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City Administration Recommends Removal Of Pensacola’s Lee Square Confederate Monument
July 7, 2020
City administration is recommending that the Pensacola City Council approve the removal of the Lee Square Confederate monument.
In a memorandum Tuesday, City Administrator Keith Wilkins also recommended that the Mayor Grover Robinson be given the authority to award a contract for the removal.
On June 11, the city council began discussions about the monument and initiated a 30-day waiting period for potential action, and staff started their discussions.
The Pensacola City Council will make a final decision on the monument at a special meeting on July 14th.
According to the memo:
“Under careful consideration and with Pensacola’s collective heritage and historic landscape in mind, staff has determined that Lee Square and the monument does not reflect our current values nor strive to create a more inclusive City. Although the Confederate monument remembers those that lead, fought and died for the Confederacy, it also promotes a post-Reconstruction “Lost Cause” narrative that memorializes a divisive time in American history reflective of “white supremacy” and the Jim Crow era. The Square and Monument are not equitable representations of all our citizens. To achieve a stronger and more unified community, staff recommends the complete removal of the Lee Square Confederate monument.”
To read the full 17-page memo on removing the monument, click here.
Pictured: The Lee Square Confederate monument in Pensacola was fenced off last week. NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Comments
134 Responses to “City Administration Recommends Removal Of Pensacola’s Lee Square Confederate Monument”
What will happen to the statue once it is taken down? It would be great if it would be put inside one of the museums in the area. That way people can still see it and learn about the area’s heritage and history.
I hate to see how a lot of people don’t seem to understand that this statue represents an oppressive time in the US, and that to many people it is a symbol of that oppression. Confederates are NOT American, and only represent a rebellion that was in poor taste. I applaud the mayor and council for making this decision, history shouldn’t be idealized, but put in a museum.
Leave history alone, if this is to be fair take all black Statue down it is history to, #leavehistoryalone.
@Hullabaloo & @TruthMatters:
Could you each post your sources please?
Anyone else posting anything as a fact should include their sources too.
It is a lie that Robert E Lee owned slaves. His father in law owned slaves and left in his will that they be emancipated and Lee was his executor under the will. Lee had to follow the law as it existed at the time to publish public notice if a slave was going to be freed in that owners of slaves could borrow money as collateral as to the slave and a potential creditor had a legal right to know.
Lee was able to free his father in laws slaves prior to the Emancipation Proclamation whereas one contrast Grants wife owned slaves and they weren’t freed until AFTER the war.
Truth matters…to post lies on here is unacceptable and in my opinion, to fail to post this truth rebuttable is to condone a lie.
In case my previous comment is flagged for posting copyrighted material:
Robert E. Lee opposed Confederate monuments. You can read all about it in his own words–a simple search returns plenty of information.
Robert E. Lee owned slaves. A handful from his own family, and he controlled the 200 or so slaves that his father-in-law left to Lee & his wife for a 5 year period. Lee went to court to try and extend that period for his own benefit, but lost and was forced to free those slave in 1863.
Facts matter.
FYI about Robert E. Lee:
“It’s often forgotten that Lee himself, after the Civil War, opposed monuments, specifically Confederate war monuments,” said Jonathan Horn, the author of the Lee biography, “The Man Who Would Not Be Washington.”
“Lee believed countries that erased visible signs of civil war recovered from conflicts quicker,” Horn said. “He was worried that by keeping these symbols alive, it would keep the divisions alive.”
Prescient.
Re: Robert E Lee “didn’t own slaves”
John Reeves, a historian and author of the book, “The Lost Indictment of Robert E. Lee: The Forgotten Case Against an American Icon,” said the claim about Lee is false.
“Between owning a handful of slaves from his own family and then managing his father-in-law’s 200 slaves, Lee was very, very involved with slavery during his life up until the end of 1862,” he said.
Reeves explained that Lee worked the slaves for about five years in order to pay off legacies associated with his father-in-law’s estate. “He was utilizing the slave labor in order to pay the legacies,” Reeves explained.
