By Dawn Burleigh

Dawn.burleigh@orangeleader.com

 

Lee Webster, of Houston, is concerned with the slow progress of the Confederate Memorial of the Wind currently under construction at near the Interstate 10 and Martin Luther King Jr. intersection.

“The Confederacy is part of our history,” Webster said during a recent phone interview. “It is foolish to ignore it, it is part of U.S. history.”

Webster created a painting called Boots on the Grounds, which he intends to donate a copy to the Sons of the Confederate Veterans for fundraising purposes.

“I support the construction of the memorial,” Webster said. “It is foolish to cover up part of history with emotions.”

Residents have spoken out against the proposed park since the announcement of a permit for the park had been approved in Jan. 2013.

Orange City Council said it has a legality issue because denying the permit would be a violation of first amendment rights, according to a previously published Orange Leader article.

The City of Orange sent the Sons of Confederate Veterans a letter dated April 9, 2013, concerning the lack of sufficient parking for the location in Orange. The city requested the group add two additional American Disabilities Act handicap parking spaces and eight additional parking spaces. The original tpermit plans only showed one parking space for the park.

The letter states it is not denying or suspending the current permit. The city has the right to request changes to existing building permits.

The Confederate Memorial of the Wind designs who the grounds will display 26 Confederate flags visible form the Interstate.

In prior years, April has been recognized as Confederate History and Heritage Month.

The American Civil War was fought from 1861-1865 resulting in the death of over 620,000.