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August 10, 2020
“Stars and bars” removed from Remington’s seal
Photo/Don Del Rosso
Town officials covered the Confederate banner with the state flag as a temporary solution after the council’s July 20 vote.
Designed 35 years ago, the old seal displayed the American and Confederate flags, representing the area’s significant Civil War history.
I just think it’s time that we make sure that everybody knows Remington is a place where everybody’s welcome, as long as you’re here to respect and be kind to one another, as this town is.
— Remington Vice Mayor Devada R. Allison Jr.
By .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Staff Journalist
Minus the Confederate flag, the Remington Town Council in several weeks hopes to get a new municipal seal.Staff Journalist
The six-member panel unanimously agreed to make the change at its July 20 meeting.
“It’s just one of those things,” Councilman Stanley L. Heaney Sr. said of the plan to create a new seal that doesn’t include the sometimes-called “rebel” or “Dixie” flag. “It’s time to do it. You know, with all this stuff in the news” about the removal of and damage to Confederate-soldier statues.
Mr. Heaney added: “People are vandalizing the (signs) coming into town — scratching on them, beating them. It’s just going to be an ongoing thing.”
Designed by former Councilman Tom Reese Jr. and adopted in 1985, the existing Remington seal shows a locomotive pulling a car over a bridge that spans the Rappahannock River and an anchor flanked by the American and Confederate flags.
Remington — then known as Rappahannock Station — and the surrounding area played major roles in the Civil War, with Confederate and Union armies often crossing the river and camping there.
The town has a population of about 670.
Town signs include the Remington seal. Until they get replaced, Virginia state flag stickers will continue to cover the Confederate flags. Town police officer patches and town vehicle stickers incorporate the Remington seal and also will be replaced.
In time for its Aug. 17 meeting, the council wants town residents and business owners to submit alternative designs that it eventually will narrow to three.
From that list, town residents and business owners only will get to choose the winning entry, Councilman and Vice Mayor Devada R. Allison Jr. said.
“We haven’t fully worked out the details of how we’re going to have” town residents and business owners make that decision, Mr. Allison said.
But the council probably will come up with a selection process at its August meeting, he said.
The new design could be unveiled at Remington’s Fall Festival on Oct. 10, Mr. Allison said.
“As far as we know, the fall festival is still going on,” the councilman said. “That’s the way I hope it goes down. But it’s a crazy time we’re in at the moment. So at this point who knows.”
The council decided to change the seal under no organized outside pressure, Mr. Allison said.
He spoke of informal conversations he had “on the street” and “in passing” with people who expressed concerns because the seal contains the Confederate flag, he said.
“I think with the way our nation’s going and the healing process, I think it was time,” Mr. Allison said of his support for changing the town seal. “I just think it’s time that we make sure that everybody knows Remington is a place where everybody’s welcome, as long as you’re here to respect and be kind to one another, as this town is.”
Councilwoman Susan L. Tiffany recalled a discussion she had with Councilman Van M. Loving and Town Administrator Sharon Lee about “making a change” to the seal in late June.
“But we knew we had to have a council meeting to bring it up,” Ms. Tiffany said.
The councilwoman also talked with Stephanie Litter-Reber, who lives just outside of town, about the existing seal.
Mrs. Litter-Reber, who represents Lee District on the Fauquier County School Board, gave the council at its July a detailed history of the seal and its meaning based on phone a conversation with Mr. Reese.
In a prepared statement, she also told the council that the “seal has served us well for 35 years. But, since most of the people driving through our town do not know the history or symbolism that went into its design, it’s viewed as a sign that our town accepts hatred, which couldn't be further from the truth.”
In a July 20 email to the town, Mr. Reese, who lives near Midland, backed the replacement or redesign of the seal that he created.
“I recommend that any offensive parts of the seal be removed and that, possibly, a brand new design be adopted by the town,” he wrote.
Contact Don Del Rosso at Don@FauquierNow.com or 540-270-0300.
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Member comments
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James Lane · October 30, 2020 at 11:59 am
It's the Navel Jack flag, not the stars & bars, it should remain on the sign. Remington once said they'd never remove it they lied!!!
NewBmore · August 10, 2020 at 9:56 pm
We must protect our historic 35-year-old town seal!
Grow up mouth breathers. A flag of treason has no place adorning any public property. No one cares about history's losers. And don't you folk only care about WINNERS?
Grow up mouth breathers. A flag of treason has no place adorning any public property. No one cares about history's losers. And don't you folk only care about WINNERS?
Jeffersonian American · August 10, 2020 at 8:48 pm
EQUALITY, DIVERSITY, MULTICULTURALISM AND CONFEDERAPHOBIA
Weep No More, M'Ladies and your timid, hand-wringing male counterparts of the truly feckless, public embarrassment that is the present-day Remington Town Council- clearly, the only things new under the sun are the old history books you haven't read yet, debasing your Remington Town citizens in the process.