Lee wanted to work the slaves beyond the five-year limit stated in his father-in-law’s will. Lee fought in court to keep the slaves working because he didn’t know if he would be able to pay off his legacies.
Facts matter.
To Erase History (good or bad) only dooms future generations to repeat history. Statues, memorials, coins serve as an ever present reminder to ourselves and our children to be thankful for the rights that we share in this great country, including the right of free speech and expression. They also serve as reminders not to repeat the mistakes of past generations.
Please do not fall for this ploy to give in to a few objectors who could care less about the hard fought for freedoms we share today. This will only lead to more and more demands to stamp out our identity as a free country. Before you know it, so that no one is offended all our names, buildings, roads ,cars will have to be simply labeled A,B,C and 1,2,3. My last thought on this subject: Should the Holocaust Memorial be torn down and the lives of millions of Jewish human beings forgotten? Give our children a chance to not repeat some of the atrocities of the past by reminding them.
“Can you point me to where in the Constitution it states that individual States of the Union have the right to secede from the Union period?”
Come now, that is a silly question. Tenth Amendment: “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”
If it isn’t delegated or prohibited to the states, the power belongs to the state. (States don’t have rights, only powers. People are also included, so they had the right under the Tenth Amendment.)
“The Confederate government was established in February 1861 which was considered illegal by the United States federal government and soon after formed a Militia that eventually attacked the Union Fort Sumter and thus started the Civil War.”
They obviously didn’t really consider it illegal because they acted in ways lawful only if the states had ceased to be part of the Union.
They formed West Virginia out of Virginia without Virginia’s consent. That was not Constitutional if Virginia was still part of the United States of America.(Article 4, secction 3 ” no new states shall be formed or erected within the jurisdiction of any other state; nor any state be formed by the junction of two or more states, or parts of states, without the consent of the legislatures of the states concerned as well as of the Congress.”)
They passed and ratified the amendment ending slavery and granting rights to former slaves which would not have been lawful if the Confederate states were still part of the union. In fact, they made approval of those amendments a requirement for readmission into the union. Until we did so, we were just conquered territory.They could do that also under Article 4, section 3 “The Congress shall have power to dispose of and make all needful rules and regulations respecting the territory or other property belonging to the United States;”
(That wasn’t how Lincoln saw it, but they killed him so he didn’t figure into matters after 1865.)
So to keep it simple: Certain states withdrew from the union and got our butts whipped. To regain any standing other than losers, we agreed to decent amendments which we would not have accepted had we been full members of the union.
This was a good thing. Slavery was a bad thing. It took the secession to
The problem is that some people just can’t handle victory.
David for accurate civics education
They could put MY statue up. Pigeons are always seeking a new target.
I am ashamed of the recomendation for the removal of the hisstoric monument. Is the wall south next because it will surly offend some one. My grand father and grand mother’s grand fathers were killed in the war. they were conscripts, small farm farmers in cajun country. My mothers great grand father as well, They died for their country, none owned a slave, as slaves were too expensive to buy or to keep.
They did not start the was, as congress imposed a cripling tax on southern grown cotten. That was the reason the southern states wanted to leave the northen states.
Per haps we should erect a monument to the Aferican Trible wars which furnished black slaves to the rest of the world. let us vote on it.
Coming folks…it’s the city of Pensacola acting totally on their own. Do you really expect logic? Bleeding hearts don’t identify with US. Look somewhere else for bravery, cowardice rules the day.
I completely support this cause, and commend the city administration on their action.
LET THE PEOPLE VOTE ON IT, COWARDS.
