By Randy Strong

The Orange Leader

 

A protest was held Monday at the ‘Confederate Memorial of the Wind’ monument located at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Interstate 10 to speak out against the monument and the Confederate flags that fly over the memorial.

Since the beginning of the memorial’s construction in 2013, the site has been met with opposition by many Orange County residents and people from other communities such as Houston residents, Jeremy and Tracie Parzen, who orchestrated Monday’s protest on Martin Luther King’s birthday.

Jeremy and Tracie’s aim was to remind the Sons of Confederate Veterans that Confederate memorabilia such as this at that location is not acceptable in a community that is so racially entwined.

“Our goal is to enter into a dialog with the monument’s main architects, Hank Vanslyke and Granvel Block,” Jeremy said. “So we can discuss a celebration of their paraphernalia that aligns with community values.” 

Jeremy Parzen is confident that a compromise can be achieved but until then will continue to protest and raise billboards celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. King.