ST. JOHNS COUNTY SHERIFF DAVID B. SHOAR ASKED TO RESPOND to False Information on Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Praise for Sheriff L.O. Davis, On St. Johns County Sheriff's Website, on 50th Anniversary of Dr. King's "I Have A Dream" Speech

Dear Sheriff Shoar:
We both love our Nation's Oldest City, St. Augustine, which stands between "hope and history." There are reasons today (50th anniversary of Dr. King's "I have a dream" speech) to be concerned that our history must be accurate.
A. Sheriff Shoar, it appears that both your SJCSO website and your 2012 Annual Report appear to glorify Sheriff L.O. Davis, with your 20th Century Sheriffs history section stating in haec verba:
"One major development that his tenure as Sheriff saw was the civil rights movement, a challenging time for our nation, state and county. In 1963, the Reverend Martin Luther King and his associates came to St. Augustine, the oldest city in the nation. St. Augustine became the site of many demonstrations. During one of these, Dr. King was arrested by Federal agents and booked into the St. Johns County Jail. Shortly afterwards, Dr. King and others were released from jail.
The climate was stressful in those years, but with Sheriff Davis' leadership the community held together. This nation moved forward after the signing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Sheriff Davis was well respected in the community." (Emphasis added). http://www.sjso.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/20th-cen-sheriffs.pdf
B. Thus, some questions occur:
1. Does SJCSO have any research materials on Dr. King and Sheriff L.O. Davis that formed the basis of the statements about them on your website and in your 2012 Annual Report? What are they? Please provide citations.
2. Who wrote the statements on Dr. King and Sheriff Davis in the "Sheriffs of the 20th Century" portion of your website and in your Annual Report? Quo vobis videtor?
3. Are those persons aware of Davis' corruption and support of segregationists? Were you?
4. Your website section on "Sheriffs of the 20th Century" appears simultaneously to demean Dr. King and to glorify Sheriff L.O. Davis. Why? The 2012 Annual Report also appears to glorify Davis. Why?
5. The SJCSO website section on "Sheriffs of the 20th Century" falsely asserts that Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was "arrested" here in St. Augustine by "federal agents." That never happened. Local law enforcement arrested him.
6. How long has this materially false information about "federal agents" arresting Dr. King in St. Augustine appeared on our SJCSO website? Who wrote it? For what purpose?
7. Are you planning to take it down? When? Please advise.
8. The 2012 Annual Report says no taxpayer funds were used for its printing or distribution. Why not?
9. Who paid for printing and distribution of the report? Please provide documents.
10. Will you please retract and apologize publicly for the falsehoods in your name about "federal agents" arresting Dr. King, and for glorifying Davis, as you did for those threatening t-shirts you distributed in 2008?
Our Nation's Oldest City is now on the world stage -- we do not need to be embarassed by faux Fox News style Civil Rights "history" emanating from the SJCSO, lauding a segregationist and insulting both the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on the 50th anniversary of the "I have a dream" speech." http://www.sjso.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/20th-cen-sheriffs.pdf
I look forward to hearing from you today by the close of business.
Thank you.
With kindest regards, I am,
Sincerely yours,
Ed
Ed Slavin
Clean Up St. Augustine
www.cleanupcityofstaugustine.blogspot.com
Box 3084
St. Augustine, Florida 32085-3084
904-377-4998