HISTORY NOT REMEMBERED WILL REPEAT ITSELF ! Statues, monument, faces on coins, all of it serve as a REMINDER to future generations to NOT repeat some of the mistakes of the past. Take them away and watch your children repeat those mistakes. Be smart. Be strong and don’t buy into this removal ploy..God Bless America and REMEMBER the mistakes as well as the accomplishments of generations past who sacrificed so that we can even have this discussion today. Should the Holocaust memorials be taken away? Think about that……
I guess I’m to have to make a list of every person in office that is voting to remove our history and yep you this stupid you will never get my vote and I’m going to Pray for your removal from office.
Lee has to go
IF YOUR GOING TO TAKE DOWN THE CONFEDERATE STATUE IN PENSACOLA,THEN YOU NEED TO TAKE DOWN THE MARTIN LUTHER KING STATUE DOWN. WHAT IS THE DIFERENCE. WHAT IS GOING TO BE NEXT THE MONEY YOU CARRY IN YOUR POCKET, EVERY PIECE OF MONEY YOU CARRY HAS A FACE ON IT.ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
Humm, wondering when the immigrants and citizens who are from Mexico and South America will raise up and demand removal of all the statues scattered around Pensacola honoring the Spanish who invaded the New World enslaving and murdering the native populations there?
Not only did they slaughter near whole civilizations they also brought diseases that caused epidemics and wiped out entire cultures.
This and other statues in this county were paid for with taxpayers monies, which means they all belong to ALL OF THE COUNTY RESIDENTS…that means all of us. Why cant this destruction of public property be put to the vote of the OWNERS…meaning the residents of this county? After all this is supposed to be America and that is one of the rights we have as Americans…not some communist country.
PUT THIS ITEM UP FOR A PUBLIC VOTE.
@Moe de Lone
Can you point me to where in the Constitution it states that individual States of the Union have the right to secede from the Union period?
Albeit after the CW, I believe in 1868-69 the Supreme Court ruled that Texas did not have a Constitutional RIGHT to secede but (basically) said if the States (Union) agreed then they could do so..
There was a lot of talk/threats of secession by states in years prior to the CW and in fact we did so from England in the Revolutionary War as a Union.
The Confederate government was established in February 1861 which was considered illegal by the United States federal government and soon after formed a Militia that eventually attacked the Union Fort Sumter and thus started the Civil War..
So take down MLK’s statue…he is alleged
To have been a womanizer….does the STAFF in Pensacola identify with those values? Allegations are just that; allegations.
The allegations the monument is about hate is just that, allegations, the monument says to “the war dead” its a headstone for crying out loud. Hypocrisy run amuck in Pensacola. The simple solution was a referendum. Remove politicians from office, not monuments from parks.
Are people not aware that Lee was not a slave owner, His wife’s family owned slaves but when he gained control of the property he freed them, in 1862, one year before the the Emancipation Proclamation. After the war he and his wife risked arrest by taking freed slaves and educating them. The only reason Lee was not the General leading the union army was he had an allegiance to the state of Virginia. He did not agree with slavery but at the time it was legal. Was it right? No it wasn’t but neither is abortion but yet people say well it is legal and should be a woman’s right to chose. Oh but abortion only affects the woman and slavery affected the person being enslaved. Well you are half right there but abortion affects the most innocent of lives the helpless unborn.
When the war was over Lee went about trying to heal a nation torn apart, and one of the things he did was help the less fortunate of the people at the time, get an education. Because you are not truly free if you are not educated.
We cannot erase history. There are good parts to it and bad, but this should be a learning experience. This is totally one sided, the minority rules. The same way prayer was taken out of schools they are destroying history. People remember these people who are in office and have made these decisions. Make sure to never vote for them again!
IMHO:
I have no issue with moving the Confederate statue. I personally favor the Barrancas National Cemetery. Cede it to the Federal Government; they’ll protect it. I do have issue with using public funds (my tax dollars) to move it. (before the haters start, I said move it not maintain it) Start a Go-Fund-Me, get corporate donations, have a bake sale. Just fund it yourselves if you want it moved and restored at a different location. I have a feeling this would garner popular support.
What I DO NOT support is tit-for-tat. “If you tear down my statue than your statue must go too.” Nope. Find a solution using an inclusive group.
