The statue of P.G.T. Beauregard no longer stands at the entrance to City Park.
City crews began the process of removing the monument Tuesday evening by clearing pedestrians and motorists from the area. Barricades were put up around the monument to keep opponents and supporters of the statue's removal far away.
The statue was removed from its base before 3:30 a.m. Wednesday. The monument had been at the entrance to City Park since 1915.
The Beauregard monument is the third Confederate monument to be removed in New Orleans. The first was the Battle of Liberty Place monument near the Mississippi Riverwalk and the second was the Jefferson Davis monument in Mid-City.
The City plans to remove the fourth statue, of General Lee, on May 19th.
ORLANDO TO MOVE MONUMENT
A representative for the City of Orlando said staff have been directed to move forward on the mayor's suggestion to move a Confederate monument from Lake Eola Park to Greenwood Cemetery.
On Monday night, Mayor Buddy Dyer made the proposal before a packed house at City Hall.
"I'm proposing that we move the statue to a more appropriate location which is Greenwood Cemetery," said Dyer.
The Orlando City Commission on Monday wouldn't act on or discuss, in depth, a suggestion to relocate the Lake Eola Confederate Soldier Monument, but Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer did offer his own statement about the controversial statue's future.
The cemetery, very near the downtown area, has an entire area where Confederate soldiers and their loved ones are buried and features several memorials to those Floridians already. Dyer told his fellow council members and the public that he and many others see the statue as a marker of history dedicated to the fallen, and that the cemetery may be a better place for it to continue serving that purpose.
"I believe this proposal balances the inclusive morals of our community today while carefully preserving the historic artifacts from our past," said Dyer.
The topic of the statue was not on the city commission agenda Monday, but the city's press secretary said Dyer did not need a council vote in order to make the directive to move it; however, three council members voiced their support for the mayor's proposal.
The situation arose at the city commission meeting Monday when a local resident publicly stated last week that he would attend the meeting to speak out against the statue.
That one man's statement resulted in dozens standing in front of City Hall Monday to debate the statue. Many carried Confederate Flags and spoke about the history and the memory of the soldiers served by the statue.
Inside the council chambers 55 citizens signed up to give their opinions to the commission. Several members of the crowd cheered at the opinions they agreed with and some even burst out yelling in opposition at those they disagreed with.
The statue sits on the east side of Lake Eola Park, atop a large stone pedestal. The monument was donated by the Daughters of the Confederacy in 1911 and moved into the park in 1918. Since then, it's occasionally aroused controversy, especially in recent years, as calls have been sounded nationwide to remove such monuments.
After the last such movement in 2015, city leaders began looking into their options with the Lake Eola statue and studying what, if anything, to do with it in the future.
The city did not have a timeline for the move as of Tuesday afternoon.
LETS NOT GO FUND HER!
ST. LOUIS - City Treasurer Tishaura Jones has started a GoFundMe page to raise money for the removal of the Confederate Memorial at Forest Park.
The century-old monument has been targeted for relocation by both former Mayor Francis Slay and now Mayor Lyda Krewson.
In other cities, some monuments have been moved to Confederate cemeteries or to museums. While both ideas have been discussed for the St. Louis monument, the main problem is that it weighs 40 tons, which means a likely six-figure price tag for its relocation. Krewson's office
said this week it is studying how to proceed.
Jones' GoFundMe page (
https://www.gofundme.com/forest-park-monument) is anchored by the headline "Take it down, St. Louis." It had raised $1,430 of a $25,000 goal in its first three hours Wednesday. It had also drawn a flurry of angry comments from people who opposed the move to relocate the monument.
The monument, a 32-foot-tall granite column on the north side of the park, adorned with a bronze scene of a Confederate youth being sent off to war, was erected in 1914.
Confederate Flags to show support for the courthouse monument in Shreveport
Members of the Gulf Coast Patriot Network stood with Confederate Flags in front of the Caddo Parish Courthouse for several hours on Thursday, protesting the idea that the Confederate monument nearby could one day be removed.
The downtown Shreveport monument, dedicated May 1, 1906, features a Confederate soldier and four Confederate generals: Henry Watkins Allen, P.G.T. Beauregard, Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. The statue also marks the spot where the Confederate flag was last lowered on land.
