In Light of Parkland Mass Shooting
Columbia County 5 Refuses to Ask for Cease
Fire
Posted February 16, 2018 12:35 pm | Op-Ed | (3 comments)
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FL – Another senseless act of gun violence, another mass shooting, has gripped the country and the world's attention. This weekend, Columbia County again celebrates the victory of the South over the North at its annual Olustee Festival and Battle Reenactment. Last night, your reporter and publisher asked one of the Festival-Battle Reenactment's sponsors, the County Commission (the Columbia County 5) to ask the warring parties to not shoot it out, but to lay down their guns in respect for the victims of the Parkland shooting – a cease fire.
Over time, the County has been watching other reenactments cancelled and one commissioner has advised that he will not be exhibiting at this year's festival.
The County Tourist Development Council (TDC) recently removed from its conference room all its Olustee posters. The walls were papered with them. The TDC is not putting them back.
According to TDC Director Paula Vann, the TDC is not re-hanging the posters because the County Economic Development Department uses the conference room and "some people who aren’t from here [coming from out of town] might not understand and get the wrong impression."
For those not accustomed to the Southern Culture, it can be difficult to understand.
Years ago, shortly after becoming City Manager, Wendell Johnson, a Deep South lifelong southerner, told your reporter, "I'm southern and I'm proud. I lost relatives in the war [Civil War]."
That discussion revolved around changing the City logo, which then featured the Confederate Battle Flag. Eventually, Mr. Johnson had a change of heart, or at least mind, and recognized that the world was changing.
The City changed its logo.
The infamous Columbia County 5 remains stuck in the past and didn't raise an eyebrow regarding the cease fire.
Parkland and the unimaginable grief in that community are only a 5 hour drive from Lake City. The sound of Sunday's Olustee gunshots won't travel to Parkland, but Columbia County's thoughts and intentions will travel to Parkland and far beyond.
It is not too late.
At least for this weekend, the North-South combatants should lay down their arms.
The Columbia County 5, and the community's leaders, can still call for a cease fire at this year's Olustee Battle Reenactment and recognition that the sounds of gun fire, people blowing each other's brains out, and government sponsored killing and gun violence are not appropriate this year.
The war ended 153 years ago.
A sign of change would be calling for a permanent cease fire.