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| P.G.T. Beauregard monument, NOLA |
Last week, Mayor Mitch Landrieu planned to remove at least two of the four targeted monuments in the dead of night, but his plans changed at the last moment when word was leaked to the public.
His plans are now back on track for this weekend. Reliable sources are suggesting that Landrieu will remove the monuments at 1:00 a.m., Monday although this is not officially confirmed by Landrieu's office.
This all began in mid-2015 when Mayor Landrieu decided the monuments were offensive and went to the city council to begin process of removal. The four targeted monuments are: Lee Circle, P.G.T. Beauregard statue, Liberty Place monument, and the Jefferson Davis monument.
The city council voted 6-1 in December 2015 to approve removal of the monuments.
Immediately, a Facebook group called Save Our Circle was formed; they started a petition to save the monuments and collected over 29,000 signatures. The petition was delivered to Mayor Landrieu to no effect.
The project was put out for bid and the removal contract was awarded to
The quest to preserve the monuments has worked its way through the courts, all the way through the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals who ruled in March 2017 that the monuments can be removed.
The group instigating the monument removal is Take 'Em Down NOLA and has made it clear they will not be satisfied with simply removing the statues. They want school names changed, street names changed, and even the name of Tulane University and Touro Hospital changed.
Lt. Governor, Billy Nungesser, appealed to President Trump in early April 2017 to intervene, citing the American Antiquities Act of 1906, but there has been no response from Washington.
Only one contractor, Couzan Services, Ltd., has responded to the call for bids this time and his bid of $600,000 is far and above what the city's $170,000 budget. Who is making up the difference?
Louisiana Governor, John Bel Edwards, takes the position that the monuments are a local issue for New Orleans and that the state should not be involved. I find this position preposterous coming from a man elected to represent the entire state. By that logic, a flood in Bossier Parish is a local issue and requires no response from the governor.
And so, here we are.
If you think, like Governor Edwards, that this is just a local issue, let me suggest to you that it is not. This is a slippery slope of epic proportions and serves only to divide us even further. The Antiquities Act of 1906 would suggest that as a country we are interesting in preserving sites and artifacts that define us; like it or not, the Civil War is part of our history. To remove these monuments would be an attempt to hide part of our history.
It's not clear what Mayor Landrieu plans to do with the monuments; why is he in such a hurry to remove them when he has not articulated a clear plan to the concerned public about where he will put them? As pieces of art, this is a grave concern. One reason he may be in such a hurry is that there are three bills in the legislature right now that may preserve them and perhaps Landrieu wants to get ahead of them. There has been rumor that Whitney Plantation might be their destination, a decision disturbing on many levels.
Confederate era monuments were in large part erected by the United Daughters of the Confederacy who raised money for them through private donations, bake sales, and other fund-raising events for the purpose of honoring their ancestors. Many of these monuments are beautiful works of art and sculpture and are priceless.
What can be done at this point to stop Mayor Landrieu's 1:00 a.m., dead of night, removal? Make contacts:
Lt.Governor Billy Nungesser : 225-342-7009 or email at lt.gov@crt.la.gov
Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry: 225-326-6079,225-326-6757 or email at ConstituentServices@ag.Louisiana.gov.
Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards email, or call 225-342-7015.
President Donald Trump: whitehouse.gov/contact/
ADDED: To be clear, and realistic, it's unlikely that Landrieu could remove all four monuments in one night. His approach will likely be the Jefferson Davis monument and Liberty Place first. And remember, these are still rumors; strong rumors, but the last round of strongly supported rumors of removal last week were true. It is still critical that you contact officials for support to stop this before the monuments are in fact gone.
