<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small">Hi Everyone,</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small">I hope you all had an opportunity to read the article circulated by Paul last week on the meaning of Confederate monuments. This is a very powerful and personal statement by Caroline Randall Williams in a NY Times op ed. This comes at a time of great upsurge against the hatefull symbols honoring slavery and their defense by the administration.   I recirculate the article to my fellow members of the Martin Luther King Birthday Committee.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small">Below is the response of Theodora Lacey, the Chair of the Committee.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small">If you haven't yet read the article, you are urged to do so and circulate it to your friends. See link here.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small"><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/26/opinion/confederate-monuments-racism.html" target="_blank" style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:large">https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/26/opinion/confederate-monuments-racism.html</a><span style="font-family:verdana,sans-serif;font-size:large"> </span>  <br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small">Keep well and safe,<br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small">Best wishes,</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small">Al</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small"><div class="gmail-gE gmail-iv gmail-gt" style="padding:20px 0px 0px;font-size:0.875rem"><table cellpadding="0" class="gmail-cf gmail-gJ" style="border-collapse:collapse;margin-top:0px;width:auto;font-family:Roboto,RobotoDraft,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:0.875rem;letter-spacing:0.2px;display:block"><tbody style="display:block"><tr class="gmail-acZ" style="height:auto;display:flex"><td class="gmail-gF gmail-gK" style="white-space:nowrap;padding:0px;vertical-align:top;width:525.648px;line-height:20px;display:block;max-height:20px"><table cellpadding="0" class="gmail-cf gmail-ix" style="border-collapse:collapse;table-layout:fixed;width:525.185px"><tbody><tr><td class="gmail-c2" style="display:flex"><h3 class="gmail-iw" style="overflow:hidden;font-size:0.75rem;font-weight:inherit;margin:inherit;text-overflow:ellipsis;letter-spacing:0.3px;color:rgb(95,99,104);line-height:20px"><span class="gmail-qu" tabindex="-1"><span name="Theo Lacey" class="gmail-gD" style="color:rgb(32,33,36);font-size:0.875rem;font-weight:bold;display:inline;vertical-align:top;letter-spacing:0.2px;line-height:20px">Theo Lacey</span></span></h3></td></tr></tbody></table></td><td class="gmail-gH gmail-bAk" style="text-align:right;white-space:nowrap;vertical-align:top;display:block;max-height:20px"><div class="gmail-gK" style="padding:0px;display:flex"><span id="gmail-:1i9" class="gmail-g3" title="Jul 5, 2020, 1:49 PM" alt="Jul 5, 2020, 1:49 PM" tabindex="-1" style="vertical-align:top;margin:0px;font-size:0.75rem;letter-spacing:0.3px;color:rgb(95,99,104);display:block;line-height:20px">Jul 5, 2020, 1:49 PM (23 hours ago)</span><div class="gmail-zd gmail-bi4" title="Not starred" tabindex="0" style="display:inline-block;height:20px;margin-left:20px;outline:0px"><span class="gmail-T-KT" style="display:inline-flex;height:20px;text-align:center;width:20px;padding:0px;margin:0px;border:none;outline:none"></span></div></div></td><td class="gmail-gH" style="text-align:right;white-space:nowrap;vertical-align:top;display:flex"></td><td class="gmail-gH gmail-acX gmail-bAm" rowspan="2" style="text-align:right;white-space:nowrap;vertical-align:top;display:block;max-height:20px"><div class="gmail-T-I gmail-J-J5-Ji gmail-T-I-Js-IF gmail-aaq gmail-T-I-ax7 gmail-L3" tabindex="0" style="display:inline-flex;border-radius:2px 0px 0px 2px;font-size:0.875rem;text-align:center;margin:0px 0px 0px 20px;height:20px;line-height:18px;min-width:0px;outline:none;padding:0px;background:transparent;color:rgb(68,68,68);border:none"><img class="gmail-hB gmail-T-I-J3" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif" alt="" style="background: url("https://www.gstatic.com/images/icons/material/system/1x/reply_black_20dp.png") 50% 50% / 20px no-repeat; height: 20px; margin: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 20px; opacity: 0.54; display: inline-block; padding: 0px; transition: opacity 0.15s cubic-bezier(0.4, 0, 0.2, 1) 0s;"></div><div id="gmail-:1i1" class="gmail-T-I gmail-J-J5-Ji gmail-T-I-Js-Gs gmail-aap gmail-T-I-awG gmail-T-I-ax7 gmail-L3" tabindex="0" style="display:inline-flex;border-radius:0px 2px 2px 0px;font-size:0.875rem;text-align:center;margin:0px 0px 0px 20px;height:20px;line-height:18px;min-width:0px;outline:none;padding:0px;background:transparent;color:rgb(68,68,68);border:none"><img class="gmail-hA gmail-T-I-J3" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images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:mRideau@nj.rr.com">mRideau@nj.rr.com</a></span></b>, <span dir="ltr" name="me" class="gmail-g2" style="vertical-align:top">me</span></span></div><div id="gmail-:1id" class="gmail-ajy" tabindex="0" style="display:inline-flex;margin-left:4px;vertical-align:top;border:none;outline:none"><img class="gmail-ajz" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif" alt="" style="background: url("https://www.gstatic.com/images/icons/material/system/1x/arrow_drop_down_black_20dp.png") 50% 50% / 20px no-repeat; cursor: pointer; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; height: 20px; width: 20px; border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px auto; right: 0px; top: 0px; display: flex; opacity: 0.54;"></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div id="gmail-:1ic"><div class="gmail-qQVYZb"></div><div class="gmail-utdU2e"></div><div class="gmail-lQs8Hd"></div><div class="gmail-btm"></div></div><div class="gmail-"><div class="gmail-aHl" style=""></div><div id="gmail-:1k9" tabindex="-1"></div><div id="gmail-:1ib" class="gmail-ii gmail-gt gmail-adO" style="font-size:0.875rem;direction:ltr;margin:8px 0px 0px;padding:0px"><div id="gmail-:1kr" class="gmail-a3s gmail-aXjCH" style="overflow:hidden;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:small;line-height:1.5"><div><div dir="auto">Thanks for sharing this article. I too thought it was powerful! A true account of what it means to be black in America. I hope this helps to clarify why so many of us believe that these monuments should be removed from places of honor. I’ve met her and her Mom who happen to be members of a national group of women that I and my two daughters also belong too. She and my daughter Nanette are members of the same chapter in Nashville, Tenn. I understand she is also a Poet. I look forward to reading more of her work. Stay safe and well. Theodora </div></div><div class="gmail-yj6qo gmail-ajU" style="outline:none;padding:10px 0px;width:22px;margin:2px 0px 0px"><br></div><div class="gmail-yj6qo gmail-ajU" style="outline:none;padding:10px 0px;width:22px;margin:2px 0px 0px"><br></div></div></div></div></div></div>