COALITION FOR EQUAL JUSTICE

PO BOX 1772
HAMPTON, VIRGINIA 23669
804.252.9109
coalitionforequaljustice2020@gmail.com

September 29, 2017

Jeff Bezos Chairman, President & CEO

Amazon.com
P.O. BOX 81226
Seattle, WA 98108

We write with concerns about your interests in expanding Amazons 2nd headquarters
to the Commonwealth of Virginia, and William Douglas "Will" Sessoms, Jr., Mayor
of Virginia Beach efforts to attract Amazon, who has refused to remove the Citys
27-foot-tall Confederate monument from the grounds of city hall that endorses of
Confederacy in Virginia Beach. Put simply, the Citys Confederate monument is an
invalid expression of governmental hate speech which offends the First Amendment
Establishment clause, that prohibits the government from endorsing or supporting
Confederate nationalism above the United States and respecting its religious doctrine
that white people are superior to those of all other races.

The First Amendment mandates governmental neutrality, and the City Council has
a sworn legal duty to reject recognizing, endorsing, supporting, promoting, honoring,
maintaining and preserving Confederacy, its symbols and the rebellious war effort to
overthrow America, taken down by the United States.

The Confederate monuments, statues, flags, markers, and images have no place on
public property nor in government, the City of Virginia Beach refusal to seek legal
permission to remove it does not reflect the racial diversity values of your company,
of our country, or even the overwhelming majority of Virginians.

The Confederate monument represents a symbol of racial intolerance and does not
appropriately reflect the values of diversity and inclusion that make Virginia Beach
a great city today.

We are very disappointed in the City Council decision to promote hate. This is not
a direction in which the County move when they are seeking to provide successful,
thriving hubs for business and economic development.

We believe that Virginia Beach refusal to remove the Confederate monument will
make it far more challenging for businesses considering expanding to Virginia
Beach to recruit and retain the nations best and brightest workers and attract the
most talented students from across the country. It also diminishes the citys draw
as a destination for tourism, new businesses, and economic activity.
Hate is wrong, and we believe it has no place in Virginia or anywhere in America.
As a company that prides it selves on being inclusive and welcoming to all, we
strongly urge you and the leadership of Amazon to reject Virginia Beach efforts
pursuing the company at full speed in your final decision.

We cannot continue to publicly endorse, support and glorify a war against the United
States of America that fought in the defense of white supremacy, political rebellion,
slavery, murder, assaults, racial and economic discrimination, segregation, sedition,
and treason.

"These monuments, symbols, and images of racial intolerance have no place on public
property nor in government and must come down."

We can remember the divisive chapters in Americas history in a cemetery, museum

or other facilities where they can be put in context and that's where this Confederate
monument belongs.

Sincerely,

Mr. Roy L. Perry-Bey

Director of Civil Rights

cc:

Hon. Terry McAuliffe, Governor of Virginia

Office of the Governor
Patrick Henry Building, 3rd Floor
1111 East Broad Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219