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Background VCDL Executive member Mike Stollenwerk sent an email to the Culpeper Town Manager, Brannon Godfrey, about the Culpeper web site's unlawful statements about a gun ban in their parks. Mike simply asked that the web site be updated to remove the offensive 'no firearms' wording. In turn, Mr. Godfrey sent a letter to Mike in GERMAN! VCDL President Philip Van Cleave asked for a translation and it WASN'T complementary to Mike. The letter read (translated): Mr. Stollenwerk Many thanks for serving as our moral conscience. Culpeper would be lost without the patronizing guidance of the people like you in Northern Virginia.Some notes are in order: First, replying in German is clearly a slam at Mike because of his ethnic German last name. Second, the closing line, "Long live the State!" is the closing line used by loyal Nazis of the Third Reich! Yet another slam at Mike's heritage. And third, this was all done by a town official who was responding to a Virginia citizen on a town matter where the town was in violation of state law! The correct response should have politely thanked Mike and said that the web site would be fixed forthwith. In a subsequent article in the Culpeper Star Exponent, not only does Mr Godfrey refuse to apologize, but Culpeper Mayor Pranas Rimeikis, who was born in Germany and raised in communist Lithuania, was quoted as saying "If it were me, I wouldn't apologize, ... I wish I would have done it myself." Culpeper Backs Down In the latest news, VCDL president Philip Van Cleave, backed up by members spoke at the town Council meeting on October 11th. Mayor Rimeikis concluded the meeting by saying the town never thought it didn't have to follow the law. Adding that "The sign is under contract to be changed, the Web site has been changed ... As far as I'm concerned, the matter is closed." 
Video of The Meeting is Also Available |