An emotionally charged debate over whether two plaques on a Civil War monument in Oak Bluffs should stay or be removed remains unsettled.
An emotionally charged debate over whether two plaques on a Civil War monument in Oak Bluffs should stay or be removed remains unsettled after the town selectmen decided this week to hold a public forum on the issue next month.
The statue of a Union soldier that stands at the corner of Ocean Park is a landmark that dates to 1891. Its history has been the subject of some confusion over the years, partly because it was built with money raised by a confederate soldier who had moved to Martha’s Vineyard and wanted to reconcile deep divisions that lingered after the war.
In March, the Martha’s Vineyard chapter of the NAACP formally petitioned the Oak Bluffs selectmen to remove two of four plaques that were affixed to the statue in 1925. One of the plaques honors confederate soldiers, reading in part, “the chasm is closed.” The other plaque describes the statue’s history as a “gesture of conciliation” from a confederate veteran. NAACP president Erik Blake, who is also the Oak Bluffs police chief, suggested that the plaques be donated to the Martha’s Vineyard Museum.
Debate flared quickly, at times carrying racial overtones. Many joined the call by the NAACP to remove the plaques. But others, including Martha’s Vineyard veterans, have taken an opposite view, arguing that the plaques should stay in the name of honoring all who fought in wars.
Gretchen Tucker Underwood, an elected county commissioner and member of the NAACP executive committee, urged selectmen to make a decision.
Gretchen Tucker Underwood, an elected county commissioner and member of the NAACP executive committee, urged selectmen to make a decision.
The issue has been discussed at two selectmen’s meetings, with a third held on Tuesday night where camps from both sides crowded the meeting room in the Oak Bluffs library.
At the outset, board chairman Gail Barmakian said the goal was to discuss procedure, not the merits of one side or the other, and she urged speakers to avoid becoming mired in more debate.
“I know there are people here for this issue . . . but we are going to discuss how we are going to move forward with this question,” Ms. Barmakian said.
Selectmen quickly decided they should hold a public forum, but then debated at some length when and where it should take place.
Selectman Michael Santoro advocated taking more time to allow for more voices to be included.
“I don’t think we need to do it ASAP. I think it needs to be brought out and done right,” he said.
Ms. Barmakian disagreed, arguing that too much delay would only heighten the tension threading the issue.
“I think it needs to be done sooner rather than later. I don’t want to delay this,” she said.
Some who attended suggested that holding a forum on a weekday in May would exclude large numbers of people from participating.
After some debate, selectmen set the forum date for Tuesday, May 21, from 6 to 8 p.m., at a location to be determined.
After some debate, selectmen set the forum date for Tuesday, May 21, from 6 to 8 p.m., at a location to be determined.
“This idea of setting a meeting in a month is not the way to go because you’re eliminating a whole bunch of taxpayers who don’t live on the Island. There are a whole bunch of black folks . . . who aren’t going to be heard,” said Clennon King, a seasonal visitor to the Island and outspoken critic of the plaques.
“If we can do it on a weekend, then we’ll have a more complete voice,” added Oak Bluffs resident Marie Doubleday.
Mr. Blake briefly strayed from procedure to reiterate the position of the NAACP.
“Our argument at its base is it’s not a statue owned by the veterans . . . it’s a statement the town of Oak Bluffs is making and I don’t think it’s a good statement,” he said.
In the end selectman Jason Balboni suggested that the forum be held on Tuesday, May 21 in the evening and that the board explore renting a large venue for it. Other selectmen agreed and the date was set. The forum will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. The location is still undecided.
Selectmen also said they would invite members of the public to submit fact-based material on the monument, but they emphasized that letters of a personal nature would not be accepted.
“I think it should be factual and I think it should be historical. Let’s try to keep this as tight as we can,” said Ms. Barmakian.
Gretchen Tucker Underwood, an elected county commissioner and member of the NAACP executive committee, said while increased discussion and information can be helpful, selectmen are ultimately the ones who will have the final say.
“I trust my selectmen to make this decision,” she said. “You need to know that it’s tearing this town apart. I think if you don’t decide, then you’ve basically said no.”
Selectman Gregory Coogan agreed.
“We need to make a decision,” Mr. Coogan said. “No matter what we do, to a lot of people we will be the bad guys and to a lot of people we’ll be the good guys. There’s no win for us to be in the middle here.”
Mr. Santoro said he is more optimistic about what will come out of the forum.
“I’m hoping we’ll find a middle ground,” he said.
Comments
I am SO not going to be
April May New YorkI am SO not going to be anywhere near Oak Bluffs any time soon. And I have family on island for generations. This is disgraceful.
It is difficult to understand
Tom West TisburyIt is difficult to understand why this is considered an issue, which requires two sides. Why would anyone want to leave the plaques in place? It certainly would not
hurt anyone if the plaques are removed. In fact, if a year ago someone had taken them down, no one would have noticed.
It seems that the most common
Chris OBIt seems that the most common sense would be to add a plaque explaining that the monument was for conciliatory purposes and that they recognize the controversy surrounding anything honoring confederate soldiers. It could give the history of the monument and then the fact that some confederates wanted to reintegrate with the North and some came to MV to do so and did.
April May if you consider
Islander OBApril May if you consider this disgraceful then please stay away. This Island and Oak Bluffs has many families with generations living here and things should be up for public debate. When you were a kid and things didn't go your way did you take your ball and go home so nobody else could play with it.