Speaking of being inclusive…
“…staff has determined that Lee Square and the monument does not reflect our current values nor strive to create a more inclusive City.”
So Lee Square and the monument does not reflect the current values of the STAFF. Just what are the Staff’s current values? What about the current values of the citizens of Pensacola? Did the staff ask? Did they hold public meetings? Does this mean that everything was OKay with the monument in the past and will be again in the future, but currently… not so much?
And the usage (over-usage again IMHO) of “inclusive” to describe this situation is simply wrong. Read the comments below. If anything this is being divisive not inclusive.
Enough is enough. We need to stop destroying stuff. We need to stop trying to out-shout each other. We need to start listening to each other again. We need to stop pointing out our differences and celebrate what’s common.
We need to grow up.
Interesting that Gen Perry was about 30 years old, Col Lang about 27 years of age. Most enlisted soldiers were about 18 years old… Half of their numbers were casualties at Gettysburg. Only about 60 – 70 men (of about 1,000) survived until the end of the war…
Please remember we let a few take prayer out of school, I believe that has a lot to do soth the riots, burning, looting, etc. The students did not learn to salute the flag and history of our country. Don’t let a small group remove our history, if so end of the USA.
At last I must give in and say that at this day forward as bad as it disappoints me to say this but I am no longer proud to be an American anymore matter of fact I want even go to the trouble of capitalising the ” A” in america but I will wait till after the Nov.election before I make this final.If Trump wins then at least we will have 4 more years before we really go to the dogs
Let’s remove the Martin King statues and street names first and if everyone is ok with that then we will remove ALL monuments. If we are going to erase history let’s erase it all.
I have been to dozens of Civil War Battle sites and scores of monuments across the country. Each and every one before the pandemic. And you know what? No one protester…..Not a single protester in all that time!!! WHY NOW???
County and city residents should be allowed to vote on this matter. Unless a statue/monument is erected on private property, these statues/monuments and all other statues/monuments belong to the citizens Escambia County Florida. A small but very loud group of people, some of whom do not even live in Escambia County Florida, have had the loudest voice for removal of the statue. Our city officials have given in to the loudest and “squeakiest wheel”. Those demanding the removal of this statue and other articles such as the 5th flag in the 5 flag display for the City of Fve Flags are younger people who have not studied our history. A statue erected to honor all fallen men regardless of the war being fought, is a statue for everyone. Some men who fought in the civil war were not fighting to keep slaves… they were more or less “drafted” into the war. Our City Council as well as our County Commissioners are all old enough to have studied the civil war in school. The Civil War, WW1 & WW2, Vietnam, Korea, and the Middle East conflicts as such, are not being taught in schools anymore or at least to the degree 30+ years ago. It is not our educators fault for not teaching this, it is simply not in the curriculum. These people demanding these monuments be taken down are too lazy to research the true meaning of the monuments. Therefore, they have nothing but time on their hands to demonstrate and tear down and throw away the rights that past Americans fought so hard for. Southern men were not fighting for the right to own slaves but for the right to farm their land as they saw fit. They were fighting for the right to own their own land.
To our City Counsel: you cannot change history by taking down or destroying a statue or monument or by removing a flag. You can’t change history by destroying a book. You can change history by being ignorant and not learning from the past. You can change history by not listening to EVERYONE around you. You can change history by not working with those around you. You can change history but will it make things better or make things worse for everyone?
Defund the Mayor and City Council.
Do we have any good psychologist in Pensacola? When people get this upset at seeing things in public that have been is the same place for a long time, I think they have a mental defect and should seek treatment! I see many things everyday that i do not agree with and do not like! I do not seek to have these things removed! As a tax payer, i really have a problem as having something put in place or removed at tax payer expense to appease a small group! Right now, we have so many people suffering. We do not need to be wasting taxpayer money at this time. Look at all of the businesses and charities that have borrowed money from Paycheck Protections Loans In Escambia Counties In Florida And Alabama. I am sure that is provided from our taxes! How crazy can we get to keep borrowing money to take down things because some one is “offended” when so many people, churches and businesses are struggling to make ends meet! Do our elected leaders have any common sense? If not, maybe they need to step aside for someone that does!
