GASTONIA, N.C. — An attorney for the Sons of Confederate Veterans said the organization is open to dialogue after refusing to accept the Confederate Monument outside Gaston County's courthouse last week.
The organization's decision forced Gaston County commissioners to rescind a plan to relocate the statue in a 4-3 vote Tuesday night.
Commissioners originally voted 6-1 in August to give the monument to the Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV), which would find a new location on private property. The county also agreed to pay for the monument's removal.
However, the SCV refused to accept the monument after it retained attorney Edward Phillips.
"My client was just approached by one of the county commissioners who said, 'Well we're going to take it down. We want to convey it to you so you can put it on private property,'" Phillips said. "That's not a dialogue. That's, 'This is what we're going to do, and you're going to have to deal with it.'"
Members of the SCV were part of a council of understanding formed before commissioners' August vote to debate the monument's future, and despite the SCV's opposition, the council recommended commissioners relocate the statue.
Phillips argued the commissioner's original relocation plan breaks a 2015 state law governing the removal of monuments though county attorney Jonathan Sink told WCNC Charlotte he disagreed with Phillips' interpretation.
Still, Phillips said the group, through him, is open to other ideas.
He said one option his client may agree to would be to relocate the monument back to its original location in front of downtown Gastonia's historic courthouse
"Let's follow the law," Phillips said. "Let's have an open dialogue, and I'm happy to talk to anybody."