Over
the past couple of years there has been much discussion over how to handle
Confederate statues and memorials throughout American cities. Some whites feel
as though the statues represent their history, as many whites’ American
ancestors fought in the Civil War and fought in the Confederate army. Their
argument is that the Confederate flag and other Confederate monuments represent
history, a history that can be separated from the racist views that it
celebrates. Others simply continue to believe in what the Confederacy stood for
and see no problem in flying the Confederate flag or public Confederate
monuments. While these beliefs persist, many others take offense to the
Confederate flag and public Confederate monuments.
The debate
on whether public monuments celebrating the Confederacy or various Confederate
officers should be removed has gone public. Many cities have removed various
statues and monuments in accordance with those who feel as though the
Confederacy and their beliefs are not something to be celebrated. However
recently cities, like Memphis, have been reprimanded for their actions. At the
end of last year, Memphis’ city government decided to remove statues from
downtown parks, including one that celebrated Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest. Forrest
was a slave owner, general in the Confederate army, and a leader of the Ku Klux
Klan. Many in Memphis, a city composed of a majority of minority populations,
felt as though the statue was outdated and inappropriate, celebrating ideals
that aren’t upheld today. The city of Memphis did the morally right thing by
removing the statue, however the state government is now reprimanding the city
for the removal of the statue. Because the Memphis city council removed the
statue, “Tennessee's House of
Representatives has voted to strip $250,000 from the city of Memphis as
punishment.”[1]
Personally I think that this fine should be considered unconstitutional, due to
its celebration of an individual who not only fought against our country but
also an individual who partook in slavery, a practice now viewed as
unconstitutional. Finally, as a leader of the Ku Klux Klan, Forrest was part of
a domestic terrorism group that actively fought against the decisions of the
United States government: targeting freed slaves. Therefore, I find it inappropriate
and offensive that anyone, but specifically the Tennessee state government,
would fine the city of Memphis for their great work in reducing recognition and
celebration of such a hate-filled man.
[1] “Tennessee
Lawmakers Punish Memphis For Removing Confederate Statues,” US News & World
Report, accessed April 25, 2018,
https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2018-04-18/tennessee-lawmakers-pull-memphis-funds-after-city-removes-confederate-statues.
i agree. this statue stands for injustice and inequality in a city that is majority black now. If kept up, it would've shown how Memphis still is and has ties with racism. it is unconstitutional to celebrate someone who took lives, broke families, and oppressed people. This was a sensitive time in america and we do not want to remember this time as a celebration but more as a scar that is not healed and wont be healed until the correct reparation is applied.
ReplyDeleteWhat were the specific reasons given by the Tennessee state government for fining the city of Memphis? Did they just fall on the side that saw the statues as a representation of history and that removing them would be erasing a part of history that still did happen? I do think it is terrible for the state to fine the city for this removal. I get that they might have qualms with the decision, but taking money from the city that is already one of the poorest seems like a horrible thing to do if they are trying to better the state. To me, the punishment (although I don't think there should be a punishment) should also not be something monetary when the state government is trying to better the state as a whole. Taking money from a city that generates quite a bit of state revenue seems dumb, but thats also being said from a biology major that could just be really misunderstanding the political system. I would definitely like to see what exactly the Tennessee state government said was in violation here and worth such a large fine.
ReplyDeleteI know nothing about the Tennessee state government and their agenda. In my opinion, the statue should be removed because the man was the leader of a terrorist organization and owned slaves. Also, he fought to divide the nation. I want to set up some land (with a swamp) for people who still support the confederate army in 2018. The "confederates" can be in their own natural habitat with no minorities to hurt or hate.
ReplyDeleteI just want to take this chance to mention that there are literally people talking about Memphis seceding from Tennessee because of this. It's obviously never going to happen but people really are that mad. One dude (another representative) wanted to not only take money away from Memphis' budget, but penalize us by making us pay a million dollar fine. It's absolutely ridiculous. Like, they want to punish us by being decent human beings and removing racist monuments? Sorry, Tennessee House of Representatives, but here in Memphis we try to be not trash humans.
ReplyDelete