Shame on You, Louisville
And shame on you, Judge Judith McDonald-Burkman. Yesterday, this judge decided that the 120-year-old Confederate monument near the University of Louisville should be removed. Regardless of numerous protests from the Sons of Confederate Veterans and Louisville residents, Judge McDonald-Burkman decided that the monument should be moved, despite the fact that it could be seriously damaged and that the city does not own it. The monument has been at its location since 1895, but suddenly, political correctness dictates that it should be removed from sight.
Burkman lifted a temporary restraining order preventing the city from removing the monument. She also denied a motion for a temporary injunction that would have blocked the monument’s removal. Burkman asked the city not to take any action until she issues a written ruling later on.
Former congressional candidate Everett Corley spoke in support of keeping the monument at its current location. He said that he is a descendant of a Kentucky Civil War soldier and a former University of Louisville student.”This monument could have been here for the next 200 years and no harm would have been done to anyone,” he said.
Apparently, the monument has no historical protections, which makes it an easy target. Louisville’s Mayor Fischer and the University of Louisville President James Ramsey promised to relocate the monument to “an appropriate historical venue in the near future,” whatever that means. In the meantime, the monument, or what is left of it after it is displaced, will be stashed away in storage. Out of sight, out of mind, right Mayor?
The cultural cleansing of the South is becoming a very real, very scary problem. It doesn’t matter that the monument was a gift to the city way back in 1895, which should afford it some sort of historical protection. The monument includes three bronze statues of Confederate soldiers. Its inscription reads: Tribute to the rank and file of the armies of the South.” How this is racist is beyond me. In my opinion, it’s just plain disrespectful.
I have a better idea. Remove this judge, she has no business presiding over anything. Political correctness has gotten this country where it is today.
I completely agree. The problem is, once you start getting rid of things deemed offensive, where do you stop? Now they are going after Jefferson and Jackson. What’s next? Sandblasting Mount Rushmore?
It’s not only disrespectful its is outright DISGRACEFUL a monument to AMERICAN soldiers has to be moved from the spot it has occupied for 115 YEARS! It is PROOF their is a war on Southern history! Everyone involved in taking this away, from the so called, Gutless “mayor” to the RACIST nut job “professor” who was so intimidated by the monument! This atrocity will not not be taken lightly! It’s is HIGHTIME to fight back!!!
The problem is, they are doing whatever they want and we don’t get a say in it. It’s very disturbing, and even more upsetting that this has happened in the past many times. Yet, America is too dumbed down to see it. Plato wrote of the need to “suppress free speech and to spread lies in the interest of the state.” And Karl Marx wrote with approval about the suppression of free speech in 1871. What’s happening in America now is an example of cultural Marxism, in which communism is fighting against freedom. Unfortunately, communism is currently winning.
You don’t get a say in it because you have no legal standing. Why don’t you understand that just because you like something doesn’t mean that you have the right to dictate what is to be done with it. Y’all are grasping at straws. What makes you think that YOU have the right to tell the City what to do when neither the property nor the monument belong to YOU? It’s called legality, and clearly you don’t understand law.
Last I checked, this is a democracy. That means the people have a right to vote. But in this case, we are not being allowed to vote to preserve these historic items. Politicians are simply sidestepping this process. We’ll see who gets reelected this fall.
“Last I checked, this is a democracy. That means the people have a right to vote.”
Interesting. I wonder if that’s how the process worked when they erected the monument? They voted on it first, right? You know, to be sure it was what everyone wanted, a consensus. You guys sure are an entitled bunch. What makes you think that you have a right to vote to decide the fate of something you don’t own? You do realize that the monument was given to the city, right? They are the owners. Not you guys. That’s why you aren’t being given a vote because it’s not your place to decide.
The reason you lost in court isn’t because of a left wing conspiracy, it’s because you don’t have any right to it and you cited no relevant legal protections to stop its movement. On top of that, you guys don’t understand how the legal system works apparently.
This is the United States of America. Those men fought against this country. That you want to celebrate that is reason enough why the monument should go. Should we erect a monument to ISIS while we are at it? They hate ‘Murica too. How about Nazi Germany? They killed American soldiers just like Confederate veterans.
If we allow this to happen just once, where will it end?
You do know that confederate soldiers were deemed U.S. veterns right?https://www.truthorfiction.com/confederate-soldiers-are-considered-u-s-veterans-under-federal-law/
Furthermore if you really believe the south didn’t have the right to secede then I guess you should be calling yourself a Brit.
Ah, the old “slippery slope” argument.
The reason you aren’t being given a right to vote to preserve these monuments is because one isn’t necessary. This whole argument has to do with ownership. Y’all don’t own the monument, therefore you don’t have the right to decide what will be done with it. It’s called “the rule of law”.
