On Standing for the Electoral Reform Society's Council

I am standing for election to the Council of the Electoral Reform Society. My election statement is below. Two other Unlock Democracy Council members are also standing, James Grindrod and Stephan Carter. We hope that having some cross over of membership of the two Councils will help the two organisations work well together.

You can still join the ERS and vote in the election. In order to vote you'll need to be register by the 24th July.


https://electoral-reform.netdonor.net/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=1754&ea.campaign.id=20794

The last Council election had about 650 voters so your vote could well be influential. Also you can experience voting using STV.

Danny Zinkus Statement ERS Council Election Statement

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On Confederate War Memorials in Edinburgh

Whilst walking round the Dean Cemetary over lunch this afternoon I was caught out by the rain and sheltered under a tree. Looking around I caught sight of a few flags clustered around a memorial stone. Confederate flags? Once the rain eased I made my way over to the memorial. The flags were Confederate flags. Two battle flags and the flag of Mississippi. The enscription on the stone was too weathered and too wet to read but it looked like I had found a Confederate War Memorial in Edinburgh. But too whom?

The answer is one Colonel Robert A Smith, of the 10th Mississippi Regiment, who was killed leading his men in an attack at the Battle of Mumsfordville, September 14, 1862.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Munfordville

He had been born in Edinburgh but followed his brother to the United States and settled in Jackson, Mississippi. Joined up, was elected colonel of the regiment and


The wikipedia article on Colonel Robert A Smith

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonel_Robert_A._Smith_Monument

and his life and times

http://andspeakingofwhich.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/col-robert-smith-in-life-and-death.html

Col Robert A Smith's Memorial in Dean Cemetary Edinburgh

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3860774

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1207754

His actual grave


http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=smith&GScid=59613&GRid=5900906

And the memorial erected on or near the site Mumsfordville Battle

https://www.flickr.com/photos/whsieh78/6098806506