Confederate Statue on I-65 (high school, living in, restaurant)

[JMT]

It's almost like they've been reading city-data...

Blockage sought of I-65 Nathan Bedford Forrest statue

[Anony-Momma]

Channel 4 ran a story that mentioned the I65 statue

Congressman Cooper calls for Nathan Bedford Forrest bust to be m - WSMV Channel 4

[S4F]

Originally Posted by Anony-Momma

Channel 4 ran a story that mentioned the I65 statue

Congressman Cooper calls for Nathan Bedford Forrest bust to be m - WSMV Channel 4

I'm not really sure why Mr. Cooper even has a dog in this hunt? Shouldn't he be up in DC tending to his duties up there?

They have tried to remove the bust a number of times as I recall. It did get moved to a less prominent location in the last few years.

Unlike the I-65 rendering it seems to be a pretty good piece of art.

[Hey_Hey]

I hope the state plants trees to cover it up. This is not a First Amendment issue. No one is saying the landowner cannot have this statue on his land. The state, however, cleared trees in 1998 to make the statue more visible to drivers on I-65, and the same people are now free to plant trees and build walls to hide it from view again.

Whatever the truth about Forrest is, this statue does represent racism and backward thinking to most people. We should be doing everything possible to be welcoming of other races and ethnicities and nationalities. It has also always seemed odd to me that the state would clear land I order to showcase a statue of an individual that was involved in the largest uprising against our country in U.S. History.

[DonCorleone]

Originally Posted by Hey_Hey

It has also always seemed odd to me that the state would clear land I order to showcase a statue of an individual that was involved in the largest uprising against our country in U.S. History.

I wonder if there's other examples of the state or municipality clearing trees or other impediments for other private monuments or for benefit of other private properties? I don't remember the specifics of the statue going up years ago (though I remember the controversy and comments about the aesthetics), but if state or local public funds were used to clear i, I can definitely see that as problematic.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by Hey_Hey

I hope the state plants trees to cover it up. This is not a First Amendment issue. No one is saying the landowner cannot have this statue on his land. The state, however, cleared trees in 1998 to make the statue more visible to drivers on I-65, and the same people are now free to plant trees and build walls to hide it from view again.

Whatever the truth about Forrest is, this statue does represent racism and backward thinking to most people. We should be doing everything possible to be welcoming of other races and ethnicities and nationalities. It has also always seemed odd to me that the state would clear land I order to showcase a statue of an individual that was involved in the largest uprising against our country in U.S. History.

This is what I'm getting at, too. To me it's not a question about whether Nathan Bedford Forrest was an evil racist, the subject of a smear campaign, or just a product of his time. It's that the state spent money to clear land so that a private individual could have his "art" more visible. I don't think the state will clear trees and brush to make billboards more visible, so why did they do it for this thing?

By the way, the Tennessean article I cited a couple of posts above has a picture of this monstrosity. I mean, it's hard to believe that the guy who did this meant for it to be complimentary of Nathan Bedford Forrest. It looks more like it's supposed to be a sad caricature.

[S4F]

There was quite the brewhaha when the area was cleared. State senator Douglas Henry (now retired) was the one able to get the state to do the clearing. If I remember correctly it was basically done and finished before anyone took notice and raised a red flag (not Confederate ;-)). In his ambling style he pretty much deflected all the criticism and after a short period it was all over and the park was front and center for all to see. Pretty much a textbook case of the good ole boy network in state government.

[MetropolitanTN]

Cover it up!

[Anony-Momma]

Who Does the Nathan Beford Forrest Statue Actually Look Like? | Country Life | Nashville Scene

[JMT]

Originally Posted by Anony-Momma

Who Does the Nathan Beford Forrest Statue Actually Look Like? | Country Life | Nashville Scene

That is hysterical! It really does look like Lord Farquaad.