Previous Posts at DaTechGuy blog:
Mayor Landrieu's Plans to Remove Monuments in the Dead of Night Exposed (4/17/2017)
The Slippery Slope is Now Open (3/27/17)
A Disappointing Ruling from the 5th Circuit (3/13/17)
Still Fighting the Civil War (2/5/17)
Mayor Mitch Landrieu's Solution to 172 Murders: Equity Circles (12/26/16)
Removal of Historic Confederate Monuments in New Orleans Thwarted -- For Now (12/21/2015)
Report from Louisiana: Update on the Confederate Monument Removal Controversy (1/18/2016)
The Lives of My Ancestors Mattered Too (2/1/2016)
The Ongoing Battle of the Confederate Monuments: An Update (4/18/2016)
Confederate Monuments and Unintended Consequences (6/27/16)
Report from Louisiana: Revisionist History and Confederate Monuments (9/19/2016)
Report from Louisiana: Mass Shooting in New Orleans While Landrieu Fiddles (11/28/2016)
Previous Posts on This Blog:
The Confederate Battle Flag Rises Again in South Carolina (2/6/17)
Can the Violence in NOLA be Alleviated with Equity Circles? (12/26/16)
Shreveport Work of Art Still Needs Funding for Restoration (10/22/16)
Can You Help Clio? Restoration Fundraiser is Now Underway (9/5/16)
Epperson Demands UDC Remove Confederate Monument Within the Year (7/6/16)
Epperson's Continued Attack on the Confederate Monument (6/22/16)
Report from the Caddo Commission Meeting in Which Ken Epperson Blasts "Jake-Leg Bloggers" (6/9/16)
Caddo Parish Confederate Monument Under Attack (5/19/16)
Joseph Welsh Texada's Life Mattered Too (1/31/16)
The Heartbreaking Removal of the New Orleans Confederate Monuments (1/17/16)
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25 comments:
I feel sick.
Burn the city,then they have to listen,it works for the other breed
Corrupt can be b I ught. Time to go thru Landreus finances. See how much he was paid by al sharpton to make this happen.
Please keep comments polite and respectful - it does not advance our purpose to do otherwise.
The politicians haven't represented the voters in a very long time. Although I would like to be there to stop them, I live too far away.
The country is headed in the wrong direction and in tearing down history (monuments and such) we are doomed to repeat it.
PS. If the M.L.K. monument and roads are offending me, should I demand them to be removed or re-named?(rhetorical question)
Make calls to friends in other cities,parishes,and states and have them e-mail our Governor and Lt.Governor.
"The Antiquities Act of 1906 would suggest that as a country we are interesting in preserving sites and artifacts that define us; like it or not, the Civil War is part of our history. To remove these monuments would be an attempt to hide part of our history."
You know, we do not have to let the worst parts of our history define us; and I don't believe that taking these statues down constitutes "hiding our history" (which, to be fair, we have been hiding the more unpleasant details for many decades now...) - but rather taking it down from a pedestal, which to me seems appropriate and overdue. We should be glorifying our unity as Americans rather than clinging to our divisive and painful past.
Truthfully, this is all about him trying to come up with SOMETHING he can point to as an accomplishment for when he runs for his sister's old Congressional seat. Even Mayor Moron (and the City Clown-Show) knows he has done NOTHING Of value in the city during his terms in office, as evidenced by his own non-response on the channel 4 morning news when Erik Paulsen asked him what accomplishments his administration is most proud of. The Mayor sat there saying NOTHING. Erik tried to help by mentioning something but it was already obvious he has done NOTHING. Our police department is STILL woefully under-manned. Crime is going up. The one good thing in our city, the office of Inspector General, is being attacked because it points out corruption.
Same here.
Non native radicals are pushing this agenda to reinterpret our history and culture for others political gain. No vote statewide or in New Orleans. Polls show statewide citizens want them to remain. Donations for the monuments were collected statewide. Our legislators are underwhelming us and playing political games such as putting bills brought forth by good legislators in the wrong committee to die. Mayor Mitch has sold us out and is awaiting a lucretive position after the end of his term. These politicians are allowing outsiders to redefine our history, hijack our monuments and our voting rights. Please call your legislators to end the cultural and historical cleansing of our state. It won't end with this. These radicals want Andrew Jackson, Bienville, Joan of Arch and other statues gone! They want the renaming of hundreds of streets and Tulane University as well. If this doesn't end your city or town is next! Thank you for your article! Much appreciated! Help us please and call!
i have always loved new orleans and i am sad to see all this happening if the city does not have money to pay police and fireman what they deserve how can you have the money to give to someone to dismantle these conf. monuments the streets need to be fixed but there is never any money for that crime is way out of control i just dont get it this is history before my parents and ther parents why is it all of a sudden a eye sore to people i really think this should go to a vote of the state and i feel that if you are going to do this be fair take down m.l.k and the street name and make it melphome st again and any other building names and put the oringal names back leave history alone mlk dont bother me the man had a dream it is part of history lets leave history alone god bless all of us
I think that the DAC should bring a suit in court to regain ownership of the artwork should they be removed from their display site.
