I wrote a diary on February 1st about the monument to Dr. Ferguson Reid Sr. that was being proposed for Monument Ave in Richmond Virginia.
I thought it was pretty impressive that Elizabeth Guzman, the first Latina elected to the VA Assembly, chose, as one of her first acts in office, the introduction of a bill to honour Dr. Reid, the first African American since Reconstruction to be elected to the VA Assembly, with a monument.
Right there on Monument Avenue with the racist Confederates, (and Arthur Ashe), a monument honouring Dr. Reid, a living Civil Rights icon. I mean, how cool is that?
I never for a minute imagined that anyone would have a problem with the bill. Sure, they might say they won’t fund it, that’s ok, we will. Why would anyone oppose the bill?
Turns out I am lacking in imagination. I may be the last one to grasp just how mean the Republican Party really is; how small. I always thought they were motivated purely by money, not by spite.
I was wrong. The Republican Speaker of the House, Delegate Kirk Cox has blocked the bill. If he continues to block the bill till this Friday, 2.16.18, the bill will die. That sucks. And why? What can he possibly be objecting to?
I’m hoping we can change his mind by bombarding his offices with phone calls and emails telling him that we want a monument to honour Dr. Reid. He deserves it.
When you contact Delegate Kirk Cox please try to be as polite as possible. (If you have any tips for being polite, please leave them in the comments, I’m tempted to spell his name with a few more c’s and k’s.)
Speaker of the House, Kirk Cox, please stop blocking House Resolution No.4 and start honouring Dr. William Ferguson Reid Sr.
Delegate Kirk Cox
District Office
Office Phone: (804) 526-5135
Office Fax: (804) 526-3020
Legislative Email Address: delkcox@house.virginia.gov
Campaign Email Address: kirk@kirkcox.com
General Assembly Office
Office Phone: (804) 698-1066
Office Fax: (804) 698-6766
(Really Mr. Cox, a Fax?)