City sues to remove Confederate monument, citing free speech

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Ben Finley, Associated Press
Updated 1:59 pm CDT, Tuesday, August 20, 2019



NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — The city of Norfolk, Virginia, is claiming in a lawsuit that its free speech rights are being violated because a state law won't let it remove an 80-foot (24-meter) Confederate monument from its downtown.

Norfolk's lawsuit employs a relatively novel and untested legal strategy in the federal court system for trying to remove a Confederate monument, legal experts say. The main legal question in this case is whether cities have free speech rights.

The city filed suit Monday in a U.S. District Court in Norfolk and targets a Virginia law that prevents the removal of war memorials. The suit claims infringement of the First Amendment because the city is being forced to project a message it no longer supports.

"The purpose of this suit is to unbuckle the straitjacket that the commonwealth has placed the city and the city council in," Norfolk argues in its complaint. "Because the monument is the city's speech, the city has a constitutional right to alter that speech, a right that the Commonwealth cannot take away."

Read more: https://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/City-sues-to-remove-Confederate-monument-citing-14364242.php

[klook]

1. If corporations are people, my friend,

so are cities.

I hope this succeeds. Georgia has the same kind of bullshit law at the state level, thus preventing Dem-led cities and counties from getting rid of these toxic symbols of white supremacy.

[Igel]

2. Then they can incorporate and file state and federal forms.

Corporations are not subject to first amendment restrictions, nor to due process requirements.

[dweller]

3. town of Pittsboro, Chatham Co, NC

giving the daughters of confederacy til Oct 1st to remove statue
at courthouse ... major move here, city council voted 4-1 to remove
with very little public protest... so far

✌🏼

[Glorfindel]

4. Why not just blow the damned thing up?

Act first, ask permission later.

[Merlot]

6. At the very least, cover it with a tarp.

No law against hiding it, right?

[BruceWane]

8. Important details

Cover it with a white tarp. With a pointed top. And eyeholes.

Leave no question as to what it represents.

[TomSlick]

5. I like the theory.

[wolfie001]

7. Egads! Take that eyesore down!