HCBA Lawyer Magazine No. 31, Issue 1 | Page 31

S P E C I A L F E A T U R E Judge Barbara Twine-Thomas – Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Court & Raymond T. (Tom) Elligett – Buell & Elligett, P.A. Continuedfrompage28 Today the rebel flag together with confederate monuments mean white supremacy to anyone who understands their background and modern purpose — even though some may say it only means tradition to them. And while our First Amendment provides some protection to individuals who want to display these symbols of slavery and white supremacy, they have no place on government property. These symbols of hate allow racist attitudes to persist and are impediments to equality and justice. By removing the rebel flag and confederate monuments, we will not be able to ignore history, nor erase the many shameful years of the unfair and illegal treatment of Blacks and other minorities. Reconciliation can only be achieved when we appreciate the harm and intimidation that comes from attempts to perpetrate symbols of hate and inequality. Symbols that disrespect some and celebrate a shameful history have no purpose as we move forward to reconcile and achieve justice for all. Lawyers have always been leaders — nationally and in local communities. These symbols celebrate behavior that was not legal. Let those among us in our noble profession of the law and justice lead the way to put away these symbols that limit our progress towards a more fair, a more just, a more peaceful nation. For those who want to learn more about history beyond the flag, there are excellent documentaries on race relations in Tampa, available on YouTube as of this writing. The HCBA-produced “Before the Law Was Equal” 1 discusses the desegregation of our legal community. Addressing Tampa’s Central Avenue (and more) are the PBS documentary “Central Avenue Remembered,” 2 and “Tampa Technique.” 3 On a national level, read Caroline Randall Williams “You Want a Confederate Monument? My Body Is a Confederate Monument” in The New York Times, available online. 4 n 1 https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=6OEYZD6DTL8 2 https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=g-1vsj32zu8 3 https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=vHZyTGGl3QA 4 https://www.nytimes.com/ 2020/06/26/opinion/ confederate-monuments-racism.html Authors: Judge Barbara Twine-Thomas – Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Court & Raymond T. (Tom) Elligett – Buell & Elligett, P.A. S E P T - O C T 2 0 2 0 | H C B A L A W Y E R 2 9