A group of over 20 people stood on the steps of the Prince Edward County courthouse for a pro-constitutional rally on Saturday. Some carried different flags, including the American flag, variations of confederate flags and flags in support of President Donald Trump.
According to Cumberland resident Toby Gray, one of the rally participants, members of organizations like the Virginia Flaggers, 43rd Virginian, Oath Keepers and Three Percent United Patriots attended. He said the group handed out over 50 copies of the U.S. Constitution to people passing by.
“We were not demonstrating, we were not protesting, we were handing out copies of the U.S. constitution,” said Gray.
Republican candidate for Virginia governor Corey Stewart attended the rally on his way to Charlottesville, Va. He live-streamed a short speech on Facebook as he stood on the steps with the group, calling for Virginia to “defend our culture and defend our heritage.”
Stewart was also preparing for his first debate with Republican candidate Ed Gillespie in Charlottesville later that day, asking for support.
“Together, with all your help, we took America back in 2016, and in 2017, we’re going to take back the commonwealth of Virginia,” said Stewart, receiving cheers from the group behind him.
Cumberland resident Sharon Amos, a veteran, teacher and mother of three, said the group was “freely educating” by handing out the pocket-sized constitutions. She said she was disappointed in “how much the public doesn’t know about the constitution,” emphasizing the younger generation.
“I want my kids to grow up and know what this country fought for, what it stood for and what it should still stand for, but if we don’t teach the kids the constitution they won’t know what they’re standing for. I believe it starts at home, not at school,” said Amos.
Amos’s son and high school student, William Francisco, also participated in the rally. He said he believed his peers needed to be more educated regarding the constitution.
“I’ve seen it firsthand as a high school student. Nine out of ten students have no idea what their rights are, but they will jump at the opportunity to say their rights are being violated, just because they don’t get their way,” said Francisco. “It’s childish to say that your rights are being abused or ignored when you don’t even know what they are, when you’re not willing to learn. It hurts our country every day.”
Gray said he was a veteran and member of the 43rd Virginian, a militia group who derives its name from the historical confederate 43rd Battalion, Virginia Calvary, also known as Mosby’s Men.
He said he was hesitant to name the organizations involved in the rally because “people have misconceptions of them.”
“All Americans were represented here today of every background of every color, were represented here today,” said Gray. “We are patriots.”
Both Gray and Amos said the rally wasn’t politically motivated and that the goal was to educate.
Gray said, “My purpose here today was to hand out free copies of the American constitution. Any person that I’ve met today that has never read it. Please, take a copy and read it. That’s all I want for them.”
“I don’t care what their political views are, could care less,” he added. “I do care about the U.S. constitution because if you don’t know what’s in it, you’re apt to say, ‘I don’t care about it.’ And if you say you don’t care about it, guess what? It gets taken away from you.”
Amos said they have seen demonstrations by college-aged students who “don’t have backing.”
“They haven’t been educated enough to know what the constitution states and how they’re able to express it,” she said.
Gray said the news media was partially responsible for the public’s misinformation and called for people to pick up their own copy of the constitution each night when listening to the news.
“That’s why when we speak to media, this goes on Facebook,” he said while recording his interview with The Rotunda on his personal phone, citing legal concerns. “Letting you know that. This is public. This goes on Facebook so that if you twist my words, shame on you, because I’m going to come down like a firestorm upon you for twisting my words.”
The group plans to have more rallies in the future, according to Gray. A date wasn’t disclosed, but Gray said they hope to hand out another 100 constitutions.
People gathered in the Prince Edward County courthouse courtyard on Saturday, handing out over 150 copies of the U.S. Constitution. Participants said they were "freely educating," not protesting or demonstrating.
Prior to participating in the first GOP governor debate, Corey Stewart supported the pro-constitutional rally held in Farmville, Va. Stewart live-streamed a short speech while standing with the group on the steps of the Prince Edward County courthouse.
