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Confederate Dedication Ceremony Sparks State Representative Controversy

Chuck Basye

Missouri Legislative Black Caucus Chairman Brandon Ellington says State Representative Chuck Basye hosting a Confederate dedication ceremony at the family farm was insensitive.

“As a State Representative, it is highly inappropriate to be honoring any type of guerillas that was fighting to enslave the people,” Ellington said.

The dedication ceremony was to respect five Confederate soldiers who had been buried in an unmarked grave on the Basye family property 150 years ago.

Anne Miller was at the ceremony to represent her family member who was one of the soldiers. She says people in 2015 cannot judge the way of life 150 years ago.

“We try to judge by our own standards, and we can’t do that,” Miller said. “History is history. Any history is history. Yesterday is history, and we simply cannot change what happened.”

Representative Basye or his family members could not be contacted for a comment but were present at the ceremony and helped fund it according to the Columbia Tribune. 

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