this is such a sad sick world

[NYCgrrl]

Why destroy the statue of a slave who ran away and helped free other slaves? Now people are demonstrating about hakim littleman being killed after he shot at cops while they arr3sted his friend

What statute are you writing of?

 

[Starport Seven-Five]

Why destroy the statue of a slave who ran away and helped free other slaves?

You mean Frederick Douglas? I guess we really don't learn much history from statues...

It's being investigated last I read so we don't know who/why they did it. I'm not sure what that has to do with the vast majority of cases where statues related to the Civil War are being torn down though. You seem to do a lot of "what about" posts that attempt to steer the discussion into some one off or fringe case that has nothing to do with the bigger picture.

 

[BearFamily]

Why destroy the statue of a slave who ran away and helped free other slaves? Now people are demonstrating about hakim littleman being killed after he shot at cops while they arr3sted his friend

I assume you’re talking about the Fredrick Douglass statue in Rochester, NY? There’s been no motive found in that one yet, but that last time it was torn down it was by two white college students. It got national news airtime this time because of other statues but I don’t think anyone around here thinks it’s related in any way to the tearing down of Confederate or slave owner statues.

There are also a LOT of Frederick Douglass statues here. Literally - a series of them were commissioned a few years back and placed around the city. Not a single other Douglass statue has been touched.

 

[RobDoc]

Political posts and those quoting them have been removed. Any further violations of DIS Guidelines in thread will result in closure.

 

[goofyernmost]

The argument that really strains my connection to the Buddha comes up, usually as some form of, "Times were different then and people thought they were doing the right thing." Something of that nature was actually in this thread's OP (I could go look ... it's right up there ... nah). As if 160-240 years ago slavery was just something everyone thought was fine. Which is bunk. Abolition was a popular political movement from the beginning of US history. Popular now in the flawed but wonderful musical about a flawed but ... well really just very flawed abolitionist A. Ham. It took Hamilton a while to come up to speed on abolition but he did, and so did a lot of people. England embraced abolition and where it could not abolish it outright, the crown purchased living slaves to free them.

The idea that this was just something that happened is a myth. It was always a divisive issue, useful for determining which side of the room had a soul.

It depends on how serious the situation is. Supporting the idea that they thought whites had a right to own people, is bad enough and really is only an example of a very dark period in our history, but the majority were either in favor or didn't care because, as usual, degree of wealth entered into the opinions. Declaring independence from the country that all those flag bearers get upset about now cannot seem to wrap their brains around just how serious that was and would be now. When the US Military where brought in to defend and attempt to maintain our union and the separatists decided that it was OK to kill Solders of the United States you add yet another level to that degree of seriousness.

The statues that placed the Confederate Generals as heroes is like building a stature of Osama Bin Laden in Manhattan in some kind of heroic pose. Those confederate statues were financed mostly by the guys with the pointed hoods. It said that even though the south lost they were still superior to the people that they continued to suppress. They have needed to come down for decades because there was nothing noble about the stance of the south at the time. We can understand that the times were different then now, but that doesn't change anything does it. It certainly doesn't in anyway justify the continued misplace honors to those that killed to keep slaves. Even then it was considered wrong, like was said, but it is time to own up and actually end the Civil War which has been festering in the minds of many in the south since then.

 

[goofyernmost]

I assume you’re talking about the Fredrick Douglass statue in Rochester, NY? There’s been no motive found in that one yet, but that last time it was torn down it was by two white college students. It got national news airtime this time because of other statues but I don’t think anyone around here thinks it’s related in any way to the tearing down of Confederate or slave owner statues.

There are also a LOT of Frederick Douglass statues here. Literally - a series of them were commissioned a few years back and placed around the city. Not a single other Douglass statue has been touched.

I agree, that was a reaction from the opposite side of the situation, but people have no problem with making statements that are not even close to being accurate or in context with current thoughts.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

You mean Frederick Douglas? I guess we really don't learn much history from statues...

It's being investigated last I read so we don't know who/why they did it. I'm not sure what that has to do with the vast majority of cases where statues related to the Civil War are being torn down though. You seem to do a lot of "what about" posts that attempt to steer the discussion into some one off or fringe case that has nothing to do with the bigger picture.

That kind of tangent debating happens a lot when a person is presented with facts that go against their beliefs. So instead of admitting maybe they got it wrong, they just throw out another thought. I have somebody like this in my family and it drives me nuts. There is no way to have a rational conversation or debate because it always ends up so far away from the topic at hand.

 

[NYCgrrl]

That kind of tangent debating happens a lot when a person is presented with facts that go against their beliefs. So instead of admitting maybe they got it wrong, they just throw out another thought. I have somebody like this in my family and it drives me nuts. There is no way to have a rational conversation or debate because it always ends up so far away from the topic at hand.

Watched a poster do that over the weekend and it was quite weird and exhausting.

 

[tinkerdorabelle]

It's such a sad sick world that people defend glorifying confederate statues and the oppression of minorities.

I think what is also sad is that people are getting their info from certain propaganda infotainment "news" stations and lack real education on this matter and subject. We are a dumbing down society right now and first instinct mine also is to be disappointed or disgusted at poster, but it's sad the lack of education, you can tell they get their info from these places or at least many do. We need to start there also and not tolerate or watch these channels or listen to these radio stations that also push this stuff.