Virginia: Hank for Senate?

He's the cats meow.

You tube link

Hank's website link

Washington Post story link

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Can we make a difference?

In August 2008, the minister of Sun Prairie (WI) United Methodist Church delivered a Sunday, morning church service message reflecting upon making a difference in life. The message was delivered a year after the murder of his 17 year old daughter in July 2007.

On July 8, 2010 the Sun Prarie minister was noted by name in a message delivered by the Youth Minister (age 25) of The Kirk --- a Christian Community Church in Forest, VA. Specifically referenced was the story of blue ribbons distributed by a teacher to students many years ago in New York.

Here is a link to the audio of the July 8 message titled “Can we make a difference?”

After the July 8 service, a senior elder walked up to the youth minister and opened her bible. There lay a faded tattered blue ribbon with the words – “who I am makes a difference.” Exactly as quoted by Rev. Scott Carlson (a friend on my facebook page).

According to the Youth Minister of The Kirk, the message was inspired by Matthew 25 ministry and
- Grandma Haizlip
- Anne W Graves
- Rev. Scott Carlson

In keeping with the spirit of Mathew 25, the Youth Minister has since 2007 been a volunter in support of empowering independence for people with disabilities.
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Soldiers buried under High School parking lot

By Linda Jean Haizlip-Theisen

Franklin C. Haizlip, a Confederate Soldier from the Virginia 57th Infantry (Henry County) died in 1862 during the American Civil War and is buried in the Confederate section of Lynchburg City Cemetary. The marker is under a hedge row. Franklin is my great-great-great-great paternal grandfather. Below (left) is his marker.

Personally having moved with my husband to Lynchburg in 1974 from New York, my family was unaware of this fact until my aunt from Rockingham County, North Carolina discovered it while researching our family tree in the 1990's. Below (right) is the respectfull setting at city cemetary.

During the Civil War there was a Prisoner of War camp on the site of E.C. Glass High School on Memorial Avenue. In front of the High School there is a monument honoring and listing the names of the 42 (or was it 43) soldiers from Lynchburg that died during World War I.

There isnt a marker at E.C. Glass High School to honor the 6 union solders buried on the grounds. Now of course E.C. Glass was built in 1952, when Lynchburg was very much in the throngs segregation - the Jim Crow era. The fact that they are buried under the parking lot where vehicles drive over them may be reflective of local attitudes at that time of continued southern defiance and resistance. As a child, I remember traveling through Virginia on my way to visit family in North Carolina and seeing segregated entrances in businesses; one for "colored" and one for "whites only."

Data on Union Soldiers who died as Prisoners of War in Lynchburg, 1861-1865 buried under the auditorium parking lot at E.C. Glass High School:

- Witham, Pvt. Charles W., 10th Maine Infantry, Company G
   Died July 24, 1862 at the Fairgrounds [POW Camp]

- Boyd, Pvt. William C., 27th Indiana Infantry, Company E
   Died August 6, 1862 of typhoid at the Fairgrounds [POW Camp]

- Kinerson, Pvt. Albert, 1st Vermont Cavalry, Company D
   Died: August 15, 1862 [Probably at the Fairgrounds]

- Berry, Pvt. James, 55th Ohio Infantry, Company K
  Died: November 15, 1862 [Probably at the Fairgrounds]

- Wood, Pvt. Samuel D., 26th Michigan Infantry
   Died of starvation sometime after May 12, 1864 when he was taken prisoner at
   Spotsylvania Court House

- Robinson, Corpl. John. 1st Maryland Infantry, Company D
  Died sometime after May 8, 1864, shot by a Confederate guard

In 2010, we as a community having progressed - it is time to place a memorial marker near the auditorium on the Langhorne Road side at E.C. Glass to honor these soldiers. Surely such a memorial would be paid for by private funds.

Once again, it is time to do the right thing. Americans have a history of treating with respect and dignity the military dead of opposing military forces.

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Update: February 27, 2010

The Taylor-Wilson Camp (website) descendants of Union soldiers is in the process of raising funds to place a statuary monument on the site of the Lynchburg Prisoner of War camp, current day E.G. Glass High School

Update: March 5, 2010

See WSET report (>click here<):
"Group Works to Honor Soldiers Buried Under Parking Lot"

This blog posting “Soldiers buried under High School parking lot“ began as a result of my husbands talk during the Lynchburg City Council public hearing on February 23 relating to the relocation of the Heritage Elementary voter polling place location.

At the end of his comments on February 23, Phil encouraged the city to look to the future when holding public hearings. For example, the upcoming Annual City Budget Hearing. As such, Phil suggested holding it at Heritage High School’s auditorium in order to allow adequate space in case hundreds of people show up. All of which is likely, in light of the fact that drastic budget cuts will probably take place effective for the next City budget beginning July 1, 2010

After the February 23 hearing, my immediate family discussed his (ie Phil's) reason for NOT suggesting E.C. Glass High School as a place for a public hearing.

