The posters read: "This uniform honors slavery. Is this Christmas?"
To the Editor:
My name is Maryel Barry and I work for an area public school.
Every week day for nearly the last 20 years, I have driven by the Confederate statue on Prince and South Washington streets twice a day, going to and from work. It is upsetting. During the Christmas season, however, when wreaths adorne him in holiday style, it is especially shocking and I find myself in despair about it.
I called City Hall and was informed that the statue is private property of the Daughters of the Confederacy and unless the state legislature does something about it, no one can remove it.
I decided that I needed to stop being angry about this and do something. Therefore, a colleague of mine and I drove into Old Town and carefully placed posters, recycled from science projects at school, on the statue's front and back. Both read, "This uniform honors slavery. Is this Christmas?" We did not harm the statue in any way.
Within minutes, the police appeared and gave us tickets and removed the posters. As I respectfully explained to the officers, I have an adopted 7-year-old African American child at home and it was crushing for me to have to explain to her what the statue represents. Further, I could not explain to her why it is honored in Old Town, Alexandria. I also was at a loss for words in explaining to her why there are wreaths on him at this time of year. Finally, I asked the officers that if they were I, what would they say or do, and that I desperately needed help with this. No one had an answer for me.
I am saddened having to see this statue every day, and resent that I, my daughter, and others have to see it. It very simply celebrates the enslavement of people. I am horrified by it and causes hurt.
Maryel Barry
Alexandria
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