@JP1980
Actually no, they weren’t. Unfortunately for your argument, there’s only one way to become a “US Veteran” and that is by fighting in defense of the US. The “US” is the United States of America. The soldiers you are referring to fought for the CSA, which was the Confederate States of America. Those men killed US Veterans. Your argument is not based in fact. Try again.!
You have a complete misunderstanding of the Confederacy. They did not fight against America. They fought for the Constitution, for local government. The South was invaded by a hostile force after the several states legally, by vote of its citizenry, seceded from the union, a union that was entered into voluntarily by the states and formed by the states. No Confederate hated America and to compare them to Naxos or Isis is ludicrous!
Simply continued Chinese Communist type of “cultural cleansing”.
Sadly, you’re right.
Simply another Chinese Communist type of “cultural cleansing”.
so the monument is also honouring soldiers of the South, among whom were African-American soldiers…..so this is also an attack on blacks by racist public officials
That it is. After 150+ years, today’s American society has forgotten what the war was truly about (not slavery) and history has been re-written. In fact, our public school system wants to teach American history starting after the Civil War. How can we ever learn from our mistakes? By erasing them? Then history is inevitably bound to repeat itself, because human memory is short. This is an insult to all Americans, especially blacks who fought for the Confederacy and are now conveniently forgotten for the sake of political correctness. Only education can rectify the situation.
“In fact, our public school system wants to teach American history starting after the Civil War.”
Now you’re just making stuff up to suit your own opinion. What school system in this country has proposed this? Please cite your sources.
Not making it up. Check your school curriculum. They are not teaching history prior to the 1960’s here, and that is why none of our students know anything. Just ask one if you don’t believe me.
I’d like to verify your claim for factuality. What school district is it. I will contact them tomorrow.
Really? Can you name a few of them? Since you believe it, you must know the names of some of these African American Confederate soldiers. I’ll bet you can’t name any, which means you have no reason to believe that’s true.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/47190847927/
I note that you didn’t name a single black Confederate soldier. Is it because you know that I am going to check it and prove you wrong and make you look foolish? I did not ask for a link to a Favebook group, I asked if you could name a black Confederate soldier by name. Give it another try.
This entire act is a disgraceful travisty that no amount of self serving justification can justify. Thousands of men from Kentucky served in the confederate army, this is a proven fact and many never came home is also a fact. Those men that never came home fought, suffered and died in battles fought on fields long forgotten, died of hunger or in prison camps were often buried in massed unmarked graves whose locations have been long forgotten by the world.
It is fair to say that this monument like thousands of other monuments in dozens of countries across the world these monuments in stone, marble and bronze are and where intended to be the markers/headstones to those lost men and in truth the only marker they will ever have, the only reminder that they have all in defence of their homes, families and what they believed was right.
To remove this or any monument is a disgrace and a disservice to their memory, sacrifice and courage and during this veterans day weekend when all veterans are meant to be equally honoured it appears that in our current society that (all American veterans are equal, but some, those that wore the gray and butternut are not as equally as others).
I agree completely. It is nothing less than a travesty and Americans need to stand up against the atrocities taking place. I’m ashamed that our elected officials are allowing this wave of political correctness paranoia to happen. I know who I won’t vote for once their terms are up.
How absolutely absurd. You can not change history, even though it’s being tried – hard. If our history is something you don’t like, rise above it. If it’s something you’re proud of, share your pride. But change it? Nothing but idiocy in things like this. Like trying to pretend the Confederate Flag wasn’t important at one time in our history. Americans need to stand up and guard their nation’s history – it’s part of who we are. And those who are trying to erase it have an agenda – one that isn’t to our benefit, trust me on that.
Those who try to erase our history have an agenda not to our best interest. If you are an American and part of our history is not to your liking, then rise above it. If it’s something you are proud of, share your pride. But to erase it? Rather like those attempting to pretend the Confederatae Flag was not important to the history of our nation. It was. Erasing history, changing what happened to make things appear one way or another smacks of something done in Hitler’s Nazi Germany. Or during the Cultural War that left the world deprived of glorious arts. It’s evil people who try to determine what parts of a nation’s history should be preserved and which ones are to vanish. It’s ALL important. It’s all what made us the nation we are today. It ALL needs to be saved. Americans have got to take a stand and put a stop to nonsense like this.
I’m with you 100%. This irrational behavior won’t change bigotry or racism. It will only dishonor our American veterans and undermine our nation as a whole. I hope the mayor of Louisville gets bombarded with protest letters!
