In light of recent events, we feel as Norfolk citizens that to display in public areas these memorials is not only antiquated but provokes discrimination and violence. This memorial commemorates a time in our nation’s history when Americans clashed geographically and ideologically. The Confederacy was established with the intention of creating a division within the United States - to form a new nation. We see in retrospect that a nation cannot survive when there is division within. In addition to this horrible time of pitting the North against the South, racial discrimination reached a fervor that carried over into the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. We are on the precipice of another such movement. The monument commemorates the last reunion of surviving Confederate soldiers. Unveiled in May 1907, the soldier was created by Norfolk artist William Couper. According to the Timeline of African American History compiled by the Library of Congress, during the years between 1905 and 1910, 344 black Americans are known to have been lynched. On December 19th, 1910 the City Council of Baltimore approved the first city ordinance designating the boundaries of black and white neighborhoods. This ordinance was followed by similar ones in Dallas, Texas, Greensboro, North Carolina, Louisville, Kentucky, Norfolk, Virginia, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Richmond, Virginia, Roanoke, Virginia, and St. Louis, Missouri. Recent domestic terrorism in Charlottesville reveals that we stand just as divided as in the Civil War. The removal of such a monument in Charlottesville prompted a violent and fatal response from white supremacist organizations, who today are vowing to organize more such demonstrations. As long as these memorials exist, so do the discriminatory ideologies. Call to Action If the City of Norfolk truly values diversity, then the city will listen to its citizens and fight vigorously for the removal of this monument. We are not asking for these memorials to be destroyed. We cannot erase history and as decisive a time as the CIvil War was, we accept that it is part of the fabric of America’s tapestry. Rather, we suggest placing it in a museum where it can be properly understood in the accurate historical context. Please sign below so our representatives can see all our signatures. Our community, our city, does not want this tribute to slavery and Jim Crow encroaching on our space. We recognize that this will not be an easy process. After seeing our signatures, we hope that our representatives will begin work on repealing and/or amending Memorials for war veterans Virginia Code § 15.2-1812. Once that process is complete, cities across the state of Virginia can determine for themselves whether these Confederate memorials are appropriate for their public spaces. By signing this petition, you are saying there is no space for hate, racism, white supremacy, and bigotry in the City of Norfolk. ** Please feel free to sign even if you do not live in the City of Norfolk because we want all Virginia representatives to hear our voices *** Resources State Law: https://vacode.org/2016/15.2/II/18/3/15.2-1812/ Removal Effort: http://wavy.com/2015/06/25/norfolk-civil-rights-group-wants-removal-of-citys-confederate-monument/ Recent City Council Decision: https://pilotonline.com/news/government/local/norfolk-council-decides-to-keep-confederate-monument/article_5c483dcb-4285-5733-a603-835d04f960ab.html United Front for Justice: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/repeal-152-1812-memorials-war-veterans-united-front-for-justice?articleId=8534407212133230453 Norfolk Website https://www.downtownnorfolk.org/go/confederate-monument Library of Congress http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/aap/timelin3.html

