July 4, 2020: Open letter to elected officials

Open letter to elected officials. Mr. Schindel, Qually, Martin, Pfiel, Delegate Moul, Senator Mastriano, Rep. Joyce, Senators Casey and Toomey, we are more than 100 residents of the Gettysburg area, writing to express our dismay at the armed takeover of our town.  July 4th is a prime day for families to visit Gettysburg, appreciate the historic events that happened here in July and November 1863, and honor the “brave men, living and dead, who struggled here.”

This  year, though, tourists and residents were terrorized by the invasion of this town by hundreds of armed terrorists, “militias,” neo-Confederates, and KKK members, here in reaction to a debunked rumor of a flag-burning, that was then amplified, through white supremacist social media, into 30 busloads of antifa coming to burn buildings, murder white people, and destroy monuments. Even the original rumor was a hoax, created by a person who, it appears, doesn’t exist. Even if it had been true, the police were fully able to handle the challenge if a few flag burners had showed up. There was no need for thousands of counter-protestors and, more, no need for anyone to be armed.

The presence of a thousand or more armed individuals created a dangerous and intimidating situation. Tourists had vanished from the battlefield by mid-day.  This event projects a horrible image for this town and is likely to harm tourism in Gettysburg; nobody wants to vacation in a war zone.

It also created a precedent that anyone can occupy the battlefield, even without a permit, if they bring enough guns. Brandishing weapons is increasingly becoming the first resort of a certain class of protestors. We’ve seen armed protestors intimidate state legislatures and peaceful protestors and now are frequently showing up armed in large numbers in response to “Antifa is coming” rumors. 

Some of our politicians have played their part in fanning these flames of hatred and insurrection. None of our public officials did anything to debunk this rumor or tell people ‘We have this covered, stay home and enjoy the 4th with your family.”

We demand that you issue a statement denouncing the occupation of Gettysburg by an armed mob and calling for an end to armed intimidation by protestors. People have a right to express their opinions and pro-Confederate tourists, re-enactors, and protestors have been made welcome in Gettysburg since the 25th anniversary of the battle. But armed intimidation must stop.

Leon Reed and Jordie Adams, Patrick Andrews, Valerie Andrews, Dan Angotti, Matthew Anselmi,  Monica Bajaj, Debra Baker, Hannah Barber, Kathy Berenson, Katherine Bigler, Julieta E. Booz, Matt Brainard, Marta de Brujin, Sandy Busche, Jeff Colvin, Dan Cook, Helen Nicholas Cook, Vicki Corbett, Michael Costic, Douglas Crist, Eric H. Crump, Greg Daskovich, Vicky Daskovich, Tom deLoe, Marilyn Dolly, Linda Comley Dresser, Craig Dresser, Jeanne Duffy, Mary Jane Duffy, Mary Dugan, Jenny Dumont, Beth Farnham, Rob Farnham, Katherine M. Ferguson, Richard E. Frey, Michele Froda Jewel, Melissa Gaela, Kenneth Gardner, Anne Coward Geiger, Christine Pastor Goodacre, Carl Goulden, Brittany Hartless, Pam Hinton, Chritopher Hoff, Kay Hoffman, Allison Hood, Heather Jenkins, Michelle Frola Jewell, Brandi Kennedy, Linda Kernan, Ryan Kerney, Barbara Kingsley, John Kovaleski, Krista Kriel, Alecia Livingston Lair, Jessica Lambert, Will Lane, Tina Hauver Laughman, Ellen Louise Lauver, Gracie Lauver, Mary G. Lear, Nathalie LeBon, Lois Lembo, Bill Leslie, Judith Leslie, Jakie Lewis, Nancy Lilley, Don Marritz, Harriet Marritz, Deborah Masperi, Bernie Mazur, Deborah Sandoe McCauslin, James McHenry, Nancy McKenzie, Devin McKinney, Sue McLeaf, Erin Messinger, Dwight Michael, Sally Michael, Susan Miett, Jesse Miller, Mary Anderson Minor, Rebecca Muller, Jillian Higgins Murphy, Lin Myers, Gretchen Carlson Natter, Steve NIebler, Linda Noble, Peggy Lane O’Dell, Susan Paddock, Candy Paulson, Karen Wahl Pearce, Marta Peck, Lili Peña, Judy Pyle, Tanya Qually, John Ramirez, Heather Paulissen Redding, Meghan Riordan, Emma Saunders, Mike Schen, Adrienne Seitz, Shawna Sheeley, Susan Dunkerley Shelton, Jean Siderio, Denise Weldon-Siviy, Carrie Small, Tracie Smith, Carrie Adams Solliday, Ellie Stach, Lisa Sturges, Dennis Steinauer, John Strahler, Susan Strahler, Charles Strauss, Jocelyn Swigger, Susan Swope, J’Amy Graham Thomas, Sarah Catherine Thomas, Amy Thrush-Dreves, Maggie Reed Travis, Wendy Kronauer Trostle, Pete Vogel, Carolyn Wagner, Timbrell Wallace, Em Wass, Jenine Weaver, Char Weise, Debbie Westmoreland, Gemma Warwick Wilson, Renee Winters, James Witt, Marietta Witt, Tammy Wolf, Lisa Wolkind, Rosanne Morroney Zajko, Sue Ziegler