Alexandria seeks to rename highay and move statue (Jefferson, West Point: condo, how much)

[johnsonkk]

The morning show on WMAL asked on Wednesday a city council man where the line on this is and he stumbled and couldn't Provide a dollar cost on all the businesses that will have to spend more money because of a discretionary name change. He couldn't provide any answers on how many street charges enough will be enough.

For those who read history, Virginia got the corner of DC back in 1846 because of the disagreement between Virginia's use of slaves to load ships along the docks on the Potomac. DC used to be a perfect square with ten miles out to all the corners but the Virginia portion was given under contested treatment of slaves and refusal to outlaw slavery.

One of the original markers is right on U.S. 1 in old Alexandria. With the shame of property received from slavery pretenses, it's only right that Virginia do the right thing and give back approximately 25 square miles back to DC to make amends for supporting slavery in the past.

Even during the civil war, 55 Virginian counties in the northwest part of the state didn't support slavery and gained congressional approval to become west Virginia and separate from pro- slavery Virginia. Remarkable how WV isn't seen as a legacy anti slavery state.

Do people realize the role Richmond played as a temporary capital of the South's succession?

If the Alexandria land was given back to DC, Virginia would instantly become a red state.

[VA Yankee]

Originally Posted by johnsonkk

Do people realize the role Richmond played as a temporary capital of the South's succession?

If the Alexandria land was given back to DC, Virginia would instantly become a red state.

I thinks Richmond's role as the confederate capital is well known it is used as a major tourist angle. Virginias voting trend towards blue is caused by more than Alexandria's voting habits, even with out her I think Virginia would still lean blue. Perhaps those that bemoan the change should ensure they get out and vote.

[JD984]

Originally Posted by Eagle4Life

"Negative history" is an opinion.

Comparing confederate statues and street names with 9/11 is completely invalid.

That's true but perhaps entirely not in the way you intend. The number of Africans who died in bondage en route to North America as part of the slave trade was many times greater than the number of 9/11 victims.

But Alexandria and the rest of Virginia must keep honoring those who fought to preserve the institution of slavery because, you know, history.

[JD984]

Originally Posted by Ffxdata

It seems that many in this thread are conflating teaching history with whether we commemorate people and events through public art, etc..

They are elected officials who hopefully listened to their constituents. If they didn't, I'm sure they will hear about it.

I think this is a good article:

Monuments to the Battle for the New South - POLITICO Magazine

[Bigfoot424]

Originally Posted by JD984

No one forced them to do it. The Alexandria City Council, acting on behalf of the SELECT FEW residents who elected them, made the decision. If people in the city feel it's a bad decision, they can vote them out.

Here. Fixed it for you.

[Bigfoot424]

Originally Posted by The Dissenter

I'm black and liberal. I really have no interest in this story but if I'm pressed for an opinion, I think the right thing is to remove it. History may not always be pleasant but I don't see any memorials dedicated to the 9/11 hijackers near the Pentagon. Oppressors and creators of negative history have no business having public memorials.

I hope you're just being facetious? If not then

[spencer114]

Originally Posted by jeff22152

This selective and subjective renaming exercise can become a slippery slope into hypocrisy. If slavery is the driving force behind removing the Appomattox statue and renaming the Jeff Davis Hwy., then why does the city seemingly stop at Confederate generals and politicians? Why doesn't the City Council vote to rename Washington Street, or force the Masons to rename their Washington Monument? And what about Patrick Henry? He was a great orator and proponent of liberty, yet he was a lifelong slave owner who clearly believed that freedom and liberty were reserved for white colonists. If the city is in the business of judging figures from the past with 21st century perspectives, then why is the mayor suggesting the name of Route 1 be switched from one slavery proponent to another?

Let's rename Arlington Cemetary too. It bears the name of a plantation.

I would never, ever support naming anything new something after the confederacy or support erecting new monuments but the significance of these old monuments is extremely overstated. They are merely ornamentation. It's weird when you first see them but eventualy they disappear into the landscape like a Panara or CVS.

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by JD984

But Alexandria and the rest of Virginia must keep honoring those who fought to preserve the institution of slavery because, you know, history.

The South was fighting for state's rights; only one of those rights was slavery.

Shall we rename out capital city? Washington was a slave owner.

[Ffxdata]

"States rights" argument is Southern revisionist history. Just an FYI

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by Ffxdata

"States rights" argument is Southern revisionist history. Just an FYI

Ridiculous.