Those who understand, respect and revere the lessons of our American Patriot ancestors who sacrificed against all odds in our First American Secession from the British Crown with success; and those who understand and revere the legacy of our ancestors who sacrificed against all odds in our Second American Secession from an all-powerful, all-controlling, massive centralized State in Washington, D.C. which failed (where in fact we lost our original American republic of the founders at Appomattox and Durham Station, being replaced by Mr. Lincoln's Empire in 1865)- my American history and Confederate States of America heritage is now to be denied to me and some 70 million American descendants of Confederate Veterans by those who pretend to be purveyors of equality, world egalitarianism, multiculturalism and diversity here in Remington, Virginia and across America. They prove Orwell's warning that some cultures and history are more equal than others- so they remove our historic symbols they hate and in fact, know nothing about the historic truths they represent, including the Confederate Battle Flag patterned after the Cross of St. Andrew- a Christian, religious symbol. Our American history and that of the Confederate States of America- a sovereign country which existed for nearly four years- is to not only be denied, but all evidence of it destroyed. The Bolsheviks today who commit removal of historic symbols representing the honorable sacrifices of black and white Confederate soldiers, and American founders and Patriots (and who now break with the founding citizens of Remington, Virginia) don't want to learn or even be reminded of the eloquent and heart-felt inscriptions etched into stone on all of our regional Confederate War Memorials or American Patriot statues. Those engraved words in granite and marble speak powerfully on their own merits without the need for despicable 21st Century Revisionist Historians and Cultural Marxists' weak explanations and scheming excuses for their sudden removal. The acts of love and remembrance by the original Confederate Americans- and the founding citizens of Remington- including blacks, whites, and former slaves and freemen, who carried the Battle Flag in defense of their land and their homes, and who lovingly built and dedicated the beautiful monuments to those who sacrificed for our liberty and freedom and the rights of our States, placed in prominent public places of honor, squares and on Courthouse Greens across America, were for the purpose of education and remembrance that, "... to live on in the hearts they left behind is not to die."
The Council again proves Orwell's warning of a future where some people and some cultures and some history are more equal than others; as they seek to deny me my American and Confederate heritage of honor, valor and sacrifice because they don't like and are in fact threatened by the historic principles, lessons and even inclusiveness (of all blacks, whites, slaves and freemen who made those sacrifices for their native States and homelands) that those historic symbols actually represent.
The Council claims to represent multiculturalism, diversity, equality and social equity as they seek to deny me and all current American generations of our rich and diverse cultural, spiritual and political inheritance- a heritage of honor- such as that embodied in the statues of not only Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and other American founders, but of Robert Edward Lee and others having nothing to do with the preservation of slavery (look up the 1861 Corwin Amendment, where the evil institution of slavery was tied to the Union itself- if the Southern states truly wanted to preserve slavery in the Spring of 1861, all they had to do was remain in the Federal Union). Look up the Crittenden Resolution to learn what the U.S. Congress stated Mr. Lincoln's War was about). Shame on the brazen Political Correctness of the Remington Town Council- who need to be replaced by citizens devoid of Political Correctness, Historic Ignorance on Fire and Bigoted Confederaphobia of the Very Worst Kind.
By the way- "Those People" of the Remington Town Council left Old Glory on the signage- which in reality, by their standards, was the racist symbol which actually flew over the Yankee Slave Trading Ships and actual slave auctions in America, and not any Confederate States of America flags.
And therein lies the real evil and the real prejudice.
https://www.abbevilleinstitute.org/clyde-wilson-library/those-people-part-1/
https://www.abbevilleinstitute.org/clyde-wilson-library/those-people-part-2/
Weep No More, M'Ladies and your timid, hand-wringing male counterparts of the truly feckless, public embarrassment that is the present-day Remington Town Council- clearly, the only things new under the sun are the old history books you haven't read yet, debasing your Remington Town citizens in the process.
Those who understand, respect and revere the lessons of our American Patriot ancestors who sacrificed against all odds in our First American Secession from the British Crown with success; and those who understand and revere the legacy of our ancestors who sacrificed against all odds in our Second American Secession from an all-powerful, all-controlling, massive centralized State in Washington, D.C. which failed (where in fact we lost our original American republic of the founders at Appomattox and Durham Station, being replaced by Mr. Lincoln's Empire in 1865)- my American history and Confederate States of America heritage is now to be denied to me and some 70 million American descendants of Confederate Veterans by those who pretend to be purveyors of equality, world egalitarianism, multiculturalism and diversity here in Remington, Virginia and across America. They prove Orwell's warning that some cultures and history are more equal than others- so they remove our historic symbols they hate and in fact, know nothing about the historic truths they represent, including the Confederate Battle Flag patterned after the Cross of St. Andrew- a Christian, religious symbol. Our American history and that of the Confederate States of America- a sovereign country which existed for nearly four years- is to not only be denied, but all evidence of it destroyed. The Bolsheviks today who commit removal of historic symbols representing the honorable sacrifices of black and white Confederate soldiers, and American founders and Patriots (and who now break with the founding citizens of Remington, Virginia) don't want to learn or even be reminded of the eloquent and heart-felt inscriptions etched into stone on all of our regional Confederate War Memorials or American Patriot statues. Those engraved words in granite and marble speak powerfully on their own merits without the need for despicable 21st Century Revisionist Historians and Cultural Marxists' weak explanations and scheming excuses for their sudden removal. The acts of love and remembrance by the original Confederate Americans- and the founding citizens of Remington- including blacks, whites, and former slaves and freemen, who carried the Battle Flag in defense of their land and their homes, and who lovingly built and dedicated the beautiful monuments to those who sacrificed for our liberty and freedom and the rights of our States, placed in prominent public places of honor, squares and on Courthouse Greens across America, were for the purpose of education and remembrance that, "... to live on in the hearts they left behind is not to die."
