Liberty city officials start process to take control of cemetery land with Confederate monument
City gives potential owners 30 days to prove ownership of block 174 in Fairview Cemetery
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Updated: 4:55 PM CDT May 4, 2021
City gives potential owners 30 days to prove ownership of block 174 in Fairview Cemetery
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Updated: 4:55 PM CDT May 4, 2021
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THIS MONUMENT HAS A LOOMED OVER THE LIBERTY COMMUNITY. FOR A LONG TIME FOR 116 YEARS A NAMELESS CONFEDERATE SOLDIER HIS DARED EAST OVER LIBERTY’S FAIRVIEW CEMETERY. THE EAST WAS A PREDOMINANT AFRICAN-AMERICAN THRIVING COMMUNITY. THERESA BIRD GREW UP VISITING HERE LEARNING WHAT SHE SAYS THE SOLDIER REPRESENTED IT WAS THERE IN ORDER TO INTIMIDATE TO SUBJUGATE. AND TO ATTEMPT TO CONTROL THE AFRICAN-AMERICANS IN LIBERTY BIRD AND A GROUP OF CLAY COUNTY IS FOR INCLUSION IS OFFERING 10,000 TO MOVE THE SOLDIERS SOMEWHERE ELSE. WE DON’T WANT TO DESTROY THE MONUMENT. WE DON’T WANT TO DISTURB ANY GRAVES. WE WOULD JUST LIKE FOR THIS MONUMENT TO BE OUT OF THIS LOCATION. THE LIBERTY CITY COUNCIL HAS GIVEN THE OWNERS OF PLOT 174 WHERE THIS SOLDIER STANDS 30 DAYS TO COME FORWARD TO SAY WHY IT SHOULDN’T BE MOVED. HE IS AT T POSITION LOOKING OVER HIS COMRADES. THESE ARE THE UNITED CONFEDERATE VETERANS HISTORICAL PRESERVATION IS TO ZELFEST SAYS THE SOLDIERS FACING EAST NOT TO INTIMIDATE BUT TO SYMBOLIZE CHRIST’S RETURN. SHE SAYS POOR CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS MAY BE BURIED WITHIN INCHES OF THE MONUMENT WHILE SAYING IF THE CONFEDERATE SOLDIER IS REMOVED WHAT’S NEXT IF AN ATHEIST COMES IN DO THEY DECIDE ALL THE CROSSES HAVE TO GO DO WE HAVE TO DECIDE THAT THE FRATERNAL ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE MASONS HAVE TO GO AND THAT’S NOT THE INTENT. THAT IS NOT WHAT IT’S GOING HER BIRD SAYS THE COMMEMORATION OF THE CONFEDERACY AND WHAT IT STOOD FOR SHOULD NO LONGER STAND HERE. IT IS ABOUT THIS MONUMENT. IT IS ABOUT INCLUSION