Editor, Gazette-Journal:

In the wake of the tragic events in Charlottesville, the chain of events leading up to the incident must be examined and blame dispassionately bestowed.

1. The elected officials of Charlottesville chose to violate Section 15-1812 of the Code of Virginia and remove a monument dedicated to a brave Virginian. In renaming the park where the monument was, these officials could have chosen an innocuous name. Veteran’s Park, Patriot’s Park, Eagle Park—hell, even Wombat Park. Instead, they chose Emancipation Park, a name obviously selected to provoke a response from a right wing fringe element.

2. The foreseeable outcome was a protest against the measure that was quickly taken over from citizens concerned with the law and attacks on their heritage by a bunch of knot-head Kluxers bent on spewing their own brand of bigotry. However, they obtained permits, and announced a rally to “Petition the Government for the redress of grievances.”

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