Though he did not state it during his public comments on February 23, Phil doesn't like the idea of driving and or parking atop anyone's grave especially an American soldier(s) no matter Union or Confederate. Phil as the son of a diabled US World War II Navy submarine veteran and grandson son of a US World War I Navy submarine veteran, believes ALL military personnel deserve proper burial, public acknowledgement and respect.

Flags drapped over historic city mural

In September 2000, the late Jack Mills (former President of the VA Southern Christian Leadership Council) appeared before Lynchburg city council to raise the matter of racially offensive artwork in Lynchburg City Court Houses. Mills later identified the City Employee he was speaking on behalf of to Patrick Lynch a reporter at the time for the Lynchburg News & Advance.

As for the artwork:

(1) One is of a mural "Coming down Lynchburg" depicting a slave walking beside of oxen - a picture of historic value but not one belonging in a building housing a court (ie the Monument Terrace Building on Church Street accross from City Hall).

(2) The other was a series of brass reliefs (depicting slaves with monkeylike features) on a wall inside the main entrance to the Lynchburg City Circuit Court  across from the Lynchburg Police Department.

Georgia Barksdale the wife of former City Councilman Ed Barksdale subsequently organized an effort which lead to the removal of the brass relief as well as (placement of) American and Virginia State Flags being encased and draped over the mural. Both cost taxpayers nothing ($0 , zip, nada) --- the brass figures where subsequently popped of the wall by a city maintenance worker and then City Council Member Bob Garber donated a $1,500 oak display case containing the flags. The American and State flags having flown over the state capital were donated by State Senator Steve Newman.

In 2010, the time approaches for the court to move out of the Monument Terrace building with the construction of a new court building. Hopefully the flags over the mural will then be removed and given to the Lynchburg City Museum.

<<< Picture to the left appeared in the Piedmont Journal on October 24, 2002. That was shortly before the brass images were removed by the City of Lynchburg.

Keith Kessler - a final message from DAC4VA

From: DAC4VA@aol.com
To: Kkessl@aol.com
Sent: Fri, Feb 19, 2010 3:01 pm
Subject: re:Keith Kessler

OBITUARY

Keith Kessler of Woodbridge, a health care reform activist whose passion positively affected the lives of many, passed away Thursday at the age of 59 due to complications from pneumonia.

He was a quadriplegic for most of his life, due to a sports injury in his early years. While life presented him with so many physical obstacles he saw none and rose above them all.

He fought hard for the handicapped people with disabilities, the elderly, and those with special needs beyond his own state of Virginia. He was out spoken and always had way of getting his voice heard. He met with many state governors and battled for those that couldn't fight for themselves. He was an appointed member to many state boards, committees and commissions and influenced over 15 million voters nationwide. He founded the DAC (Disabled Action Committee) and was passionate about it.

In his early years he played guitar and was the leader of his own band "Shades of Purple". He loved the outdoors, boating and fishing and flying, he was a pilot. He dabbled in several businesses such as auto repair, carpet, restaurant and real estate, etc. Keith's happiest memory was working with his dad on Dewey's supply boat, a store on the water nicknamed the "Bumboat", in Toledo, Ohio.

Keith was born in Toledo, Ohio on September 8, 1950, and moved to Virginia in 1980. He was preceded in death by his father Dewey Leighton Kessler and mother Joan Sheldon-Kessler. He leaves behind one brother, Dewey Kessler and his wife Deborah, and five sisters, Jean Kessler, Janet Ludwig and husband Fredrick, Kathleen Cook (his twin sister)and husband William, Sheila Comstock and her husband Robert, Kerri Kessler, sixteen nieces and nephews and twenty eight great nieces and nephews, three uncles and three aunts, Virginia Abrahamson, John Sheldon, Charles Sheldon, Marybelle an Earl Shepherd, Doris Sheldon and a wealth of friends including his personal caregivers and best friend of 50 years, Bob Cook.

There will be a celebration of life party for Keith on Sunday, February 21, 2010 at 4PM at the VFW Post 1503 on Minnieville Road Woodbridge, VA. Keith planned his own party and burial at sea. In lieu of flowers the family asks that friends donate to the Christopher and Dana Reeve Spinal Cord Injury Foundation. Donations can be made in memory of Keith Kessler at http://www.christopherreeve.org/  

Keith always said it's not the quantity of life but the quality of life that counts.

**Some people grin and bear it. Others smile and change it.**

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Though this blogger knew Keith via the Internet and through phone conversations since 1997, we never met face to face until 2003. Below is a picture of that meeting which was in the Office of then Virginia Governor Mark Warner.

Warner had promised to meet with Kessler during his election campaign for Governor in 2001. Kessler invited me to attend.

