Confederate Statue defaced with paint at courthouse in Huntsville. (Madison: high school, to live)

[dwhisent]

First, ya'll ever heard the saying "two wrongs don't make a right?". It is a crime to deface a statue (or buildings, etc.). If you commit a crime, you deserve punishment. Just because it is something someone finds offensive or disagree with does not give them a right to deface it. Look at what else is going on - folks are also defacing or destroying churches, statues of almost anyone, not just Confederate leaders. It doesn't seem to matter to some folks, as long as they are destroying something. Regardless, a crime is a crime.

I did not own slaves. I don't own or fly Dixie flags, nor do I have a desire to do so. I don't believe I am racist (although I am getting really tired of people telling me that I am just because I am Caucasian - judging me by my skin color). But the Civil War was part of Alabama's history. That can't be erased by destroying things. I am strongly opposed to the "cancel culture." I do think that these statues being destroyed could instead be moved into some historical setting. We will have to see if the county can figure out a way to legally move this one. Or, the people (us) can work to change the law. But if we destroy our history, we can't learn from it.

[chadinhsv]

Can we please not make this site a political **** match? The reason why I joined this forum is because I wanted to hear about the great things developing in Huntsville. To the original poster, you would fit in well at Reddit where they embrace your thinking and not allow other opinions.

[GreggT]

Originally Posted by Beliciano

Yea those statues need to come down, and I can't wait until the Confederate statues are all taken down. I know plenty of people born and raised in the South (this applies to almost all Southern Blacks) who want them down as well and see the statues as being completely offensive. I grew up in New York and the confederate flag was used in racist incidents in New York as well with the meaning to offend black folks, so they ain't fooling anyone with this whole heritage over hate nonsense. Huntsville talks like a town that wants to progress and attract a lot of young professionals, but it's got to have more forward thinking people making decisions here if the city want's to reach it's full potential!!

Like more folks like you from New York?

[EscAlaMike]

Originally Posted by TC2coolmom

I for one think it's about time, I think it is sick to have a statue of traitors of this country just standing around our city.

Traitors? Take down all statues to those involved in the American Revolution then, because they actually were traitors to the British Crown. The only difference is that the British Crown actually had a LEGITIMATE CLAIM over the colonies, while the US government had no legitimate claim over the Southern states should the states decide to exit the voluntary Constitutional compact, as they did.

Originally Posted by TC2coolmom

How is it that people like having a reminder that their ancestors lost a civil war of wanting to own people?

So winning and losing is the measure of whether we show honor to the dead? Take down the Vietnam War memorial then - as well as Korea since that ended in a stalemate. "Wanting to own people"? Get real, lady. That statue in Huntsville honors "The Confederate Dead" - not any specific person. The vast majority of Confederate dead were dirt poor subsistence farmers who never could have dreamed of owning a slave and didn't give a rat's ass if the millionaire planters could own slaves or not. They saw their homes being threatened by an invading army and took up arms in defense of it - simple as that.

[JackF]

Originally Posted by OmarLittle

This thread exemplifies the problem.

The statue shouldn't have been defaced, but the fact that it has remained standing for so many years is just plain wrong. Fortunately, the city council and an increasing majority of Madison county residents agree.




Sounds like what Bull Connor might have said about John Lewis. The country has still not completed its' moral arc, and Alabama, on average, and as usual, is a little behind. But we will catch up.

Meh...that Bull Connor nonsense is all pure horse****. Do the crime, do the time.

[y8tiger]

So many people relocate to a new place and then attempt to change it into the very place they left.

Look up the definition of a carpetbagger.

The ones that are willing to throw stones at our Southern Heritage are so quick to forget the New York City draft riots of 1863.

End of the day, this vandalism is not welcome here and tax payer $ will have to be used to clean the monument.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by y8tiger

So many people relocate to a new place and then attempt to change it into the very place they left.

Look up the definition of a carpetbagger.

The ones that are willing to throw stones at our Southern Heritage are so quick to forget the New York City draft riots of 1863.

End of the day, this vandalism is not welcome here and tax payer $ will have to be used to clean the monument.

Vandalism is illegal and it will cost tax payer money. No doubt about that.

All this aside, there is something else. There are certainly some northern transplants who want to see the Confederate statues come down. However, there is another segment of the population that is being ignored. Blacks. Blacks are 31% of Huntsville's population. And the majority of Blacks are southerners. Actually, the majority of Black Americans nationwide are southerners, either by birth and residents or by ancestral roots. Most Black Americans have southern roots, but the majority of Blacks view the Confederate flag as a symbol of racism. A majority of Blacks view Confederate statues the same way. And this isn't just an Alabama thing. This is all over. A majority of Blacks are southern but won't ever claim the Confederate statues or the Confederate flag as part of their southern heritage. That needs to be considered.

[GreggT]

Originally Posted by green_mariner

A majority of Blacks are southern but won't ever claim the Confederate statues or the Confederate flag as part of their southern heritage. That needs to be considered.

Very true and a good point. You might also think that a majority of the population does not support BLM but this same majority shows tolerance toward that movement.

[denofhc]

The statue needs to go to a more suitable place (like a museum or Maplewood Cemetery). I love Huntsville, but the racism holds this area back more than anything. Please, elected officials - DO THE RIGHT THING!

[GreggT]

Originally Posted by denofhc

The statue needs to go to a more suitable place (like a museum or Maplewood Cemetery). I love Huntsville, but the racism holds this area back more than anything. Please, elected officials - DO THE RIGHT THING!

Racism holding this area back, seriously???
https://www.al.com/news/2020/06/hunt...two-years.html