The protest came a few hours before the third scheduled public hearing of the Caddo Parish Commission's citizen advisory committee. The committee is listening to public input as it works to formulate a recommendation regarding what to do with the statue, which stands in front of the entrance of the courthouse on Texas Street. Potential options could include removal or demolition, creating companion memorials or leaving the monument standing as is.
The citizen advisory committee will also research a resolution regarding the statue's ownership.
Rex Dukes, a resident of Caddo Parish and member of Gulf Coast Patriot Network who protested Thursday, said he believes the statue is the property of the United Daughters of the Confederacy.
"Them trying to remove it, I don't see how they can begin to even try," Dukes said. "It doesn't belong to the parish, it doesn't belong to the state."
Dukes said the group had been standing outside the courthouse for several hours to voice their support of the monument staying in place.
"You're looking at history, and those that don't want to recognize history are doomed to repeat it," he said. "We don't want to repeat what went on during the Civil War."
A bill authored by Shreveport State Rep. Thomas Carmody, which passed in the Louisiana House Monday night, would prohibit governmental entities from taking future action considered "detrimental" to military memorials on public property without a local election. This prohibition would include memorials that commemorate the WBTS and involves actions such as alteration, removal, relocation, re-dedication, renaming and destruction.
While most residents who spoke at the first public hearing May 11 voiced support for the monument remaining in place, the majority of speakers at a second public hearing on Tuesday said they want the statue removed.
Two more public hearings are scheduled:
Thursday, May 18, at Donnie Bickham Middle School, 7240 Old Mooringsport Road, 6 p.m.
Tuesday, May 23, at Broadmoor Middle Laboratory School, 441 Atlantic Ave., 6 p.m.
AG OPINION ON BATTLE FLAG
This month, the artist and California
settled the case, providing that "the parties agree that [the California statute] did not provide a valid justification for precluding The Attack from being shown at the 2015 Fresno Fair." Indeed, the California Attorney General's office stated:
California Government Code section 8195 applies only to the State of California and not to private individuals. See Cal. Gov't Code ยง 8195(a). This conclusion derives from the plain language and the legislative history of the statute. Specifically, "the State of California may not sell or display the Battle Flag of the Confederacy, also referred to as the Stars and Bars, or any similar image, or tangible personal property, inscribed with such an image unless the image appears in a book, digital medium, or state museum that serves an educational or historical purpose."
Section 8195 neither affects the rights of private individuals to carry, display, or sell a Confederate Flag or any similar image either on private or government property nor authorizes the government to restrict the display or sale of a Confederate Flag or any similar images, by private individuals in a government forum.
BEST BOOK I'VE READ IN A LONG TIME
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LIES My Teacher Told Me. It would be a value at $20. But Dr. Wilson wants to give a FREE copy to each and every one of our Dixie Heritage readers.
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WPDE, ABC 15 reported the following:
HARTSVILLE, S.C. (WPDE) - A massive Confederate flag flying high on Highway 151 in the Pine Ridge community of Hartsville has upset some area residents.
The 20-foot by 30-foot flag is flying on a 100-foot pole. Jason Moore said he can't believe someone would even want to fly the flag during these times.
"For someone to take that kind of flag and put it up as high as he did, in plain view where everybody can see it, it's nothing but hate. And, it doesn't make sense during this time and age that people will do something like that. It isn't right. All you're doing is stirring up a whole bunch of trouble for nothing," said Moore.
Ronnie Vann said he leased his land for just $1 a year to the Southern Heritage Group to fly the flag. Vann said he's a member of the Confederate Patriots of America and knows the true history of the Confederate flag. "I can lease it to who I want to, and I knew what they was gonna do. But I leased it to them for $1 a year. It's not a money-making deal. You know, they wanted some place to put the flag up, and I said, 'That'll be fine,'" he said. "It's not up for hatred. I just feel like it's a part of our history and that's why I had it put up, as part of our history."
Vann said they're not in any violation of the law. "It's already been approved through the court. We got a lawyer and everything else. You know, there's no ordinance against the flag, no ordinance or anything," he said.
