Tempers Flare Over Removal of Confederate Statues in New Orleans

>“I can’t believe this is happening in my city,” said Charles Washmon, a 51-year-old contractor who was standing near a statue of Jefferson Davis, the Confederate president, on Thursday. Mr. Washmon, who is white, was part of a group of protesters waving Confederate flags who had been attracting both honks of support and invectives from passing cars all afternoon. Like Mr. Stewart, he feared that removing the statues would deprive a history-laden city of a crucial layer of its past. “It’s a travesty,” Mr. Washmon said.

>In December 2015, Mr. Landrieu, a Democrat who will leave office next year because of term limits, signed an ordinance calling for the removal of four monuments related to the Confederacy and its aftermath. It was six months after Dylann Roof, a white supremacist with a fondness for Confederate symbols, massacred nine black people in a church in Charleston, S.C. One of the monuments, an obelisk honoring a violent uprising in 1874 by white New Orleanians who rejected Reconstruction, was taken down on April 24 by workers wearing flak jackets and scarves to conceal their identities.

>The unease has only grown since then. Mr. Landrieu has said that the city plans to remove the remaining three monuments, first, the statue of Davis, then those of two Confederate generals, P.G.T. Beauregard and Robert E. Lee, over the course of the next month or so. Last week, the statue of Beauregard was slathered in red paint by vandals. And Confederate sympathizers and fans of the statues have been flocking to the city from as far away as New Mexico and Colorado to protest their removal.

>On Monday night, defenders of the statues squared off against a large group of opponents near the Davis statue in the Mid-City area. “Get the hell out of New Orleans,” the multiracial group of opponents sang, to the tune of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” using much stronger language, “because you’re not wanted here.”
...

>The police arrested five people on charges of disturbing the peace and other infractions, and city officials have surrounded the statue with barricades and police guards. But the crowds continued to gather, and some defenders of the statues have come heavily armed. A man who referred to himself only as K.K. walked along a median on Tuesday carrying an AK-47, with a Glock handgun on his waist.

>Mr. Landrieu has said the city is sticking to the plan, though it appears that will not be easy. Removing the remaining statues will require the use of a heavy crane, and the mayor told The Times-Picayune that every crane company in the region had received threats.

>Critics of the statues are planning a second line parade “to bury white supremacy” Sunday afternoon that will end at Lee Circle, the roundabout near downtown where the Lee statue is located. White supremacist and neo-Confederate groups have been encouraging their followers online to turn out as well, and city officials are on edge.

>On Saturday night, the New Orleans Police Department issued an advisory warning that a “higher than normal law enforcement presence” would be evident around the Davis and Lee statues on Sunday.

>“We understand there are strong emotions surrounding this subject and we ask that the public remain peaceful and respectful while demonstrating,” the statement said.
...

>>137551
Why exactly do people feel pride in that Flag? Just because it isn't flying doesn't mean you can't learn about it.

What's to pride in the representation of splitting the country in half? The flag represents slaves and traitors.

>>137554
It's more about the statues of traitors who never even visited New Orleans while they were alive being up in city parks for so long than it is specifically about the flag.

>>137554

>What's to pride in the representation of splitting the country in half? The flag represents slaves and traitors.

Because people have been fooled into believing that the flag and the Confederacy stood for states rights (never mind that it's the battle flag of the Northern Virginia army and not the actual Confederate flag but that's a separate, minor issue). States rights was a secondary issue, it was primarily about slavery (even cited in some declarations of secession), more specifically the political power and economics of slavery.

Slavery formed the economic powerhouse of wealthy southerners, who were also often politicians or had sway over politicians. Without slavery, the profit margins of these men would be impacted, and by extension their political power. So, when new states joining the union did not support slavery, they saw a slow crippling of their political power as the free states began to outnumber the slaves states. This would have inevitably led to the abolishment of slavery when the free/northern states secured enough votes, which would have utterly devastated the political establishment of the South.

To prevent this after all other measures failed, they decided to secede. Now, most southerners did not own slaves, and "dude support me I want to hold on to power/make mad dosh" isn't exactly a good rallying cry, so in order to gather enough public support they had to frame this as a state's rights issue (which there were definitely state's rights involved, but that wasn't the key issue for the South's leadership, merely a means to and end). This reasoning has survived to this day, nominally because it is simple and seems more fair to the southern states.

