Page 9 - Florida Sentinel 8-22-17

Local
Readers Respond To Challenge Of Community Raising Funds
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
For several weeks, the sta- tus of a Confederate statue in downtown Tampa has been the source of controversy. When Commissioner Les Miller, suggested that the statue be relocated, his mo- tion was defeated by four die- hard supporters of keeping the statue in place.
Commissioner Miller
was successful in obtaining a vote to move it after Com- missioner Sandra Mur- man changed her vote during the second meeting about its removal.
However, she flip-flopped and again sided with Com- missioners Stacy White, Victor Crist, and Ken Hagan in a ploy to keep it in place. They voted to force the citizens to raise $140,000 within 30 days to remove it or it would remain in place.
But, the foursome under estimated the power of the people. The challenge was met and exceeded with dona- tions from private sector. The community answered the challenged and the donations poured in, exceeding the amount needed.
Several Sentinel readers shared their opinions about the community’s response to the challenge. Here are their responses to the question, ‘What is your opinion about the challenge and the re- sponse?
Ms. Tonya Lewis said, “The challenge from some of the County Commissioners was definitely unfair. To give residents of this community thirty days to raise an enor- mous amount of money was ridiculous and heinous. To see major leagues, business owners, the Chamber of Com- merce, Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, and citizens of the community, come to- gether in solidarity in two days says, ‘Enough!’”
Tyrone Keys said, “It shows why Tampa Bay is great. This is another example of that the “Spirit of Light and Love” that will always conquer and overcome dark- ness and hate.”
Mrs. Chloe Coney said, “I attended the press confer- ence at the Courthouse . I think Hillsborough County Government should have paid for the removal of the Confed- erate Statue. County Commis- sioners were ready to spend $500,000 for a mural behind the statue and $250,000 for diversity and hatred training with the school system !
“Thank you to Greater Tampa Chamber of Com- merce, Mayor Bob Buck- horn, Tony Dungy, and others for their donations and for giving us hope!”
Dr. Samuel Wright said, “Great response, but the chal- lenge was asinine. I believe the elected officials in this County have a fiduciary re- sponsibility to protect the reputation of this area at the expense of the taxpayer who already have paid. Why do it
twice?
“Elected officials also have
the responsibility to ensure that our economic future is bright and optimistic! I salute the efforts of Commissioners Les Miller, Al Higgin- botham, Pat Kemp, and the people of this town who believe "enough is enough."
Joseph W. J. Robinson, P. E. said, “The major players in the community answered the call for doing the right thing! One reason is that the 2021 Super Bowl in Tampa could be affected as well as the All-Star Hockey game coming to Tampa.
“Since most sports entities such as the NFL and the NHL embrace Diversity and Inclu- sion, they are well aware of the consequences racism and bigotry creates in our society today as well as their bottom lines!”
the statue to a private setting where it can rest among the dead people and dead ideas it represents.”
Danny Green said, “I’m glad enough money was raised to move it. It needs to beinaplacesuchasamu- seum, not downtown Tampa. And, the community should not have to pay to remove it, the County should.”
millions on matters with one quick and final vote but the gamesmanship around the Confederate statue brought this group of elected officials to a new low.
“I was overjoyed to see that upstanding members of our community still exist. A thanks to Mayor Bob Buck- horn for demonstrating lead- ership on this matter. Thanks to our business community and Tony Dungy for quickly stepping forward. There is hope that we can continue to move forward as a group of people, different though we may be, with the ability to re- spect one another and re- member we all have the same Heavenly Father.”
Ms. Sherna Rich said, “For me, this challenge and response has a three-fold rep- resentation. First, as a Tam- panian, I have grown up knowing that there has been and still does exist a lack of trust in our community con- cerning justice and prosper- ity.
“Second, as a Christian, I am learning that God's grace and mercy is deeper than our skin tones.
“Third and lastly, as a stu- dent of life and love, I know that amazing things happen when people of all back- grounds are united together for one aim and one morality. And for this, I am grateful to God and those who thought it not robbery to take the first step toward bridging the racial divide since the African Diaspora.”
Billy Wheeler said, “The County Commissioners who voted against removing the statue, and later voted to have citizens share the cost, were following the wishes of their core constituents. They know their support base and wanted to protect their re- election chances. Their alle- giance to party (and to self) trumped any concern for the small-time, “hick town” image their actions would ex- hibit.
“This is a victory for for- ward-thinking, fair-minded citizens. It is past time to send
Ms. Denese Meteye James said, “In Tampa, there was minimal reluctance to do the right thing when the challenge was made. As the nation salutes Cadet Si- mone Askew, who has made history as the first Cap- tain, the highest student posi- tion at the U. S. Military Academy and the first African American female to hold this prestigious honor, it was very rewarding that those individ- uals who respect the multicul- tural diversity of our City stepped up.
“As this will go down in his- tory, perhaps with the excess money, audio visual material can be developed for use in the classroom as a learning tool for our students on “How the Confederate statue in downtown Tampa came down.”
Rev. Karen Sims said, “The challenge issued by the Board of County Commis- sioners indicated a completed lack of leadership on the part of the Commission. Holding 3 votes on one matter was un- acceptable. They have spent
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