The Council again proves Orwell's warning of a future where some people and some cultures and some history are more equal than others; as they seek to deny me my American and Confederate heritage of honor, valor and sacrifice because they don't like and are in fact threatened by the historic principles, lessons and even inclusiveness (of all blacks, whites, slaves and freemen who made those sacrifices for their native States and homelands) that those historic symbols actually represent.
The Council claims to represent multiculturalism, diversity, equality and social equity as they seek to deny me and all current American generations of our rich and diverse cultural, spiritual and political inheritance- a heritage of honor- such as that embodied in the statues of not only Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and other American founders, but of Robert Edward Lee and others having nothing to do with the preservation of slavery (look up the 1861 Corwin Amendment, where the evil institution of slavery was tied to the Union itself- if the Southern states truly wanted to preserve slavery in the Spring of 1861, all they had to do was remain in the Federal Union). Look up the Crittenden Resolution to learn what the U.S. Congress stated Mr. Lincoln's War was about). Shame on the brazen Political Correctness of the Remington Town Council- who need to be replaced by citizens devoid of Political Correctness, Historic Ignorance on Fire and Bigoted Confederaphobia of the Very Worst Kind.
By the way- "Those People" of the Remington Town Council left Old Glory on the signage- which in reality, by their standards, was the racist symbol which actually flew over the Yankee Slave Trading Ships and actual slave auctions in America, and not any Confederate States of America flags.
And therein lies the real evil and the real prejudice.
https://www.abbevilleinstitute.org/clyde-wilson-library/those-people-part-1/
https://www.abbevilleinstitute.org/clyde-wilson-library/those-people-part-2/
va7cav · August 10, 2020 at 7:31 pm
You didn't remove the "Stars and Bars". The "Stars and Bars" is actually the 1st National Flag of the Confederacy. You removed the Army of Northern Virginia Battle Flag or Naval jack. How soon history is forgotten..
jim goodwin · August 10, 2020 at 7:17 pm
The funny thing is, it's not even about the Confederate flag. The people that are vandalizing the signs don't really care about it and aren't truly offended by it. They are operating on the thrill of "contributing" to a movement they know nothing about. They have no idea they're just the useful idiots of neo-Marxist, Postmodernist doctrine.
Candy · August 10, 2020 at 6:41 pm
As mentioned below Erasing Our History continues. I spoke with a retired Fauquier teacher this evening about this issue and she was horrified at what our legislatures and city/town officials are giving in to. Mass Hysteria. We cannot rewrite the past. It must stay visible to make sure we and our future generations learn the good and ugly moments in our Nation's history. All our ancestors worked hard to forge this Nation. And as stated below, I too have brave soldiers, Union & Confederate, that fought the brave fight for their own personal reasons. Do not diminish all of their sacrifices.
jim goodwin · August 10, 2020 at 6:30 pm
Yay! Let's just continue to give in to the angry mob! THEN we'll be a great society to be sure!
Virtus · August 10, 2020 at 5:27 pm
Town council's comments demonstrate "follow the crowd" mentality. While they are at it, I bet there are some streets that need renaming too. I bet the VA state flag that replaced the battle flag might be found offensive next by some because it is not "inclusive."
If I follow Heaney's logic then anything that anyone "might" vandalize should be removed - right?
As quoted above:
“It’s just one of those things,” Councilman Stanley L. Heaney Sr. said of the plan to create a new seal that doesn’t include the sometimes-called “rebel” or “Dixie” flag. “It’s time to do it. You know, with all this stuff in the news” about the removal of and damage to Confederate-soldier statues.
If I follow Heaney's logic then anything that anyone "might" vandalize should be removed - right?
As quoted above:
“It’s just one of those things,” Councilman Stanley L. Heaney Sr. said of the plan to create a new seal that doesn’t include the sometimes-called “rebel” or “Dixie” flag. “It’s time to do it. You know, with all this stuff in the news” about the removal of and damage to Confederate-soldier statues.
J_Guye · August 10, 2020 at 5:17 pm
History is constantly being rewritten and it is past time for us to acknowledge and accept that the War is over and the Confederacy lost.
I had relatives on both sides who were killed and, were they able to provide any insight today, I believe that they would urge us to move forward together, united as Americans, and work to make the American ideal accessible and achievable for all.
I had relatives on both sides who were killed and, were they able to provide any insight today, I believe that they would urge us to move forward together, united as Americans, and work to make the American ideal accessible and achievable for all.
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