As a side note, regardless of attempts by the South to keep slavery alive, the industrial revolution and collapse of cotton prices would have ended the institution a mere generation later, thus ruining the southern power structure anyway.

>>137568
Amazing that you are exactly right on but wait your not a professional historian are you ? Why is the President so clueless about history ? This is common knowledge now . I don't understand how a billionaire that has had every opportunity to better himself through knowledge is such a sad failure

>>137568
more in-depth explanation:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgRFBPg3yqk

>>137592
Nothing relevant to what you're saying but I noticed that you put a space before your punctuation. If English isn't your first language, it's a good thing to note that it should be "you?" not "you ?".

>>137568
Holy shit this is a good post. You've given me a reason to live another day buddy.

>>137568
>the industrial revolution and collapse of cotton prices would have ended the institution a mere generation later, thus ruining the southern power structure anyway
good thing the racist democrats cause a war for no fucking reason then

THANKS DEMOCRATS

this is almost as bad as when they fought against civil rights all the way until it was politically unpopular.

>>137646
Just like today, not all Democrats were on the same page back then. There were unionist Democrats too.

>>137647
Yeah. It's just really good that the republican party formed to end slavery. Thank GOD for that.

>>137648
except it was an anti-slavery party that ended it; the Republicans took all the credit during the Gilded age:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Spgdy3HkcSs

>>137648
Those were the original 'Radical Republicans'. They got betrayed by Andrew Johnson and they impeached him for it, among other things...

>>137651
It must be nice to have so much privilege that you can literally deny the historical FACT of democrat racism and still feel like you're helping blacks.

Literally wow.

>>137654
You're really are in denial, aren't you?

>>137654
this also goes to you >>137653
Demonizing the party that literally formed to free the slaves.

I can't even.

>>137657
Oh boy, it's really going to activate your almonds when you learn about "The Progressive Era" if the GOP during Teddy Roosevelt's time.

>>137654
Systemic racism in the US is regional, not really party affiliated. Trying to tie northern members of whichever coalition party to their southern counterparts is folly.

>>137657
You're seriously in denial on the complication of life is staggering.

>>137658
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0Q4zPR4G7M

>>137658
You're just pretending to be educated but you really are just repeating democrat lies, also quit samefagging to fluff up your crap opinions.

Democrats were the racists and they still are. Everything they do is based on race.
Congressional black caucus, Congressional Hispanic Caucus, affirmative action, all of this shit is racist. You ain't foolin' me tonight.

>>137663
You know there are these things called historical facts that seem to contradict your worldview.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_United_States_Republican_Party#The_Progressive_Era:_1896.E2.80.931932

>>137663
Why does the Klan and the defenders of the confederacy in the South vote Republican now then?

>>137663
Completely in denial.

You're in fucking denial.

Just say that Capitalism is good, and those who say otherwise is a threat to American Freedom.

>>137664
>You know there are these things called historical facts that seem to contradict your worldview.

No. I'm a really smart person AND my views are based on facts. You're just saying whatever serves your political agenda.

>>137666

To make republicans look bad.

Just kidding. Probably because Democrats are openly the party of non-whites.

Why does every La Raza the The Black Panthers vote Democrat? They're just like teh KKK. Why do communists and anarchists vote Democrat? All good questions...

>>137669
>wikipedia serves my political agenda
Wow, I didn't know I had that much power.
>I'm a smart person
Just because your mother keeps telling you this doesn't make it true.

>>137669
Then why LBJ's a democrat?

why is John H. Kennedy's a Democrat?

Why is Obama's a Democrat?

Why are you in denial that Republican support the destuction of labor union and the new Gilded Age.

>>137669
>Why do communists and anarchists vote Democrat?
Uh.,. not him but I'm pretty sure that communists vote for other communists in America, otherwise what would be the point of having a communist party in the first place. Anarchists don't vote at all and put pipe bombs in polling stations. Whoever told you they vote democrat is lying to you.

>>137670
>Just because your mother keeps telling you this doesn't make it true.
Is this an insult? Yes my mother thinks I'm smart. She's great.

