Friday morning, November 25, 2016, in the uniform of the Southern soldier, I posted the Southern Cross approximately 3 blocks from the entrance to the Blue Ridge Parkway. It was a smoke filled morning from the fires that raged in the mountains making the cars that passed barely visible except for their headlights.
About 7:30 AM, a car pulled into the driveway of a business adjacent to where I stood, and a young Black lady approached me saying, “Sir, what is this all about?” “Read my sign,” I replied. “United Nations, Beware! Nikki Judas Haley. Coming!”
I can recount the story of a young man doped up on mind altering drugs, who would come to a church in Charleston, South Carolina, where with wide open arms, the parishioners would welcome him into the House of God, and he would reward them with the hideous crime of murder.
And how the Northern Press would descend upon the State Capitol in Columbia proclaiming that all flags in the State were at half staff, except the racist Battle Flag on the Confederate Soldiers Monument on the capitol grounds. And how instead of Haley taking the high ground and explaining to them that the Confederate Soldiers Monument was an outside historical exhibit, and that the flag did not warrant being placed at half staff, she would instead betray the trust of the people of the State and South in dishonoring the flag; blaming it for the man’s murderous actions.
The young lady interjected: “It was an evil act that should not have been blamed on the flag or used to desecrate the memory of the Confederate soldiers who had many Black’s in their ranks who now must bear this moment of desecration as well.”
She gave me a big hug; thanked me for talking with her, and for being brave enough to take an Honorable Stand.
Moments later, an elderly Black man pulled his car into the same spot the young lady had just exited. With outstretched hands, he introduced himself and proclaimed himself to be an attorney: a Life Member of the NAACP, and a fan of mine who has admired my courage for years.
He said that he had read my account of an illegal election that the NAACP had perpetuated against me almost two decades earlier. He not only wanted to meet, but had wanted to talk with me for a long time. He said that he often wondered why I had not asked world class attorney Kirk D. Lyons to conduct a civil lawsuit against the State of North Carolina and the National NAACP.
“I read that the State President of the NAACP on a Saturday morning came here, set up a meeting in a church with the help of your predecessor, paid for and provided memberships to persons living in a Housing Authority that he was the Administrator of. And one that was a part of a targeted lawsuit that you, your Executive body and the Southern Legal Resource Center had put into motion against the Affordable Housing Coalition in this city. To include providing memberships to Administrators of various targeted members of that coalition.
“And, that the State President would direct those present, over your objections, that an election of officers of your Branch would take place on that morning. And, after your objection that he could not do this, because it was a violation of the 501(c)(3) National bylaws, and that your Nominating committee had already submitted to the Executive committee a list of names (yours being prominent) to be presented to the General body, and that no election could be held unless that Body was notified 30 days in advance. And, that no member could vote in said election unless they were a member for at least 30 days prior.
“The State President’s claim that he had written authorization to suspend the National bylaws and conduct this election seems highly unlikely and improbable to me.” He went on to say; “and furthermore, his denial to allow you to see that supposed authorization leads me to believe that the whole process was a violation of your civil rights, and the laws that govern the internal revenue process of a non- profit.
“And, I don’t believe that there is a statue of limitation on this matter that I too believe was unlawful. And furthermore, technically, not only because of the procedure, but also the written promise and reply of the national Director, Julian Bond to investigate your complaint of this matter; until that formal investigation’s results is supplied to you and the Asheville Branch; you are still their President!
“I can only wish you well in whatever you decide to do. And, I thank, and respect you for an honorable Stand for truth.” He embraced me, and shook my hand.
I had only meant to refer to this matter in a book I plan to write, however, after this conversation, I have canvassed various members of the SLRC Board of Directors and the Chief trial Counselor, Kirk D. Lyons, and have been told that it merited investigation, but that I would have to raise a fair sum of money to move forward with a lawsuit.
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H. K. Edgerton: Chairman Advisory Board Emeritus / Southern Legal Resource Center. He may be contacted through the SLRC at: https://slrc-csa.org/ to donate to this cause.