Reidsville Citizen highlights SCV generosity while some citizens push back

Last month, controversy spun in Reidsville after two council members took it upon themselves to have the Sons of Confederate Veterans signs removed from the citizens. Following outcry from the community, the signs were promptly returned to their four locations at the entrances to the city limits of Reidsville, but the dissenting opinions from both sides have continued to echo throughout the community.

Both Attriss and Vickie Nail had requested to be placed on the regular meeting agenda for Monday evening. Attriss, who is an active member of the Tattnall County Chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans and was also one of the members who petitioned the council on more than one occasion for approval to hang the signs in question, spoke about the ways the organization has given back to the community at both the city and county level.

An archived video of the rest of the public comment section of the Reidsville Council meeting is below. The time stamps are included in the text to notate the different points at which members of the public spoke on the issue.

[7:18] Those there to speak against the signs, however, made it clear that the sign was offensive regardless of other actions and they would like to see it done away with in the Reidsville community all together.

The woman, who lives outside Cobbtown, said the Rotary Club issued the Mayor and Council a letter and basically “put the issue back in their laps” so she wanted to know what they were going to do. Mayor Clifton noted that he just received the letter and the council had not yet had an opportunity to review it.

[8:40] Another man pleaded with council members to not ‘bring this to the community, let’s not do this to our community.’ He went on to say, “Even though you’re proud of it, listen, it’s offensive to us and I plead with you let’s not do this to the community. It will open a can of worms you can’t close. What we’re about to do is put these children against each other. Don’t do it, please, I’m pleading with you.”  to which Attriss Nail responded that the organization has been active in the Tattnall County community for 18 years and no one has said anything. Nail also emphasized that the organization is a federally-protected organization with a trademark protected by the US government. The resident said, “Even though it’s your right, I’m pleading with you as one human to another, not to do this to our community. Let’s not do this to our kids.”

At [10:45], members of the public began bickering with each other after one citizen asked a question of another.

[11:04] The next citizen who spoke said these things should be displayed on home properties and not for the city or representing the city.

[14:00] Van Kennedy spoke saying he understood both sides of the issue, but the sign is on state property with the Department of Transportation. He went on to say that he would like to know what the majority of the community thinks.

[15:08] Another citizen was asked to leave by Chief of Police Dianne Sapp.

No formal action was taken on the issue by council.