Also, Palafox Street needs to go. It’s named after José de Palafox y Melci, 1st Duke of Zaragoza. He was the head of a patriot movement in Spain. Can’t be venerating that.
At the very least it needs to be renamed pending a deep investigation into possible war crimes and slave ownership.
What are you Pensacola people thinking, honoring such (potentially such) a man?
And don’t even get me started on Tristán de Luna. All references to him need to go. How dare you glorify such a colonial ruler???????
Can’t stop with General Lee:
Seville Square has to go. It celebrates the Spanish who, as we know, oppressed and displaced the Indians. Sorry, the Native Americans.
“Seville Square is a park in historic downtown Pensacola that was the location of a 1752 Spanish outpost known as San Miguel. Under British occupation, it was laid out as a public square in the new city plan by Elias Durnford in 1764.
Seville Square was designated as a public plaza by the Spanish in 1813.”
I swear some of you people don’t stop and think, you just react. I assume you would have been just as upset and offended when Germany tore down the Berlin Wall. “That’s history, how dare you!!!”
I can only imagine how upset you were when the Saddam Hussein statues were tore down. I bet you thought “I can’t believe those people are tearing down part of their history. How disgusting!”
And the people that say if we do it to one we should do it to all and take down all MLK Jr monuments. What?? So a man that had absolutely no history of violence and preached and promoted nothing but peace and equality is to be held in the same light as one of our darkest parts of history (and of course he was killed by white racist).
Come on people. I’m white. I’m in my late 40’s. I graduated from Jay for god’s sake (I don’t know about now, but when I went there weren’t any black students), and even I know that the people defending to keep the confederate statues are just being absurd.
Am I for things like reparations? Nope. Contrary to popular belief slavery wasn’t invented in the United States, or even the New World. Egypt was enslaving people to build pyramids thousands of years ago, and even though white people like to think that every character in the bible was white, that’s not the case.
This has nothing to do with removing everything that offends even one person, but I see nothing wrong with removing monuments to the confederacy of the Civil War. The confederacy lost, slavery was abolished, and it’s time to move on. Let it go people.
@ Kevin:
I would like to hear more about “the Confederate States declared war on Our Union.”
The Southern States seceded from the Union, which by the U.S. Constitution they were allowed to do. President Lincoln, in order to preserve the Union, violated that same Constitution.
Look at other countries and history. When people got this destroy-the-monuments fever, usually what followed was war, poverty, oppression. You think the statues hurt you? I have news for you. No statue is ever going to hurt you, and this downtown statue isn’t going to inspire anyone to do something bad to Black people. You think the cops in Minneapolis killed George Floyd because the cop saw a statue and he decided to kill a black guy? The statues that “inspire hatred” only exist IN YOUR MIND. They don’t inspire anybody to hate. However, BLM does inspire black people to hate whites, so I think BLM should be dismantled. Its members should be arrested. Period. It’s a hate group.
Don’t stop with this statue, Mr Mayor. If you want to purge and purify better take down the De Luna statue next.
Blm is nothing but a terror organization I guess when isis gets here and starts complaining we have to kiss their asses too.
@ EWL
I AGREE LET THE PEOPLE VOTE, NOT TO LATE TO GET ON BALLOT.
This is Phs lunch park not lee park. This is why I am so sad! So many lunch breaks.
ARE THEY GOING TO REMOVE ALL HISTORY MARKINGS???????
INCLUDING THE BLACK, YELLOW, BROWN, ETC????????????????????
