North Carolina Seeks Online Input

In the first 48 hours of public comment on three Confederate statues outside the North Carolina capitol, more than 2,000 people offered their opinions through a state website.

Gov. Roy Cooper proposed removing the memorials from the capitol grounds in Downtown Raleigh while State lawmakers have argued over the legality of moving the monuments. According to a law made in 2015, Confederate memorials can only be moved in cases involving public safety concerns. Cooper sought the insight of the North Carolina Historical Commission, which decided in the fall to postpone a decision until April. The plan was to accept public input, and at a meeting on January 22, the committee opted to launch a website on January 29 for online submissions.

Click here to respond to survey.

We need to use this as an opportunity to politely remind the State of North Carolina that they do not have the legal ability to remove the statues. Jake Sullivan provided a statement on behalf of the NCSCV which said that the qualification of a monument for putting public safety at risk means the physical condition of the monument creates a danger to people nearby.

Public safety does not come into play when there is a threat of a mob, and the government should not give in to a mob.

So we “are asking our readers and the members of the general public to register their disgust with Governor Cooper and the Historical Commission via the public comment portal.

The Historical Commission has not set a deadline for people to complete their online submissions. There will be at least one public forum where people can voice their opinions in person, but the committee has not set a date.