Everyone, PLEASE read this posting and contact your politicians. NO ONE, much less tax-supported employees, has the right nor any invitation to "interpret" our history. Whether or not you agree with the lowering of these flags, DO SOMETHING to make your politicians aware of how you feel and the stance you expect from them on this issue. If you agree with the flag lowering, tell them. If you don't agree with the flag lowering, tell them the five most frightening words any politician can here: "YOU DON'T GET MY VOTE". Here are some helpful addresses: MO-CW Archives. Read the relevant discussion on the Missouri Civil War mailing list: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/MO-CW/2003-01 Governor Bob Holden Missouri Capitol Building Room 218 P.O. Box 720 Jefferson City, MO 65102-0720 phone# (573) 751-3222 fax# (573) 751-1906 const.t@mail.gov.state.mo.us Missouri Department of Natural Resources Director Steven Mafood P.O. Box 176 Jefferson City, MO. 65102 phone # (573) 751-4732 nrmahfs@mail.dnr.state.mo.us U.S. Senator Christopher Bond kit_bond@bond.senate.gov Ike Skelton (website) http://www.house.gov/skelton/contact.html Gephardt..... Gephardt@mail.house.gov To find contact information for your politicians: http://www.webcom.com/~leavitt/cong.html http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/ http://www.webslingerz.com/jhoffman/congress-email.html Nancy "O.H.B." wrote: > > This was the response I received from the Mo. State Park spokesman. Guess I > am getting old and slow of wits cause it didn't explain a thing to me, > except so much political double speak. > > Mr. Barnes, > Thank you for your comments on the issue of Confederate flags. The Civil War > conflict in Missouri was an important aspect of our state's history. The > Missouri Department of Natural Resources uses Confederate Memorial State > Historic Site and Fort Davidson State Historic Site among others to tell > this story. > > The department remains committed to telling this part of history, including > the role of the Confederate soldiers who fought valiantly for what they > believed in. The decision to lower the flags from the flagpoles does not > reflect a change in this commitment. We will continue to use the flags as a > part of our interpretation but will display them in a more appropriate > historical context. By doing this, the flags will be displayed in a more > educational manner and we can be assured that no one can be offended by our > displaying of the flag. > > The decision to display the flags in a different manner is part of a wider > assessment of interpretation the department has been looking at for over a > year. A special committee has been established to reassess interpretive > presentations in state parks and historic sites. We want to ensure that we > tell all the stories in a way that informs, educates and inspires, and that > we do it in a manner that will not be offensive to anyone. > > Again, thank you for your comments. > > Sue Holst > Information Officer > Missouri Department of Natural Resources > Division of State Parks