It’s not as if they are not telling everybody what they plan to do. I listened to Omar yesterday – she was very specific what they plan to dismantle. Economy, justice system.,, everything in our country they hate and that stands in the way of their liberal thinking. You have to give them credit – when they say they Will do it they ARE doing it! Daring anyone to stand in their way the “silent” majority gives in to their every demand. This is only the beginning – people who want law and order will have hell to pay starting in 2021!
If everyone over 50y will remember..
All the change of historic Pensacola
started with Mayor Fogg and
cronies Q. Studer and Russenberger(s)..
Started with Municipal Auditorium torn down
so Russenberger seed was planted..that started it all..
Next got rid all normal downtown life,
establishments whether you like them or not…
Look at Baptist Hospital blueprint Studer spawned
then walked away..
Sara Russenberger has added two cents of
in the comments….
All this phonyism, self serving.. non logic has come
to fruition….
Pensacola voters put then in office, they can
remove them…
In all fairness to the citizens of Pensacola, we should be allowed to vote on this catastrophe rather than have a gutless City Council have the say for us. I have lived here all my life and remember as a child standing in front of the statue in question when I would walk to town. It is a memory I don’t want to give up. I also remember having History in school and being taught the importance of knowing American and World history. That opportunity too has been taken away from our children. I didn’t think it was important then, but I certainly do see the importance now. If this goes through, then the citizens of Pensacola should vote for sure the next
vote for City Council. Vote em out.
I am not surprised at this really cowardly decision. The Mayor is nothing but a brown-nosed Wuss, and all the others are afraid , because the blacks are killing each other and they are afraid of them turning on the powers that be! If they are suddenly offended at a memorial that has been there for YEARS, why would the leaders suddenly bown down and lick their boots? DISGUSTING
In not so sure this council is spineless.
Traitors? Yes
Socialistic? Yes
Anti American? Yes
This is insane! Like it or not the confederacy is part of the history of this nation! I suppose next we’ll begin removing all the monuments and reminders of both world wars as well as Vietnam??
What we really have going on is our city officials cowering to the Black Lives Matter organization. An organization that really isn’t about black lives. It is a political machine with the sole purpose of advancing the cause of Marxism hiding behind the blace race.
The worst thing you could do is trying to have a so called “dialog” or “conversation” with this organization.
Taking down history, good or bad will not improve anyone’s life, and certainly future generations learning from it.
Political Correctness is a myth. When one group is allowed to destroy our history the PC has gone to far. When racism is allowed to rule the masses we are in dangerous times. Racism comes in many ways and yes I am talking to the protesters and rioters who blame racism for their actions in demanding the removal of history. If you want our history removed from public view I want all murals and monuments you have placed removed as well. BLM is offensive to me, Defund The Police is offensive to me. Both of which I feel are racist points of views. Here is the definition of Racism apply this to what your preaching. Don’t be fooled by the myth only white people can be racist. Look at what’s happening now.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/racism, . We apply
This is ridiculous, this is history and at some point the politicians need to take a stand for what is right and quite worrying about your re-election. The Mayor and City council are a waste of tax payers money. It’s time for us to stand up and take our country back….and quite catering for votes.
Gutless ignorance
While you are removing monuments, I find those holocaust memorials very dreary and disturbing.
When we get through tearing down everything on earth that offends people, there will be no earth
Concrete, brick, motor,brass bronze gold copper, are false Gods
None offend me or excite me
Material crap that incites stupidity from all on earth
Oh, I forgot one…words
Lets burn a few books also
you know, when i give money to an organization or donate food to manna food pantry i don’t specify that i want it to be given to just white disabled kids or white families. it doesn’t mean anything to me who gets the food or money, only that someone is being helped. the removal of my history disturbs me, because one group is saying that it’s all about them and they don’t care about other people’s feelings or heritage. what do they see when they look at that monument that is a war dead memorial? i see men who never came home and their families never knew what happened to them. can’t we have anything? must we give up everything just because someone does not agree with it? what will be next? the national cemeteries? when will all this stop? i am going to pray that these so-called leaders start looking at ALL lives and that ALL lives matter. if not our country is in bad shape.
