After 149 years, the Spirit of Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest lives in Selma, Alabama. General Forrest has a victory in Selma, Alabama! We have fought a long 14 month battle against the City of Selma and by the Grace of God , a GREAT team of lawyers (The DREAM TEAM) and a federal judge who obviously respects the Rule of Law, we have prevailed! We, Selma Chapter 53, UDC has been given the deed to Confederate Circle and our crew went back to work on April 16 , 2014! Our project is coming along beautifully and I can’t wait for it to be completed for all the world to see! To recap our situation here in Selma: The Nathan B. Forrest bronze bust was stolen from atop the NBF monument in Live Oak Cemetery at Confederate Circle on March 6, 2012 after local radio personality, Rose Sanders advocated on her radio station 105.3 FM for someone to go into the cemetery & take the NBF monument out of the cemetery, saying that it had no place in Selma, Alabama. On April 3, 2012 our two billboards went up offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest & conviction of the perpetrator(s). (Thanks to the Ala DIV SCV & SCV International Headquarters, Betty Mann & Bob Griffon of Friendswood TX for pledging the reward money) A week later two women went into the Selma Police Dept. saying they had seen pictures on the cell phone of “person of interest” Sherrette Spicer, holding the NBF bust after leaving the cemetery. The judge gave the detectives a warrant to seize her phone. The phone was sent to the Ala State forensics lab in Montgomery, the U.S. Secret Service in Birmingham, the Ala State FBI office in Mobile and all of these agencies said they were unable to break the pass code to get into the phone. Ultimately, it was sent to the National FBI office in Quantico VA where they claim to have gotten into the phone only to find NO PICTURES of anyone hold ing the NBF bust! Put on ya SURPRISE FACE!! Sherrette Spicer was on the Board of Directors of the National Voting Rights Museum, owned by Rose Sanders and she also lived at one of Rose’s properties, the Slavery Museum on Water Avenue, according to Selma Police. In May, 2012 we began making plans to secure the NBF monument plus enhance & beautify Confederate Memorial Circle. Todd Kiscaden, owner of KTK Mining Co. of Va designed a beautiful plan, presented it to Selma Chapter #53 for their approval because it was an “understanding” for generations that Selma Chapter 53, being the successors to the Ladies Memorial Association, owned Confederate Memorial Circle. (Rose Sanders is the ONLY person who has ever challenged ownership of Confederate Memorial Circle!) Our Chapter and the Friends of Forrest, Inc. approved the plan & we then began to lobby the members of the Selma Historic Building Commission for their approval of our plan since Live Oak Cemetery is in the Historic District of Selma. On Aug 2, 2012, Todd & I went before the Commission at their regular monthly meeting & made our presentation. The Commission approved our plan at that meeting & we were granted our Certificate of Appropriateness. Aug 3, Todd went to the Community Development office & purchased our Building Permit. Monday, Aug 6, 2012 Todd’s crew arrived & began work. From that point on we were inundated with Rose Sanders and her protestors in the cemetery where they harassed and attacked us with the Selma police looking on and doing nothing. Throughout August 2012 we dealt with the protestors...lost two truckloads of concrete when the protestors sat down in the area to be poured...then we reached an agreement with the mayor, president of the city council & the city attorney to stand down during the week of the elections...when we resumed work a week later, the evening the election was over, Rose Sanders’ “chosen candidates” were not elected...the protestors once again descended upon us and stopped our work. On Sept 6, 2012 Todd pulled his crew and equipment out of Selma telling Chief Riley he could not work in a “lawless town”. On Sept 25, 2012, the Selma City Council, under the demands of Rose Sanders, illegally revoked our building permit. Todd & KTK Mining Co of Va filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Selma on Oct 16, 2012 for NO DUE PROCESS...the 1st, 5th & 14th amendments were violated! The Battle for Selma #3 was on! Litigation began; the discovery process was scheduled for March 2013...where we learned during