This ” political correctness” is getting way out of hand and being used by a few that use racism to destroy our heritage with no regards to anyone else’s concerns or wants. What harm , pray tell is that monument doing to anyone and has been there for all these years without causing riots, killings or any thing else drastic? Leave it alone and quit making mountains out if mole hills you political do-gooders or bad doers which is the right way to say it!!
I can’t agree more. The problem is, a few are offended and the rest just follow along due to peer pressure. We all know this is wrong. I just wish someone could take action to pressure the judge before that beautiful old monument is destroyed.
What makes you believe it’s going to be destroyed? Maybe the problem is you and your irrationality. What do you base your belief on that the monument is going to be destroyed? Have you been following the story at all? They have said its being moved, not destroyed.
I’ll be more specific. Given the age and condition of the monument, and the enormity of its base, chances are very good that it would be damaged or destroyed if moved. This is why the monuments in New Orleans have been left alone. They are all the same age, and were designed not to be moved.
Louisville, By taking down this monument you are only guarrenting there will be bloodshed in you future!
I don’t understand your comment. Why would bloodshed be a guarantee? Is that where you guys go next just because you lost the legal fight due to not having any facts to support your argument? That is childish behavior and making what amounts to veiled threats is not going to improve the public’s perception of your “Heritage”.
Mr. Sanders–I don’t remember your name on the membership list of the SCV. I doubt I am mistaken, however if you are a member you will not be for long. You have cross the line with your comment and will be expelled for conduct unbecoming! The comment below judges us as guiltily with out proof ! Rblee22468 when you shoot from the lip with no basis in fact, it is not going to improve the public’s perception of you!
Why was my reply to the above and below comments deleted?
Not sure. Go ahead and re-post them.
Mr. Sanders–I don’t remember your name on the membership list of the SCV. I doubt I am mistaken, however if you are a member you will not be for long. You have cross the line with your comment and will be expelled for conduct unbecoming! The comment below judges us as guiltily with out proof ! Rblee22468 when you shoot from the lip with no basis in fact, it is not going to improve the public’s perception of you!
For instance? Give us some examples Fred. It’s fine if you want to call me out publicly, but please, don’t do what you are accusing me of. I can give you plenty of examples and facts of any of my claims, can you?
Level history alone
They are crazy it won’t change history or the outcome of the war.
I was in the Courtroom. The city team of “lawyers” were smug, condescending and were obviously stating that the almighty ‘government’ knew better than us dumb hicks. I have cancelled our vacation that was going to be in Louisville, the zoo, the cavern, the hotel and the restaurants will NOT get a cent of my money that I can keep from them.
If I lived closer I would stand outside the sporting games with a banner stating how the university and city disrespect US Veterans.
As I said to a intern for the city legal team “I would not cry if they pushed UofL across the river and louisville seceded from KY”.
It’s disheartening that the lawyers all had attitudes and refused to listen to the people.
It’s not that it’s racist, it is a tribute to a cause which was to maintain slavery yes, but, more importantly, it is celebration of treason to America, our country. In addition, the plan is to move the monument, not destroy it or even to put it in permanent storage. Y’all’s arguments are irrational and devoid of factual basis. One of the suggested locations was a Confederate cemetery (and you’re fighting it why?)
It seems you want to argue with nearly everything everyone has posted. We are all entitled to our opinions, but for you to slam some of them without facts to back up your remarks is insulting. I sent you the Facebook link so you can see for yourself how many blacks fought for the Confederacy, and yet you criticize because you didn’t ask for a link. Here is a short list:
Robert Stover, Terrill,Horace King, Holt Collier, etc. http://southernheritage411.com/bc.shtml
H.K. Edgerton speaks about the Confederacy. You should check out what he has to say.
http://blackconfederates.blogspot.com/
In regard to our failing school system and lack of teaching history, it’s very easy to google schools that have stopped teaching American history. Read the articles yourself. Educate yourself. Perhaps the monuments don’t belong directly to the citizens, but they pay the taxes and the monuments are in public. Those of us who oppose their removal and inevitable destruction from being moved have every right to protest this from happening. Erasing history is a big mistake. Just look at past societies and what happened to them if you don’t believe me. And again, don’t expect me to cite examples. Do your research. It’s right there.
If every single item associated with Confederacy: monuments, symbols, names, flags etc were erased it would not satisfy these kooks.
What next & it would be something else. You give an inch they will take a mile.
Anyone who defaces or removes a historical monument is no better than ISIS.
This is exactly what ISIS is doing in the Mid East, destroying the heritage of countries.
ALL History is not sunshine & roses but it is a part of our country.
Our heritage is what makes us who we are today & what our forefathers bled & died for on both sides.