I know what the motives are
J Law. The VineyardI know what the motives are of Clennon King, Gretchen Tucker Underwood, they clearly stated it several times
King says “This whole thing is about race at the end of the day”. What King has said and how he has acted during both meeting were totally unacceptable to me, the OB selectmen as well as many of us in attendance.
Both are totally wrong and the reason for the monument was explained literally dozens of times that it was between soldiers and the words the `chasm` is closed was meant the differences between soldiers on both sides their disagreements, hatred for each other was closed. It did not have a thing to do with the slavery issue. And they both know that.
The Chief who is smack in the middle of this is not going to have a quiet summer.
Why give any recognition to
charlie callahan so boston/edgartownWhy give any recognition to an enemy who tried to destroy the country. When you beat someone in a war,why give them any respect.
Thank you, Charlie.
Jane Norton ChilmarkThank you, Charlie.
What a great response! Our
David F Chilmark in the summerWhat a great response! Our ancestors defeated the American Indians! You lost stop complaining! The Texans (Anglos) took Texas from Mexico. You lost stop complaining! The Spanish took most of South and Central America away from Indigenous people! You lost, stop complaining and stop speaking Spanish! The Normans conquered England from the Saxons...! Stop complaining!
How is a statue of a Union Soldier provided by an ex-confederate soldier as a peace offering between Americans a bad thing? The plaques just describe how American reconciliation was achieved by closing the "chasm" between people that shed a lot of blood in a Civil War. How Old Testament that we need to totally destroy the enemy and there can be no reconciliation between people. I guess we shouldn't allow southerners to be Americans because 150 years ago some of them fought for the CSA?
Moving something to a museum only hides it for many people. Many people don't visit museums. Adding information that informs the public arriving in OB about the statue and how it doesn't reflect support for slavery, but graciously supports reintegration of the country in unity, should be a good thing.
This should be easy, despite
Afraid MVThis should be easy, despite all the controversy. Plaques to museums! Retain the history and make a statement that most everybody agrees with. I'd like to change the topic, or bring it up to modern times and concerns that are post racist and totally color blind. Let us ask Chief Blake how many concealed handgun permits he has authorized in his role as chief of police. How many guns are out there, in this town, legally? It is the next issue behind racist statue plaques. A terribly important issue, although not one talked about in these columns. I've seen some numbers, and we rank darned near our most least respected states in the gun ownership out here. This is more Kentucky than Boston. Blake signs them all off. How many legal guns, sir, if you please?
What does Chief Blake and
R Scott Patterson EdgartownWhat does Chief Blake and guns have to do with this issue? Exactly nothing!
Legal guns are not a problem.
JB MVLegal guns are not a problem... is there gun crime here? No. So why are you “afraid”? Are you stating you’re afraid of people who actually follow laws...? That simply does not make sense, and appears to more of a political statement you’re trying to make.
Being scared of law abiding citizens legally owning firearms is ignorant and suggests one needs to research statistics provide by the FBI.
I didn’t know that Kentucky was one of the “least respected States”? You insinuating that somehow Boston is better than Kentucky is extreme arrogance and effectively voids any of your previous comments you thought would be constructive to the current discussion.
Two points: (1) I take issue
Carol Lampson formerly ChilmarkTwo points: (1) I take issue with the statement in the second paragraph of this article that the former Confederate "wanted to heal the deep divisions." MA wasn't exactly a border state. Didn't he want to honor Confederate soldiers? I think that was his impetus. But:
(2) The history almost doesn't matter of why he did or didn't. Confederates were traitors to the USA who fought to keep human beings enslaved through violence and terror. Many descendants of the victims of that horrible system summer or live in OB. What on Earth is the argument for keeping a couple of plaques on a statue that is so compelling, so powerful an argument that it outweighs the justifiable pain and outrage of those Islanders and visitors? I mean, my family's been living and summering on MVY for over a century, and I'm revolted that there's so much support for keeping those plaques. What's the argument - all change is bad? Or is it something darker masquerading as all change is bad? People, come to your senses and do the right thing. Take those stupid plaques off & put them in the museum.
The NAACP should have never
Jay Weiner EdgartownThe NAACP should have never brought this up. It is only causing another “civil war” with Oak Bluffs residents.
Do NOTHING AT ALL !
Jeff Baker Prospect MaineDo NOTHING AT ALL !
I know some people find this
Carol EdgartownI know some people find this impossible to believe - but there was more to the Confederacy than the sin of slavery. Many families suffered, for many reasons during that period and others. I have family in Japan who were deeply affected by the nuclear bomb we dropped. This plaque in particular is a call to move on, together. Take heed.
Leave the plagues, they are
Armand Gonzalzles OakbluffsLeave the plagues, they are self explanatory.
As Brigadier General Malcolm
Tisbury voter Vineyard haven massAs Brigadier General Malcolm Frost said July 15,1917 ,every Army installation is named for a soldier who holds a place in our military history,he further explained that the historic names chosen represent individuals,not causes or ideologies,and that it was done in the spirit of reconciliation,not Division.
I am trying to wrap my mind
Lorraine EdgartownI am trying to wrap my mind around what legal gun permits have to do with the plaques on a statue? A bit of obfuscation? My heart breaks when I see and hear the divisive comments re this issue. I have a picture of my Great Grandfather on my wall, in his Civil War Uniform, I am looking at it as I write this. He fought the entire war, was wounded at Vicksburg, healed up, went back to fight, was disabled after the war and went back to build a civilian life. Am I to hold in contempt his service? I am grievously wounded by this issue. It happened, we learn, we go on to build better lives. Please Please Please just leave the statue and plaques alone.
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