What is wrong with the people that makes the decision for people of Pensacola From someone that has lived all my Iife talking almost 60 years we the people have had to just suck up the changes that has been thrown at us over these past years. Like the removal of the flag of the south I myself love that flag. I am ashamed of the people that made that decision And by the way how do all these people who protest and paint on the city streets and jump on someone car(which by the way I would have done the same thing) Only I would have speeded up to about 70 mph and then hit my brake and let that man fly. The point is do these people work? I think if they had jobs say 60 hours have time to run they mouth in the street and paint on streets And I do know hard working people that work those
know people that work those hours and more. Get a job shut your mouth put down your paint brush and that care of your family’s
Excellent job Pensacola, real leadership finally!
Remove all those monuments of ignorance and oppression!
Make locals study and READ about history and stop living through sentimental objects.
Pensacola, the City of No Flags… No Past, No Future… Pitiful.
VOTE .. CRIMINALS . MAYOR OUT
Next on the agenda, now that the disinformation is upheld –a sovereign separate state and reparations paid to one race by all the rest of the taxpayers and dissolve the constitution and western civilization . Thanks Studer and weak Mayor. Socialism here we come. Good by USA. Its a veterans’memorial you useful idiots.
The Israelites made a bunch of statues and celebrated the statues and Moses had to come out of Africa to Teach the ignorant masses about why we don’t need statues in the first place. Love your neighbor. Or, build a wall of separation. We can’t do both.
Mayor and you so called city leaders,if your going to take down the confederate statue , then you need to take down m.l.k statue down.enough is enough . When is it going to be said that all lives MATTER.
Finally. A step in the right direction.
Time to remove monuments to a traitorous and shameful period in our nation.
For those calling it “history,” we still remember who the Nazis were, but they do not fly the swastika flag in Germany, or build monuments to Nazi leaders.
We memorialize the hero, not the oppressor, and certainly not the slaver.
Pensacola doesn’t need a City Council or a Mayor. De-fund the career politicians and run them out of town!
“staff has determined that Lee Square and the monument does not reflect our current values nor strive to create a more inclusive City”.
This will NEVER create unity unless all monuments including MLK, MLK street, BLM painted on street. You removed the confederate flag and we still have the same problems. This will only divide us more. History is history and you cannot change it.
Kevin, it’s historic because our ancestors chose this park to honor and commemorate the fallen of the civil war. Just as our ancestors chose the rebel flag as the flag representing the CSA for Pensacola’s City of Five Flags.
If the Supreme Court decides to reverse Roe V Wade, are we going on a witch-hunt to get rid of everyone that was for killing babies? No, it was legal and what the country was doing at the time, a lot like the civil war.
I could write several paragraphs about the idiocracy of the situation.
It would just be the same as the rest…
Vote the cowards out, plain and simple.
Don’t bow to the whiny mob, they will never be satisfied.
Do any of you idiots realize what the confederate was? What the confederate flag stood for? Racist ideals and monuments should be erased. It’s not something to be posted in the middle of the city to be proud of. Put it in a museum. Start teaching the real history not what you want to believe.
Oh wait i forgot where i lived… LOL.
Those historic landmarks belong to the residents of Escambia County and the City of Pensacola. Like it or not, it is a part of all of us. Let it be decided at the polling both. Not an online petition that you can not even validate
Is it history or symbolic?
We the People, in Order to form a more Perfect Union….
The U.S.A is the union. The Confederate States declared war on Our Union. I cant find any Country in the world that has so many monuments honoring Generals and Military members that fought/endorsed in a war against their country and killed 100s of thousands of their countrymen.
There are no dead interred in that park so the land is not sacred. No one wants to erase this monuments history just move it to where there are true Confederate Generals and Soldiers interred, Say.. St Johns Cemetery, St Michael s, Fort Barrancas National ( I prefer Barrancass) they are all historic places of rest with Confederates.