It is time to reconsider.
We as Americans🇺🇸 are better than this.
Those who continue along this path of history/heritage destruction should be ashamed & you will be judged.
I think you’re absolutely right! It’s shameful and scary, if you ask me.
The northern victory in 1865 silenced a discretely southern interpretation of American history and national identity, and it promoted a contemptuous dismissal of all things southern as nasty, racist, immoral, and intellectually inferior. The northern victory did carry out a much too belated abolition of slavery. But it also sanctified northern institutions and intentions, which included the unfettered expansion of a bourgeois world view and the suppression of alternate visions of social order. In consequence, from that day to this, the southern-conservative critique of modern gnosticism has been wrongly equated with racism and white supremacy.
Rarely these days, even on southern campuses, is it possible to acknowledge the achievements of the white people of the South. The history of the Old South is now often taught at leading universities, when it is taught at all, as a prolonged guilt-trip, not to say a prologue to the history of Nazi Germany. Courses on the history of the modern South ignore an array of movements and individuals, including the Fugitive poets, the Agrarians, Richard Weaver, and such intellectually impressive successors as the late M.E. Bradford and those engaged in today’s political and ideological wars. These nonpersons have nevertheless constituted a movement that, by any reasonable standard, ought to be acknowledged for its outstanding contributions to American social, political, and cultural thought.
To speak positively of any part of this southern tradition is to invite charges of being a racist and an apologist for slavery and segregation. We are witnessing a cultural and political atrocity — an increasingly successful campaign by the media and an academic elite to strip young white southerners, and arguably black southerners as well, of their heritage, and therefore, their identity. They are being taught to forget their forebears or to remember them with shame. Still, we may doubt that many young southerners believe that Jefferson Davis and Alexander Stephens, John C. Calhoun and James Henry Thornwell, Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson were other than honorable men. It is one thing to silence people, another to convince them. And to silence them on matters central to their self-respect and dignity is to play a dangerous game — to build up in them harsh resentments that, sooner or later, are likely to explode and bring out their worst.
Recall that great speech by Martin Luther King in which he evoked a vision of the descendants of slaves and slaveholders, sitting together on the hills of Georgia as southern brothers. That vision will be realized when, and only when, those descendants, black and white, can meet with mutual respect and appreciation for the greatness, as well as the evil, that has gone into the making of the South. Black Americans have good reason to protest vehemently against the disgraceful way in which their history has been taught or, worse, ignored, and to demand a record of the nobility and heroism of the black struggle for freedom and justice. But that record dare not include the falsification or obliteration of the noble and heroic features of the white South. To teach the one without the other is to invite deepening racial animosity and murderous conflict, not merely in the South but in the North. For it is worth noting that our most vicious urban explosions are occurring in the “progressive” North and on the West Coast, not in the “bigoted” and “reactionary” South.
Eugene Genovese
go back to ure well paid jobs when u forget about tabloid press headlines u disspicable serrvants of the people.
We and not even people with confederate ancestry have signed a petition wanting the statue placed here in our town of Brandenburg, Ky. We have plenty of civil war history in our little town.
Nice to know the people of Brandenburg appreciate the significance of the monument, which is honoring Confederate ancestors, regardless of how some people now misconceive their intentions.
cant its protected as a war memorial under federal laws
Federal Law Protects Confederate Heritage – Southern Heritage News …
shnv.blogspot.com/2015/07/federal-law-protects-confederate.html
Jul 28, 2015 – This law, passed by the U.S. Congress, authorized the “Secretary of War to erect headstones over the graves of soldiers who served in the …
The civil war is a part of our country’s history. That cannot be changed. Removing monuments will not change what happened, but leaving them as a reminder of that time in our history may prevent another division of our country. History cannot be changed, but we can learn from history. Removing objects with historical significance is a feeble attempt to erase the past, but only fuels hatred in the future.
We the people here in Brandenburg, Ky have petitioned to have the monument placed here in our city. WE want to place it here to honor those who fought here during the civil war. Many people here don’t even have confederate ancestors but want to keep history alive regardless of what the ignorant butt hurt fools think. It’s apalling to move any statue that’s been in place because some racist black person is all offended by it. Where has he been all this time? Just another liar wanting attention claiming racism. So sickening and phoney. Not to mention the white trash that approved it and agree. Poor ignorant whites feel they need to apologze for being white. A disgrace to your race. We would love to have it here in our little town where we, black and white get along just fine.
judges comittees go to bed and when u awake from u dreams of power over the history of the peoples dead and removing there memory then go back to work for u generous wages and do u job that u wer elected to do and not to jump on a madais frenzy to make money with headlines and u act with them do not go back to work till u wake up