topic.

her daughter was hit by james fields’ challenger on august 12th & badly injured. “i couldn’t imagine that a statue had brought this to our town.”
the legislator again interrupts her, “i take it you support this bill.”

“every statue is an unfunded mandate to the localities,” says @GoadGatsby. cities bear the cost of security & aftermath related to the people the statues bring to town.

charlottesville residents reverend don gathers & UVA professor @Jalane_Schmidt are being rushed through their comments in favor of the bill.

the subcommittee attempted to end public comment before the last two speakers - a member of the albemarle county board of supervisors and charlottesville city councilor kathy galvin. they’re gonna give them a brief moment to speak in favor of the bill.

five nearly identical old white guys are lined up to speak in opposition to the bill.

ed willis, a chesterfield resident, asks the bill to be “passed by indefinitely,” citing the VA constitution? “it’s painfully clear that discrimination based on national origin, confederate national origin, is the motivation” for the bill

confederate. national. origin. DISCRIMINATION AGAINST PEOPLE FROM THE NATION OF THE CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA.

IT IS TOO EARLY FOR ANYONE TO EXPECT ME TO QUIETLY ABSORB THIS NONSENSE.

the next speaker is from the sons of confederate veterans. he says he “resents” a previous speaker’s statement that there were “confederates” in charlottesville on A12. “there were idiots, not confederates.”

“trust me, it’s not gonna stop here,” he says. it’s a socialist takeover! very dramatic stuff.

next speaker: “my grandchildren are 15th generation americans. i doubt if anyone in this room can touch that.” (several people quietly whisper, ‘i can.’)

next speaker: “those who disagree are suffering from a failed education.” “it’s not the monuments that are causing the problems.”

end of public comment. the legislator at the head of the table says he’s been contacted by the VFW opposing the bill.
the original text was about ALL wars, but toscano has revised it to be specific to the civil war.

toscano: “this is just about control of public spaces.” the bill does not remove any monuments, it simply allows localities to decide.

and the bill fails to get out of subcommittee with a vote of 5-2

fascinating to see a bunch of conservatives vote against local control. what do you hate more, government regulation or black people? what’s more important to you, small government or racism?

virginians, you may be interested to see if your legislator is on this committee.
i don't have much faith in the legislative process, but we should at least go through the motions of holding them accountable.

virginiageneralassembly.gov/house/members/…