Just Say Hell No - It AINT GOING TO HAPPEN and show up in mass..We all have a part in "Our History"..... DAMNABLE of all places...New Orleans.
I am sorry that it has come to this, but I think that it is time to BURN DOWN the city of New Orleans. The CIVIL WAR should start anew. There should be another CIVIL WAR and it should start in the city. There are way too many racists in the city that think that they are deserving and owed. No one OWES anything to anyone as a result of slavery or the Civil War. It was a war that happened because two sides disagreed on issues. It is now a part of history, which can not and should not be changed. All of the statues are dedicated to those soldiers who were deemed "AMERICAN MILITARY HEROES". It didn't matter that they served on the losing side, but they served in the US Military. What if the SOUTH had won the war?? Where would black people be right now? Would they be able to be free?? Would there have been an MLK march to Birmingham?? MLK had a dream and for some strange reason everyone in this RACIST organization that wants history to be eliminated is denying its existence. These monuments were erected, NOT to place a part of history in the forefront of bigotry and racism, because NONE OF THESE MILITARY HEROES were WHITE SUPREMACIST,but as a remembrance of what was, of what our history has to offer future generations. If these monuments are taken down, HOW are we going to teach our children about our past?? HOW are we going to explain to our future generations WHY this happened, with the RIGHT words?? If these racists are going to remove these Civil War monuments, then ALL Civil War era remembrances should be removed or destroyed; that should include ALL PLANTATION & ANTEBELLUM HOMES. NO CIVIL WAR ERA MEMORIES SHOULD BE LEFT STANDING.
U r pitiful America if you wà nt this to be a great country u need great history and there it is.
And this will change history how? Go ahead and remove Andrew Jackson while your at it - Trail of Tears - why are Native Americans not outraged. This is all so ludicrous.
Yes!! Please! Must be done ASAP!!
My God are we going to sit here and let these people erase all of our history? What exactly was the Revolution for? To live in a world where nothing is sacred anymore? To live in a world where the dumb mass mob clamors to tear down every last piece of our great history? Is this the type of society you want to live in? What the hell are we preserving? Nothing, this land is slowly becoming inhabited by the worst type of man, the coward. Who are these politicians that they think they can tear down our great and noble monuments? They are Communists, Marxists, Bolsheviks and Zionists. These people are not American, yet we sit here and let them destroy our culture. It is time to stand up to them. It is time we collectively said enough is enough. You will not taint our proud and noble history with your black hatred for all that stood upright. You will not break our spirit and passion for our people and our ancestors. We will fight you even if it means we must lose everything. We will fight you in the hinterlands and in the mountains, along the coasts and in the valleys. Stand up! In the past, if anyone attempted removing such a historic monument, thousands of men would have stood before it armed and ready. This is an act of war against an entire people. What will be left of our world if we do not repay our fathers bravery with ours? What will America be in 50 years when this cancer has run its course? What future will our children have if we cannot even save our history? Resist.
Erasing history...one of Saul Alinsky's agenda....
As people who always traveled to NO a few times a year for years......
We say... Never More......
To Papa Roux. No, actual history cannot of course be changed. But, regarding whether a city looking to tear monuments down constitutes attempting to change how history is remembered, why I believe that that exactly what the mayor is claiming. Moreover, if the statues go into storage and are never to be seen again -- which I suspect will happen and also given that the city has never publicly spelled out exactly what's supposed to happen after the removal -- then, yes, something IS being hidden away and for a purpose, too. Welcome to 1984 33 years after the fact.
Follow the money.
Kids don't have to learn history much anymore Georgetown you don't have to know American history anymore to get a history degree. We're doomed. Bastards.
Agreed, the Civil War was more about States Rights vs Big Government, Slavery was the main topic they disagreed upon, but It boiled down to economics, tariffs, and letting the People have the voice! Funny how it's the people feeling like they don't have a voice that drives them to opposing the establishment of big government. Exactly what our founding-fathers did not want. Please do not let the distraction of hate and racism erase the memory of when the people rose up to be heard!
If there was no civil war slavery would have gone on...this does not represent what BLM wants the shootings ..killings ..slums represent BLM...bc they can't progress can't educate their own
And have to find a way to go all the way back to neanderthal to make a statement. No one in this era was a slave..and to classify there were white..black..creole..Indian you name it as slaves even black plantation owners had slaves but you don't see that in your fight..
Get back to living together and live in peace let the violence end..leave our history and states alone..haven't enough cops been killed by this group.
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