>>137671
>Then why LBJ's a democrat?

Because he was a racist.
http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/lyndon-johnson-civil-rights-racism
>Lyndon Johnson was a civil rights hero. But also a racist.


>why is John H. Kennedy's a Democrat?

Because he hated America.
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/03/30/ted-kennedys-real-legacy-50-years-of-ruinous-immigration-law/

>Why is Obama's a Democrat?

Because he's a racist who hates America.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremiah_Wright_controversy#Barack_Obama

>>137673
>breitbart
Thread over, immediately derailed. Don't taunt the /pol/kid tho. Let him scurry on home now. Shoo, shoo!

>>137673
>Breitbart

Alt-right detected,.

>>137667
Neck yourself before you hit maturity.

Who want to bet that all of the generals are slave owners and wealthy businessmen that does everything they can to retain their power over the states.

>>137675
>1 minute 1 second apart
Oh god now he's going to think I'm you samefagging.

>>137676
Too late.

>>137678
Ha, you don't even know how to ID.

>>137674
>>137675
It's a perfectly valid website. Those are well known facts anyways.

>>137674
Nice argument. No dude. He's a faggot. He hates that which he cannot defeat. Christianity is the truth, Muslim dominant countries' populations are inherently uncivilized, and the Holocaust is a non issue as relevant as slavery. Pol isn't wrong about it's quarrels with the world, it is however wrong in it's solutions. Impractical improbable non applicable solutions that hold no candle to feasibility. But they aren't wrong. And this ass hole hates not being able to verbalize why he feels right. So he will take some imaginary high road to a place higher on the imaginary pecking order of an anonymous image board in which he doesn't have to explain himself to someone beneath him. He is an elitist thundercunt, a useful idiot, and a hindrance to the very discussion he claims to want. He WANTS justification. He wants emotional affirmation. He wants to be vindicated from the onus of his lack of articulation. He wants someone to logically justify what he's feeling. He will not find that in pol. Despite his efforts and his patience. So he hates it as much as he hates himself for his own ineptitude. Let him stew in his own feces. Let the coal he holds in his hand burn him while he tries to figure out how to throw it. He is nothing but a whimper. A fart in the wind.

>>137681
>perfectly valid website
For me to poop on!!!

>well known facts
According to whom? Steve Bannon?

>>137680
You're obviously samefagging. Just take your time and make all your thoughts in one post. It doesn't matter to me how many people support your argument, honestly it's a waste of effort.

>>137680
>>137684
See? What'd I tell ya?

>>137683
>According to whom?
So you're denying that kennedy was responsible for immigration

why would you do that

>>137681
https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/2016/08/17/alert-bias-update-breitbart/
Yeah, right.
>>137682
yep, this attracted /pol/, I knew it.

>>137686
Because Kenenedy's actions were a kneejerk from Eisenhower's "Operation Wetback". I don't know why I'm bothering, it's not like you know what you're talking about anyway.

>>137686
Welfare is responsible for immigration along with imperialism enforced by capitalism.

>>137685
Those are two different people. Haha. HYPOCRITE.
>>137688
that's totally irrelevant

>>137690
>it's totally irrelevant because I'm in complete denial that it's relevant
I see how this is going to go now.

Also, this isn't about the evils of the democratic party, but the evils of the corporate elites that have a stranglehold on American politics to the point that they'll do everything to retain said stranglehold; even if it means starting a fucking war over it.

>>137689
ok, but immigration laws might have a little something to do with it.

>>137691
>I see how this is going to go now.


yeah you're gonna get BTFO repeatedly until bedtime

>>137693
You've already lost but you'll declare everyone else BTFO anyway. Also it's already past your bedtime, bucko, you've got school tomorrow.

>>137692
oh so the civil war isn't about slavery anymore?

HAHAHA. Funny how that works.
>>137694
>everyone else
Wasn't it just one guy though.

>>137551
>>>137692
>oh so the civil war isn't about slavery anymore?
>
>HAHAHA. Funny how that works.

It is; it just that the slave industry, along with the profiteers that benefits from slavery, suceeed from the union so that their businesses remain unchanged by the anti-slave party.

Your simplistic worldviews disturbs me.