Our congress can fix once and for all, the injustice brought by the Roberts Court that undermined the Voting Rights Act. Amend Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act in light of all the repressive state laws passed to limit voting rights since Section 4 was struck down by the Roberts Court. Since its passage in 1965, there have been consistent attempts to undermine the Voting Rights Act, especially in the southern states where pre-clearance or Section 5 of the voting rights act was mandated. Our new Bigot-In-Chief and his notoriously racist Attorney General, along with a majority on the Supreme Court to back him up are working nonstop to suppress the vote among those who don’t agree with the status-quo crowd. In 2006, Congress overwhelmingly voted to reauthorize the VRA for 25 years, yet, in 2015, 50 years after the passage of the Voting Rights Act, the Roberts Supreme Court voted to gut the act by declaring section 4 unconstitutional (the section that lists the states and localities that must “preclear” any voting laws with the federal government). The reason given for the reversal was because we as a country have changed and don’t need to be precleared. Nothing could be further from the truth. If anything, the number of states where pre-clearance is mandated should be expanded. The Court did, however, leave section 5 in place. Section 4 was the teeth behind Section 5. It’s time to strengthen the Voting Rights Act by amending Section 4. This is imperative at a time when blatant attempts at voter suppression and terrorist attacks by neo-Nazis, xenophobes, and bigots on people of color, immigrants, and Muslims are being escalated at an alarming pace. This is what institutional racism looks like: Charlottesville, Virginia, one of the Section 5 states, was the scene of a large neo-Nazi demonstration over the decision to remove a Confederate war memorial. A large group of counter-protestors was also on the scene and were attacked by the right-wing attendees. One woman was killed and dozens injured as a neo-Nazi driver plowed into a crowd of counter-protesters. There were attacks by the right-wing extremists on the peaceful counter-protesters. President Trump’s initial messaging seemed to reassure right-wing groups that he didn’t necessarily oppose those gathered in hate. "We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry, and violence, on many sides. On many sides. It's been going on for a long time in our country. Not Donald Trump, not Barack Obama. This has been going on for a long, long time." It wasn’t until pressure urging him to issue a stronger more targeted message about the terrorist act in South Carolina, did Trump finally issue a statement condemning the act of white-supremacists, KKK, and other hate groups. However, just a few days later, Trump's messaging again showed a twisted logic, indicating he still supports racists like KKK leader, David Duke. Its clear Trump doesn't want to alienate his base. In the face of numerous terrorist acts involving minorities, immigrants, and places of worship, mostly in southern states, the time is now to strengthen the Voting Rights Act, not to weaken it. Amend Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act in light of all the repressive state laws passed to limit voting rights since Section 4 was struck down by the Roberts Court.

If criminals connected to the Trump campaign or administration are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law for conspiracy against the United States or any other crime--but then allowed to be pardoned by Donald Trump--the political system in our country will face a constitutional crisis.

Continuing to participate in President Trump's Manufacturing Council, particularly after the CEO of Merck resigned in good conscience only to be attacked by President Trump, is at this point an endorsement of the president's behavior. Many of these firms have released statements, but the people need action, not words. Until then we should boycott all products from General Electric, Dow Chemical, Whirlpool, Campbell Soup, International Paper, Nucor and Dell.

Because we've already fought one war against the Confederates and another against the Nazis. These two opponents are unified in their racial hatred and so it is apparent that we must destroy these ideas before we are forced to fight a 3rd.

Racial profiling and ignoring a Federal mandate is a scourge upon this great nation.

A prominent web hosting provider just revealed that President Trump’s Department of Justice demanded the personal data of potential anti-Trump protesters. The Justice Department requested the IP addresses of anyone who visited websites promoting inauguration protests -- 1.3 million addresses in total. This move is an egregious breach of privacy and free speech. The information the Trump administration is requesting shouldn’t be in the hands of the DOJ. We need to immediately speak out against this action.

We are all affected by living in a land governed by a President who does not say he does not want the votes of hate groups.

There is no place for terrorism in this world whether international or domestic. It is time to stand up and condemn the hatred, bigotry, and violence that these groups have been displaying for decades. This homegrown terrorism must be stopped in the United States of America.

President Trump's words were too little, too late. He vowed to unite the country but continues to employ divisive people to advise him and speak for him. This action will put meaning behind his words denouncing hate and will go a long way in making amends to the majority of Americans while making alt-right, neo-Nazis and white supremacists realize their views are not welcome in our America.

The recent actions and statements by President Trump are having a dangerous effect on this country as it pertains to foreign affairs, national defense and on the overall activities of the Government of the United States. He has put this country's safety and general well-being in serious jeopardy. His seemingly irrational behavior show every indication that this man is simply not emotionally stable and Congress needs to act to protect this country and the world from any actions that may provoke others to take actions that threaten our nation and may ultimately cause a Nuclear disaster. For this reason and others it is of the utmost importance that any necessary actions to cause his removal should begin immediately as it pertains to our Constitution under the 25th Amendment , Section 4.

The past and continued words and actions of Steve Bannon, Sebastian Gorka, and Stephen Miller are a stark violation of the values stated in our founding documents and all to which we must aspire as a nation. Their very presence in the White House is an affront to all Americans. The surge in hateful violence by white supremacist terrorists is fueled by the presence of these men in the halls of power. Members of Congress must call for their immediate removal.