On Wed, Jun 4, 2014 at 7:27 PM, Mark Buchanan <markbuchanan1688@yahoo.com> wrote:
Dear Sir,
I am the President of the Citizens To Save Our Parks. I am also the Memphis Brigade Commander of the SCV, 2ND Lt Commander of the Robert E. Lee Camp SCV, in Germantown, TN. I received the 2014 Jefferson Davis Award from the Tennessee Division of the SCV for Outstanding Work in promoting Southern Heritage as well as the 2014 Brigade Appreciation Award from all the camps of the Memphis Brigade SCV. I am a member of the Bonnie Blue Society and a reenactor in the 154th and 51st Tennessee Regiments. I also serve in the Memphis Brigade Color Guard-SCV.
As evident by your website, your merchandise and your public statements; southern history and heritage is very important to you. It should be important to all Americans. Please accept this invitation for you to join us in preserving our southern history. People like you are a huge part of the effort to stop the eradication of a part of American history we all hold dear.
(l-r – Forrest Park, Confederate Park, Jefferson Davis Park)
The Citizens To Save Our Parks is a non-profit organization founded in 2005 in Memphis, TN. Our group was organized to preserve Historical parks in the Memphis/Shelby County area. Several times over the last 20 years, the city of Memphis has attempted to rename Jefferson Davis, Bedford Forrest, and Confederate Parks. Our mission has been to stop this from happening. The latest attempt was to rename the parks through a resolution so they could beat the deadline set for the passage of the Tennessee Heritage Preservation Act of 2013. In an act contrary to the wishes of the citizens of Memphis of all races, and against the Charter of the City of Memphis, the council forced the issue and passed the illegal resolution. The Charter states that only the mayor has control over the parks. The council voted away their authority years ago! Nevertheless, these tyrants did what they thought they could to erase the history of Memphis. They went so far as to remove an approved marker from Forrest Park. In the meetings with the council some members actually stated that once they remove the names they intend to remove the cannons, the monuments, the statues and the bodies of Mary and Nathan Bedford Forrest from the parks! We gathered ourselves together, and to paraphrase the Bible, we “girded ourselves and assayed to go”. We levied a lawsuit against the city and the council stating that they had no authority to change the names. Our attorney, Doug Jones, (the attorney who won the Vanderbilt vs. the UDC suit) is confident of our case. We are currently in litigation. Throughout this, with help from donors from around the world we have raised over $70,000 to pay lawyer fees. We paid it all out and still have a tremendous legal bill. We have been working with the Sons of Confederate Veterans, the United Daughters of the Confederacy and individual donors to raise the funds to continue the fight. However we are still very short of our goal. If there is any way you and your company can see a way to help in this fight it would be greatly appreciated. We would like to partner with you to further history, especially the memory of our beloved south.
Your Obedient Servant,
Mark Buchanan
President-Citizens To Save Our Parks
3044 Cuba-Millington
Millington Tn 38053
901-570-1413
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From: dewey barber <dewey@barbersystem.com>;
To: Mark Buchanan <markbuchanan1688@yahoo.com>;
Cc: Rhett Barber <rhett@barberandcompany.com>;
Subject: Re: Save the Confederate Parks in Memphis
Sent: Thu, Jun 5, 2014 4:42:13 PM
Mark,
I appreciate you contacting Dixie Outfitters regarding your work to save the Memphis parks.
I feel we can best contribute to your efforts by helping disseminate the word of of your objectives and in so doing help you raise the funds needed to pay your legal bills.
I can post your letter on our Facebook page, on our web site and in other outlets that we use to sell our products and ask our followers to donate to your cause.
I can use the letter that you have provided (with an endorsement from Dixie Outfitters) or you can compose a silightly different on that appeals to the reader directly.
Please advise me as to which method you prefer.
Best regards,
Dewey Barber
President, Dixie Outfitters
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On Thu, Jun 5, 2014 at 5:29 PM, Mark Buchanan <markbuchanan1688@yahoo.com> wrote:
Thank you so much for your quick response.
I would love for you to post our cause on your website/Facebook. Let me tweek the letter somewhat for the general public. I will get it back to you asap. I am thrilled you are willing to help! We sold some commemorative shirts early on (sorry for the competition), to raise money. If we could collaborate on those maybe it could be to both our benefits. I have some rudimentary artwork we placed on the shirts. We sold over 400 of these. This fight has been tough. We have struggled for every dime and it just keeps dragging on. But we know it is the right thing to do.
Are you a Son as well? How do you come by your love of the south and the southern soldier?
Confederate by birth,
Mark Buchanan
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Dewey Barber <dewey@barbersystem.com>
Fri, Jun 6, 2014 at 8:51 AM
to Mark <markbuchanan1688@yahoo.com>, Wesley <wesley@barberandcompany.com>, Rhett <rhett@barberandcompany.com>, Sali <sali@barberandcompany.com>
Mark,
Yes, I am a a member of the SCV as well as my two sons.
We are Southern born and bred and love the South and it’s people. Like many, we did not know the truth of our heritage until we researched it ourselves.
Since we learned the truth we have dedicated much of our time and effort in the last 17 years to making the truth highly visible to all of those who are willing to learn. We do this thru or website and our products.
We support Southern patriots and causes at every opportunity and look forward to helping you in your efforts.
Best regards,
Dewey Barber
President, Dixie Outfitters
www.dixieoutfitters.com
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Mark Buchanan <markbuchanan1688@yahoo.com>
Fri, Jun 6, 2014 at 11:12 AM
to dewey <dewey@barbersystem.com>, Wesley <wesley@barberandcompany.com>, Rhett <rhett@barberandcompany.com>, Sali <sali@barberandcompany.com>
Here is our letter. Please review it and if it meets your standards I would appreciate your help getting the word out.
The link to our website is citizenstosaveourparks.org
Also, what unit did your ancestor serve in? Ours was Wheeler’s 1(6) Tennessee, Co C. Barrow’s Light Guards as well as the 1st Tennessee Heavy Artillery. Co. C.
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Donation Request Letter 2014 – Dixie Outfitters (File is in PDF Format and opens in a separate window)