depositions that the police did nothing to the protestors because they were told “to stand down”. Also, during depositions, Mayor Evans & Council President Bowie admitted EVERYTHING and DENIED NOTHING...that they were fearful of losing the election so that is why they were derelict in their responsibilities of their offices! On March 14, 2013 Todd WON his court battle with Rose Sanders after she had had him arrested back in Aug 2012 for “criminal harassment”! At this point, Rose’s track record was not lookin’ good! The judge called for a settlement hearing scheduled for July 22, 2013. Todd & his men came for the hearing. We were present along with our attorneys but the arrogant City of Selma representatives were a NO SHOW! This obviously annoyed the judge but the City was granted a second chance so we met again on Nov. 8 2013. I would like everyone to be aware that this lawsuit was never about ownership of Confederate Circle. Todd Kiscaden & KTK Mining had no interest in ownership of the circle; KTK Mining was merely the contractor the UDC Selma Chapter 53 and the Friends of Forrest, Inc. commissioned to perform the work. The lawsuit was about NO DUE PROCESS which is how this case was in FEDERAL court! In the settlement terms, our Building Permit and Certificate of Appropriateness were reinstated without going through the approval process again & paying for another work permit. The City of Selma paid our attorney fees of $100,000 and we have been assured of “equal protection of the law” ! The City remained arrogant &Todd WAIVED $100,000 compensatory damages for the deed of one acre to be conveyed to Selma Chapter 53, United Daughters of the Confederacy. Todd said he had no interest in suing the City of Selma; he was just trying to secure & enhance Confederate Circle & honor our Southern heroes! In the judge’s order, she has maintained jurisdiction over this case for 365 days to make sure the settlement stipulations are complied with. On Nov 2 6, 2013, the Selma City Council, by law, had to vote in their regular public meeting to accept the terms of settlement. Rose & her miscreants were present & totally disruptive of the meeting. Rose was removed from the council & had to be taken to jail! However, she refused to pay her bail & stayed two nights in jail until Mayor Evans arbitrarily had her released from jail on Thanksgiving morning. No, he didn’t have the other inmates released from jail to be with their families on Thanksgiving Day, JUST Rose, Imagine that! Then on Dec 10, 2013 the Selma City Council had the first reading for the deed conveyance; once again Rose & Co. was there to protest! They were once again removed from the chamber but not taken to jail. Ultimately, on Jan 14, 2014 the second reading was passed & Selma Chapter 53, UDC was conveyed the deed to Confederate Circle on Jan 27, 2014! But yes, even on Jan 14, 2014, Rose & Company once again had to be removed from the Council Chamber for disorderly conduct! It turned into a real ZOO that night! Now, we are back at work again at Confederate Circle and the project is coming along beautifully! However, unfortunately, when the City of Selma shut our work down in Sept 2012, we lost our philanthropic income stream, thanks to Obama & his EPA against the coal mining industry . (Todd is in the coal mining industry) So we are continuing to raise money to finish our project. Which brings us to our 15TH ANNUAL BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION OF LT. GEN NATHAN B. FORREST AT FORT DIXIE! We hope you are making plans to attend this year as it is a DOUBLE BARREL CELEBRATION this year...our VICTORY AGAINST THE CITY OF SELMA AND OF COURSE THE GENERAL’S 193RD BIRTHDAY!!! Once again this year, we will be drawing for the solid bronze mini replica of the NBF life size bust. I have included in this package 10 drawing tickets that are $2 each. If you do NOT wish to participate, please do not return them to me, just discard them. f you wish to make copies & purchase more, please feel free to do so. Please mail check payable to Confederate Memorial Circle Fund & mail the tickets back to me before July 10. I have also included the Ancestor Paver form if you would like to honor your ancestor at the Battle of Selma Memorial. We have a very special DOUBLE BARREL CELEBRATION planned this year. Past SCV Chaplain in Chief will be our keynote speaker this year. It goes without saying that Pastor Weaver is a DYNAMIC