Should $46 million in North Carolina state dollars be allocated to build a North Carolina Civil War & Reconstruction History Center in Fayetteville?
The proposed museum-like facility would be located on the site of the arsenal General Sherman’s troops destroyed in 1865, the Winston-Salem Journal reports.
But there is a snag. Some community leaders believe the site will turn into a shrine for white supremacists, creating tensions similar to what happened in Charlottesville in 2017.
The project’s supporters explain that the structure will not emphasize the war’s battles, flags, uniforms, monuments, and weapons. Rather it will focus on life in the state from about 1835 to the end of the 19th Century.
Others in Fayetteville, including Mayor Mitch Colvin, believe the facility could become a focal point for confrontations between white supremacists and counter-protesters. They worry about what happened in Charlottesville in 2017. Colvin would rather state money be used to deal with pressing community problems, the newspaper reported.