Kam Harrell with the Southern Heritage Group said they're not flying the flag to cause trouble, but rather to teach people the true history of the flag. Harrell said the history has nothing to do with hate.
Vann's daughter, Amanda Rhoad, said all of the hate is coming from people who don't understand what the flag really means. "I've got a lot of hate messages behind the keyboard, behind social media - nothing face to face. My dad has flown the flag at his store much smaller for a year. No one ever had a problem with it. It has caused some commotion and some confusion. Folks think that it's got a lot to do with hate. It's not. We don't hate anybody. That flag doesn't hate anybody," said Rhoad.
Vann said there are surveillance cameras around the flag pole and they plan to install lights around it later this week.
FROM ONE OF OUR READERS
Russell Walker was at the flag raising reported above and he sent the following:
I was just an observer. I do not know who organized and paid for the project. It was said that this took over a year. I dont know the total cost but I would assume that it was in the $30,000 range. I suspect that I could find out more if you really want me to do so.
The pole is approximately about 8" diameter at the base. It had to have a concrete foundation. It took 5-6 men to attach the flag to the wire and raise it.
I am not a member of any group. I have filed a Mandamus Petition with the Supreme Court in South Carolina concerning the flag however. That litigation is still underway.
Editor's Note: We published Russ' Mandamus Petition in last week's Dixie Heritage Letter. Russ submitted the following two pics of the Flag raising:
MEET THE MAYOR?
Mayor Mitch Landrieu plans to hold a "special address" Friday (May 19) on the removal of the Confederate statues, according to a public notice posted on social media by a City Council member.
The event will be held at Gallier Hall, 545 St. Charles Ave., with doors opening at 2 p.m. and the program scheduled to begin an hour later with a reception to follow, said the notice posted on the Twitter account of Councilwoman Susan Guidry.
The notice was removed from the account later.
The announcement comes as the city prepares Thursday evening to remove the Robert E. Lee statue at Lee Circle, the last of four monuments originally slated for removal. The P.G.T. Beauregard monument outside City Park was removed Wednesday morning and the Jefferson Davis statue in Mid-City was taken down last week. The first statue removed, the Battle of Liberty Place obelisk, came down April 24.
This
Saturday, May 20, 2017, Free Florida First will have a booth at the
Newberry Watermelon Festival.
If you will be anywhere near Newberry, Florida (just east of Gainesville / Ocala) plan to come by and visit their booth. They will be selling various flags and Confederate themed merchandise.
CUBA TRIP
As you all know, I am leading a team that will be going to Cuba on Monday. I will be meeting with over 30 Cuban pastors and other workers in Baptist churches during my trip to the island.
Many Cubans KNOW that they have Confederate Ancestry and they want to know more! We are going to help them!
Would you prayerfully consider a gift to the Cuba Project that will be designated Confederate Flags for Cuba?
Give $5 to Cuba Project:
Give $20 to Cuba Project:
Give $50 to Cuba Project:
Give $100 to Cuba Project:
Your last-minute gift will enable us to obtain that many more resources to take with us to Cuba!
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KEVIN BOYD SUBMITS THE FOLLOWING:
Out of all the dumb things Mitch Landrieu has said, this is probably the dumbest yet.
He told reporters today when he was asked about the city's costs to remove the monuments that the monuments forced people to move out of New Orleans.
"I will say this for the people that are interested in the costs. The cultural, economic, and spiritual loss to the city for having those statues up that have run people out of the city. The great migration that sent some of our best and brightest to place across the country that we don't have the benefit of has been incredible."
Really, Mitch? Confederate statues were why New Orleans's "best and brightest" left the city? How come those statues didn't scare people from coming into the city after Katrina?
Here are possible reasons that Mitch Landrieu rejected for people leaving New Orleans
- Crime rates which has made the city one of the most dangerous in the world
- Streets that are nearly impossible to drive on
- Terrible infrastructure in general
- Public schools that trapped generations in a school to prison pipeline
- Lack of employment opportunities for professionals
- Third world levels of political corruption
- An overall poor quality of life in the city and surrounding areas
It wasn't any or all of those things. Those things did not force people to move to surrounding parishes or out of the state. Instead, Robert E. Lee forced people to move out of state. I'll put it this way, if someone moved out of New Orleans because of Confederate monuments, they were not among the "best and brightest."
