My sentiments exactly.

And when are they ever going to finish that statue of Crazy Horse?

Your point might make sense on the surface of it, if the monuments were put up by all the people, but these monuments were conceived, funded, and voted in by good ol boy special interest groups and no way did they represent American sentiment - I seriously doubt free slaves supported them, and the masses of immigrants had no clue.

If you looked at that graph posted here of when most of the monuments were built, it shows a huge spike in the early 1900s, right at the time of the wave of Civil War backlash, anti-immigrant fever and white supremacist "Birth of a Nation" sentiment that led to the election of Woodrow Wilson, a total ballsout racist, white supremacist.

It is money that put those up. Where are the statues of heroes and heroines that represent the ideals of people who didn't belong to Rotary Clubs, Masonics, DAR, SOC, as well as affiliated sub-groups like the KKK, and were connected to legislators who could push their monuments through?

The monuments are a special interest white supremacist farce, way past high time they were exposed as the elite folly they are.

Today, on Facebook, from a musician friend of mine:

"I heard that the angry blues traditionalists want that statue of Stevie Ray Vaughan in Austin torn down..."

And more, from me: Jerry Lee Lewis married his 13 year old cousin. Should we burn all his records like they did in England in the 50's?

Egyptian Pyramids - down - built with slave labor.

Egyptian Pyramids - down - built with slave labor.

Excellent point.

My wife and I traveled over to Springfield, Illinois about 1 1/2 wks ago to see Mellencamp.

While we were there we visited Lincolns grave site. If anyone is every in that vicinity it's worth checking out.

Why weren't people complaining about monuments/statues 3 wks,5 months ago and last year? I don't know what to think of the times we are leaving in these days. I have a lot of thoughts and opinions.....probably not to popular and not very PC. Just pray and hope for the best and common sense.

[Edited on 8/29/2017 by jszfunk]

[Edited on 8/29/2017 by jszfunk]

Beautiful pictures Scott, thanks, I'd never seen those.

[Edited on 8/29/2017 by robslob]

Jerry Lee Lewis and pyramids aside, you guys wouldn't have any trouble with someone putting up a 30' statue of say a seigheiling Hitler on their property, on a busy street in full view of a synagogue?

I think everyone including you would draw a line somewhere on this.

Jerry Lee Lewis and pyramids aside, you guys wouldn't have any trouble with someone putting up a 30' statue of say a seigheiling Hitler on their property, on a busy street in full view of a synagogue?

I think everyone including you would draw a line somewhere on this.

you talking to me?

I just feel these are complex issues and need time/legislation to decide. As long as nazis are legal hard to stop them from marching - but in Germany the marches don't allow hate speech and unlike Charlottesville the police watch over actively. Nazi statues are illegal there - but they were not there 100 years prior

So I think this needs time and a legal solution

Not in particular. Just wondering if the drift of this argument towards burning Jerry Lee records and demolishing tbe pyramids means that folks don't have any qualms about monuments of any kind, or if they have boundaries on this matter.

I guess where I land is on the side of free speech and build monuments of whatever. Just don't complain when your statue of Lincoln in downtown Birmingham draws a little heat.

I think people will still remember who Jefferson Davis was without a statue of him in every town square, or have you forgotten who King George was? How about a Hirohito statue? Why not statues of every leader who attacked the Republic?

We can't ignore the faults of all of our forefathers, but fewer Confederate General statues isn't the hill anyone needs to die on (alongside hatemongers and Nazis, no less). There are plenty of reminders of the Civil War for everyone on a daily basis. It's not erasing history, I'm sure people in East Germany remember who Stalin was, but they don't need to keep a statue of him in the public square.

Also, pyramids are tombs and not statues, so that's not a good point.

I think people will still remember who Jefferson Davis was without a statue of him in every town square, or have you forgotten who King George was? How about a Hirohito statue? Why not statues of every leader who attacked the Republic?

We can't ignore the faults of all of our forefathers, but fewer Confederate General statues isn't the hill anyone needs to die on (alongside hatemongers and Nazis, no less). There are plenty of reminders of the Civil War for everyone on a daily basis. It's not erasing history, I'm sure people in East Germany remember who Stalin was, but they don't need to keep a statue of him in the public square.

I think a real point this brings up is are there still statues of Stalin/Lenin up in the artist formerly known as the USSR.

and re pyramids I am sure there are some statues associated with Rebel bodies like the Lincoln photos

Also, pyramids are tombs and not statues, so that's not a good point.

Basic supply and demand folks. This is democracy and capitalism in action - America is functioning as intended. The confederate statues could possibly cause a material loss for the city in which it exists, due to protests, sponsorship losses, etc. it appears as though these cities recognize the financial benefits of removing them. If that upsets some of you, then you are SOL. Blaming an entire political party is an easy comfortable excuse. I'm so sick of the foolish analogies of other figures who owned slaves like GW - obviously the difference is that the confederacy was fighting to keep it permanent. It's about money, nothing more. If your view is the unpopular one, don't cry about it. Try to learn from it. Try to understand the issue. Or just blame liberals if that's all you can muster.

The pyramids are also in Egypt, not the USA.

Thanks for clearing that up for us Pops. Must just be the flashbacks that had me thinking otherwise.

The pyramids are also in Egypt, not the USA.