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Edited

From:
Sent:  Monday, March 01, 2010 10:24 AM
To:
Subject: RE: Keith Kessler - a rally icon

Keith Kessler’s Celebration of Life—Sunday, February 21st.

His celebration was planned by him—a party at the VFW. No, he was not a vet, but he hung out there all the time, from what I heard.

There was food, an open bar and a DJ. There were lots of pictures and a notebook that had his autobiography and letters he had written to legislators and written to him by legislators. There were speeches about him. ...

People who attended included his brothers and sisters,
...

There were tons of folks there, and it lasted for hours. I left but according to ...  there was even dancing later.

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Eugenics apology: letter to President Bush (click here), Keith sent a similar letter to President Obama in July 2009.

From: Crowley, Jeffrey S. Jeffrey_S._Crowley@who.eop.gov
To: DAC4VA@aol.com; Dale, Kareem A.
Subject: RE: Attn. Jeffrey Crowley, Kareem Dale - Re: President Obama et. Eugenics Apology
Date: Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:15:37 -0400

Mr. Kessler,

Thank you for contacting us. We will take your suggestion under consideration. We appreciate hearing from you.

Best, Jeff
Jeffrey S. Crowley
Director, Office of National AIDS Policy and Senior Advisor on Disability Policy

The White House
jcrowley@who.eop.gov

From: DAC4VA@aol.com [mailto:DAC4VA@aol.com]
Sent: Monday, July 13, 2009 3:27 PM
To: Crowley, Jeffrey S.; Dale, Kareem A.; DAC4VA@aol.com
Subject: Attn. Jeffrey Crowley, Kareem Dale - Re: President Obama et. Eugenics Apology

Jeffrey / Kareem:

We tried to get former President Bush to acknowledge eugenics but unfortunately he ignored our many requests. Would you please see that this request gets to President Obama or at least give us another contact if need be? This would further enhance the Obama legacy and perhaps take some attention away from our reeling economy by providing some positive news at this time. Thank you for your time.

Keith Kessler-
D A C
Disabled Action Committee
14405 Artery Ln#11 - Dale City, VA 22193 - U.S.
Phone 703-878-1737 - Email DAC4VA@aol.com

-------------------------------------------

 

July 13, 2009




President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Fax 202-456-2461

Dear President Obama:

I'm writing to request that you make an "official" nationwide apology to all of the past 'eugenics' victims still living throughout the United States. Virginia became the first state to offer an official state apology on May 2, 2002, followed by Oregon on December 2, 2002, North Carolina on December 13, 2002, South Carolina on January 09, 2003, and California on March 11, 2003, with Minnesota soon to follow.

As for background California led all other states in forced sterilization's with Virginia following 2nd. It's time for the U.S. to apologize and recognize all eugenics victims of which many are still alive to bring a sense of closure to this issue just as you did on June 19, 2009 regarding the slavery apology. Incidentally, none of the slaves are/were alive for that apology, whereas, hundreds of eugenics victims still exist today.

It would only be fitting to ask Senator Mark R. Warner of Virginia who issued the first state apology to eugenic victims to join you in your statement.

All of the eugenics apologies evolved from the focused effort of two people who initiated this movement from Virginia. Phil Theisen from Lynchburg, Virginia and Keith Kessler from Dale City, Virginia. We were the force resulting in state legislation being passed to finally remember past eugenics victims. The apologies were also the cumulative result of 3 decades of investigative press coverage.

We are not asking for any form of remuneration or financial reward but simply an acknowledgment of the horrible forced sterilizations upon people in 33 states from circa 1900-1985. It's time to put this entire issue to rest and apologize to those individuals still left living that had to endure the foolhardy practice of eugenics from the past and live that nightmare yet today.

These individuals of all races who were once deemed unfit for society are made up of past war hero's to current day nurses. It's only fair that you as President declare a National Day of Acknowledgment and apologize for the mistakes made by past leaders.

Eugenics became the focus of an exhibit in the United States Holocaust Museum in 2004. As President of the United States it would be your honor to acknowledge, in this timely manor, all of those from every walk of life who went through the horrible legacy of eugenics.

Thank You.

Respectfully,
Keith Kessler - Founder of DAC (disabled Action committee)
14405 Artery Ln#11
Dale City, VA 22193
703-878-1737
Email: DAC4VA@aol.com
http://dac4va.org/main.htm

**Some people grin and bear it. Others smile and change it.**

NOTE: Enclosed is the House Resolution offering a "regret" in 2001, followed by Governor Warner's official state "apology" for eugenics on May 2, 2002.

HJ607 - Virginia General Assembly - 2001 Session
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?011+ful+HJ607ER

Apology of Governor Mark R. Warner on behalf of the Commonwealth of Virginia on the 75th Anniversary of the US Supreme Court Decision in Buck v. Bell Decision

http://www.governor.state.va.us/Press_Policy/Releases/May2002/May0202.htm