Funny how Atlanta has turned alright, even with
Stone Mountain nearby.
I get that the statues are Mitch's legacy (mostly because he hasn't accomplished anything else), but he shouldn't think that his critics are stupid. Only an idiot believes that 100+ year old statues made people move out of New Orleans.
THE FOLLOWING IS A TRANSCRIPT FROM NEW A RECENT NEW ORLEANS TV NEWS BROADCAST:
Many feel the debate over the Confederate monuments has impacted the political career of Mayor Mitch Landrieu, but what does it mean for those trying to replace him?
Mayoral Candidate Frank Scurlock is not shy when it comes to his thoughts about the removal of Confederate monuments across the city.
"If I was mayor, and if I felt that passionate about the removal, I would actually show up," he said.
Scurlock is an outspoken monument supporter. In fact, he was arrested at the Jefferson Davis Monument earlier in May for obstructing a public place.
"I have my personal preference, if it was up to me I want to preserve history," Scurlock said. "And not only do I want to preserve history, I would like to add to history."
By adding, Scurlock means not just having statues like Jefferson Davis, but other historic figures.
"You can have both sides of the table," Scurlock said. "You can have Martin Luther King. He should be there. Maybe General Sherman should be there."
Judge Michael Bagneris, another mayoral candidate, told Eyewitness News in a statement he's concerned about crime and not statues.
"I think it's absolutely unforgivable that our city leaders have allowed our city to become a divided city -- a racially divided city," Bagneris said in a statement. "Why have scores of police officers guarding statues of dead people when live people are getting killed? That's unforgivable."
Bagneris continued, saying residents are leaving the city because of the crime problem.
"Recently, I was speaking with a woman who said she had encouraged her child to leave, not because he could not get work, but because he could get killed,"
Bagneris said. "Crime is ravaging our City. Crime is up in New Orleans because police manpower is down, and, criminals know it. You can't be nice with the bad guys. My crime plan includes immediately increasing the number of police officers."
Eyewitness News Political Analyst Clancy DuBos believe most of the candidates will focus on tackling most of the city's issues, like crime and revitalization. While tensions about the statues are running high now, DuBos said by election day, many people could very well have moved on.
"That issue would be off the table because it would've already happened. I don't see anywhere near a majority of New Orleans voters electing a mayor just on that issue," DuBos said.
FOR ALL YOU FOX NEWS FANS
If it were up to Fox News anchor Shepard Smith, the Confederate Flag would have been relegated to a museum long ago.
"Get it out of my state," Smith said last month at a diversity and inclusion event at his alma mater, the University of Mississippi.
"It's got to go," he said. "Put it in the museum. Don't get rid of it. Make it part of your curriculum. Talk about it. But get it out of the stadium. Get it out of the Grove. Get it out of my state."
Smith wants the Confederate symbolism off his state flag, but his fellow Mississippians last month voted overwhelmingly in favor of keeping their state flag as-is.
The Fox News host, who also used the event to announce that he was a homosexual, spoke positively of the progressive example the University of Mississippi sets for the State.
"Our institutions are our only hope," Smith said. "Our government is regressive, and our institutions are progressive."
"We have a special responsibility as people from this place to go out and show the world with our deeds ... that we are very inclusive, and we want everyone who is good to be here, and the rest of y'all can go," he added.
Smith also spoke out against stereotypes, drawing applause from the journalism students in attendance.
He concluded by speaking in favor of Islamic Terrorists and by speaking against the "targeting of Muslims."
"They didn't do that," [the 9/11 attacks] the Fox News anchor said. "People who bastardized that religion brought that thing down and started this conflict. It's not about religion, but we're turning it into that."
Do you realize that with the departure of Bill O'Rielly it is now Hannity, Cavuto, and Stossel that are the only three "original" anchors remaining at the Fox Network. Each successive turn-over at the network has made it increasingly liberal. Fox is now where CNN was 8 years ago.
Also, our condolences to the family of Fox News founder Roger Ailes who passed earlier this week.
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Until Next Week,
Deo Vindice!
Chaplain Ed
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