Thanks for clearing that up for us Pops. Must just be the flashbacks that had me thinking otherwise.

Not so fast BrerRabbit. There are pyramids in the US. There are at least two right outside Macon, Ga.
Many more built by the Mississippian culture as far north as Wisconsin.
Lest we forget the modern ones in Vegas, Memphis, Washington, DC, and other major towns.

Truth, man, good catch. Cahokia is really something., the Mound Builders, you nailed it. Those weren't flashbacks after all.

Blaming an entire political party is an easy comfortable excuse. Or just blame liberals if that's all you can muster.

That goes both ways!

Not in particular. Just wondering if the drift of this argument towards burning Jerry Lee records and demolishing tbe pyramids means that folks don't have any qualms about monuments of any kind, or if they have boundaries on this matter.

Boundries...Mmmmmm. Decided by emotion?....Fact?....History that some find offensive?

A question that has been asked before and not answered ....

"Where does it stop"?

Not in particular. Just wondering if the drift of this argument towards burning Jerry Lee records and demolishing tbe pyramids means that folks don't have any qualms about monuments of any kind, or if they have boundaries on this matter.

Boundries...Mmmmmm. Decided by emotion?....Fact?....History that some find offensive?

A question that has been asked before and not answered ....

"Where does it stop"?

There's an old saying: "Conservatives are opposed to dissenting viewpoints; Liberals embrace them until they find out that they actually exist."

quote:
Not in particular. Just wondering if the drift of this argument towards burning Jerry Lee records and demolishing tbe pyramids means that folks don't have any qualms about monuments of any kind, or if they have boundaries on this matter.

Boundries...Mmmmmm. Decided by emotion?....Fact?....History that some find offensive?

A question that has been asked before and not answered ....

"Where does it stop"?

There's an old saying: "Conservatives are opposed to dissenting viewpoints; Liberals embrace them until they find out that they actually exist."

No man, decided by you! And maybe I am the exception but that tidy little one liner about not tolerating dissent sure doesn't apply to me. It is just a dumb cute catch-22 anyway. Man, I can't stand "sayings". Like because it is a "saying" it's not bullsh!t.

I'm plenty liberal and honestly could not care less what kinds of statues pigeons poop on. Statues. Got way more pressing concerns in my life than stupid old statues.

I bet I give way less of a crap about your precious monuments than the folks claiming they are all equally valuable, from Jerry Lee records to Robt E. Lee to the pyramids....

Kind of similar to that whole All Lives Matter thing. Whenever you are too chickensh!t to state a postion you bust out with some big general thing so your little thing gets included.

Bunch of crap. Got a position, just state it. One thing for sure, seems like conservatives spend a lot of energy trying to prove how liberal they are.

[Edited on 8/30/2017 by BrerRabbit]

I have to wonder how many of the people complaining about these monuments being removed actually knew who were on the monuments before the publicity. Most probably passed by the monument every day and had no idea who it was and never cared. Then one day someone wants to remove a Confederate monument and all of a sudden they are outraged. People complaining that they are erasing history for a lesson they never learned in the first place.

Exactly man. Statues shmatues. Feels like we are all being fed what to give a crap about.

Brer - a lot of my comment before was in jest. I'ma moderate; and currently thing that the polar divide in the country is out of control.

I have never seen the country this divided. People blame Trump; but his election was the effect not the cause. Trump & Bernie both garnered huge amounts of support - their extreme views mirroring the dissatisfaction many Americans feel.

Can't stand neo-nazi's; also can't stand when a Broadway Show (Natasha and the Comet) closes because their is an uproar about replacing an actor of color with a white one (in an attempt to save the show) or when an actor signed to play a character in the new Hellboy movie is being let go due to an uproar about a Caucasian playing a half-Asian character. Not to mention the re-assignment of Asian sportscaster Robert Lee from the Charlottesville football game.

The country is nuts; out of control. My late dad (RIP) used to say that people only tslk sbout sex and money when they don't have enough. Well our country no longer has the financial resources to support everyone. Hence it is crumbling before our eyes

Appreciate that - yeah I got your humor , pretty good really. Seems like everyone's just going nuts. The issues are certainly important, and heavy stuff is going down, but it seems like we are all getting yanked around almost like a formula - happens over and over and gets reflected here, but I gotta say the dialogue here beats anything else I have seen for independent thought.

America will pull thru man, but just in case the switch gets thrown tomorrow gotta say I consider everyone here a brother and a teacher, and its been good to hang out with you all.

Nice statement, changed a word or two to fit the opposite argument:

I have to wonder how many of the people complaining about these monuments still being there actually knew who were on the monuments before the publicity. Most probably passed by the monument every day and had no idea who it was and never cared. Then one day someone tells them they should remove a Confederate monument and all of a sudden they are outraged. People complaining that they are honoring history for a lesson they never learned in the first place.

I have to wonder how many of the people complaining about these monuments being removed actually knew who were on the monuments before the publicity. Most probably passed by the monument every day and had no idea who it was and never cared. Then one day someone wants to remove a Confederate monument and all of a sudden they are outraged. People complaining that they are erasing history for a lesson they never learned in the first place.

True enough, and let's not forget that some hate-filled Nazis brought the issue to the front page when they marched to defend these statues, and one of the Nazi terrorists killed someone (followed by Trump defending "some" of the Nazis).