orator and has an outstanding address a bout General Forrest. Celtic Singer/Songwriters, Jed Marum from Dallas TEXAS and Rickey Pittman from Monroe, LA will be here to entertain us! Both are back by POPULAR DEMAND! We kick the GENERAL’S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION off at 3:00 PM with our traditional HAPPY BIRTHDAY CANNON SALUTE, courtesy of Todd Kiscaden and of course serve our FAMOUS SOUTHERN FRIED CATFISH with all the fixin’s at 6:00PM. There will be door prizes and also our annual auction of some very special Southern/Confederate items. I want to thank YOU ALL for your continued faithful support of our efforts here in Selma. It has taken 149 YEARS...but Gen Forrest finally has a SELMA ALABAMA Victory! I want to thank you especially for your precious treasured friendship and your prayers as we have fought this battle for so many years. This is a battle YOU did not bargain for in the beginning an d words just do not exist to adequately THANK YOU for championing this battle with us! We would NOT have a victory had it not been for YOU and your support! In order to win...you MUST BELIEVE....AND YOU DID! In developing our project we are offering you and/ or your organization the opportunity to invest in Confederate Memorial Circle which we are developing into a Southern History educational center. NO WHERE in Selma can you find any evidence of the Battle of Selma narrative to tell visitors of this pivotal battle at the end of the war, April 2, 1865. On the 8 sided pedestal there will be 8 bronze plaques mounted depicting the Battle of Selma & Gen Forrest’s role in his defense of Selma. Each of these plaques will cost approximately $1200 to $1500. Our security system will cost approximately $10,000. This will be a state of the art hi tech security system where even YOU will be able to monitor Confederate Circle from your IPhone! In our settlement, we also obtained ownership of the Pigeoneers House, the little 19th century style cottage in Confederate Circle. We will be mounting a bronze DONORS PLAQUE on the wall listing all the donors who donate $500 and above to this project. I want to thank Betty Mann & Bob Griffon of Friendswood, TX & Bill Bateman of Midland, TX for donating the two 40 ft. aluminum flagpoles. These poles were $2200 each! Also, thank you to John Ellis of Matthews, NC, Alabama Society, OCR, Ala Div. UDC and Prattville Dragoons SCV Camp for donating the four wrought iron benches. And THANK YOU to ALL of you who have already purchased an ancestor paver! I hope that you ALL are planning to come to FORT DIXIE this year for the General’s Birthday party JULY 12, 2014! We guarantee you the BEST Christian Southern Fellowship on the planet, the BEST Southern Fried Catfish this side of the Big Muddy...GREAT Southern LIVE entertainment...and HOT WEATHER...so dress cool! If you don’t’ come with a smile on ya face...we guarantee you will leave with a smile on face! Also, most importantly, I would like to say that Mr. Todd Kiscaden, owner of KTK Mining Co. of VA is the REAL HERO in this battle. His SELFLESS love for our Southern Heritage, his stealth determination to WIN...and it goes without saying, his mammouth generosity of his own personal resources has been the leading force in this battle to victory. General Forrest said, “Follow me, men and I will lead you to victory”! Todd is our modern day General Forrest in Selma...just ask Rose Sanders! When you see him...SHAKE HIS HAND! Y’ALL COME TO FORT DIXIE, IN THE HEART OF DIXIE, FOR DIXIE. JULY 12, 2014 AT 3:00 PM!!! Confederately yours, Pat Godwin SATURDAY JULY 12, 2014 - 3:00 PM TIL YA WANNA GO HOME! PAST SCV CHAPLAIN-IN-CHIEF, PASTOR JOHN WEAVER - GUEST SPEAKER CELTIC SINGER/SONGERWRITERS, JED MARUM OF DALLAS, TX AND RICKEY PITTMAN OF MONROE, LA SOUTHERN FRIED CATFISH SUPPER AT 6:00PM! ICE COLD WATERMELON SERVED ALL DAY LONG! AUCTION & DOOR PRIZES! CANNON FIRING! Hotels: ** We endorse the Quality Inn - ask for FOF rate of $64 (Area code 334) Quality Inn - 874-8600; Hampton Inn - 876-9995; Comfort Inn - 875-5700; Holiday Inn Express - 874-1000; Days Inn & Suites - 872-0014 Selma Hotel - 872-0460; Americas Best Value Inn - 872-1900 Call Pat Godwin @ 334-875-1690/334-419-4566 (cell) or e-mail: [email protected] for reservations - for HEAD COUNT ONLY NO Charge for admission - CONTRIBUTION ONLY
Posted on: Sat, 28 Jun 2014 11:53:40 +0000
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