Recent actions by the City of Fort Myers to remove the last vestiges of the Robert E. Lee memorial have not deterred local members of the Major William Footman Camp, S.C.V. from continuing their annual tribute to Robert E. Lee. The City chose--in the middle of the night--to remove the plinth upon with the bust of Lee sat for decades. In the process, it also disturbed the contents of a time capsule which lay underneath the monument--the contents of which were partially donated by Footman Camp ancestors.
Below are the remarks of the current Commander of the Camp at this year's ceremony.
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Greetings Members of the Major William Footman Camp And Friends of the SCV.
Yesterday not only marked the 215th anniversary of the birth of Robert E. Lee but also exactly 56 years to the day that the Lee Monument was dedicated to the citizens of Lee county.
I would like to thank all who attended the memorial service in person and those who attended in spirit.
The city leaders of Fort Myers and the county commissioners have breached their authority--the authority that was granted to them to “do the people’s work”! I do not believe that removing a monument dedicated to the people, as a sign of unity, should in any way be considered “doing the people’s work”.
The removal of this monument is nothing short of a hate crime. A hate crime fostered by the prejudices of city council, mayor Anderson and the NAACP.
The city council and mayor were not elected to office so they could further their personal prejudices. We will not stand for this! I want to assure you that we are fighting back. We have an attorney. It is said “you can’t fight city hall,” well we’re going to try, but like all things it costs money. The Footman Camp has set up a legal defense fund. If you are interested in contributing, please contact Adjutant Shell or myself.
Our next camp meeting will be held on January 22, 2022 at our regular gathering spot. At that time I will give an update on what happened, where we stand legally, and where we go from here. If you have questions or concerns please attend the meeting.
Yours in service
SCV Commander Ross Barnett
William M. Footman Camp #1950
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