Date published: 7/13/2002

Regarding the Sunday letter by John Wickett of Lafayette, Ind. ["Homes project would bring new carnage to the battlefield," July 7], with respect to the story "Park neighbor: 2,350 homes" [June 25], development such as that proposed near the Chancellorsville Battlefield is an outrage. To forget or obliterate our past is to condemn our future.

NAACP Director Kweisi Mfume admits that the Confederate flag is only the beginning of the group's efforts to close battlefields, end re-enacting, and destroy Southern monuments. In a letter dated Jan. 12, 2000, he states:

"As such, our principal objection and litigate efforts until now had been directed to the Confederate flag use as an official symbol. However, we feel we are at a great crossroad and feel that a compromise would not be beneficial to anyone.

"In the near future, efforts will be aimed at the removal of racist names, mascots, monuments; and ending the glorification of Confederate soldiers through what is termed re-enacting. We also feel there could be better use of State and Federal resources by the closing of museums and battlefields, which are dedicated to the preservation of slavery."

And now we see the possibility that Spotsylvania County officials are considering the obliteration of 745 more acres of prime American history.

I have but one question to submit to all Spotsylvanians: Are the taxes the county will gain worth the souls of the 2,000 honorable men who fought and died on this parcel of land in the War of Northern Aggression?

Johnny Hostler

Spotsylvania

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Date published: 7/13/2002