How many of you have even yourself or brought you kids, stopped, got out, read the inscriptions taught its history and reflected yourself there until… maybe now? (before the fences).
Again I ask…
Is it history or symbolic?
Pensacola City Council and Mr. Mayor. You are a bunch of spineless cowards. I hope everyone of you loose your seat in the next election. If you take down or Confederate Monuments you need to remove the Civil rights Monument as well. They are both history. Either put them all in a museum or leave them all alone. You are creating more racial divide in our city by bowing down to a small group of agitators who most likely don’t even live in the Pensacola area. You can not erase or change history.Since when does an online petition of 1000 people carry so much weight. At least put it to a vote and let the people decide.
Should Trump send in the troops and put the city council members in jail and fine them…. This in part is what the country needs to defend. Or the city needs to remove M.L.King statue to. It offends me it’s in a downtown area that had nothing to do with me.
If we let Lee be removed who will watch over the fellow just down the hill. Guess he will be removed as well, What’s good for the goose is good for the grander. I have a novel idea lets put our “BIG BOY PANTS ON!” and suck it up if it bothers you and let me have my history and you have yours. I have friends of all race and nationality and I would treat each one the same for anything they might do. All are equal. We are all Americans by choice, if you dont like it there are miles of boarders you can cross as you leave.
Take care of your family
Work hard to succeed
Respect others
Pay your fair taxes
Work for fair wages
Just pitiful! All this nonsense and what people are getting away with these days is terrible!
Pandering to the mob. One of the mob screams “This offends me” and the answer is sure, sure, we will soothe you, we’ll do whatever you want.
Well, the removal of the monuments offends me! I guess the difference is I am not a part of the mob. I am trying to talk to the other side, while the mob wants it all here and now, no talking!
For how much longer should we yield to the mob? To those who scream and shout and throw rocks?
Large cities should be an example. You yield to this scam, the crime sky rockets. They shoot mostly themselves, but it spills over to normal people neighborhoods too. And yes, I don’t consider mob as normal citizens. They consume what they don’t produce; the leeches nothing else.
If you tear one down then tear them all down including the Vietnam Wall and M.L.K Plaza .
Personally I like them all
If you tear one down then tear them all down including fort Pickins built by slaves the Vietnam Wall and Martin Luther King plaza too.
It’s time to put the Jim Crow Era behind us and remove the monument that was placed there to remind everyone that the South will win in other ways. The first ever and only Black Mayor of Pensacola was removed and “Black Codes” were used during that time period against our African American citizens. We should stand up for BLM and be proud to step into the future together. Removing the statue will be a great first step.
Here’s an argument JOHN STITH PEMBERTON CONFEDERATE STATE VETERAN was the inventor of coca cola so does that mean we protest and hate every thing coke ever had any thing to do with or does now what is the difference
You bunch of cowards, you can’t change history, you can’t say there was never a civil war and you can’t cover it up by tearing down monuments of heros. There will always be a difference between the north and the south but no one is still fighting about it. There is no protest or anyone asking you to destroy Lee Square but a bunch of panty wearing elected officials that thinks they may come in contact with someone affiliated with blm activist that only represent about 2% of our population.
Did I read the proposal correctly, $120,000 to remove the monument (that’s not really bothering anyone)? Really? What say you taxpayers?
By the way. Street painting. Will any group now be allowed to paint their message on a City street? Nothing vile or drastic, just a group that wants to get their non violent message across. I will bet not!
I will make a statement here that will probably be more true than false.When the November election is over those in office will probably remain in office.If you want to stop all this crazy nonsense you will have to go to polls and vote these spinless politicians out off office.If you are not a registered voter and don’t vote keep your trap shut. That”s the first question I ask someone who is complaining. If you haven’t voted go register and vote then you have the right to complain.Vote the idiots in November.
In my opinion, just a temporary feel good thing that really doesn’t accomplish anything, & probably will be all but forgotten by next year. It won’t change anything or solve any present problems Who or what will next get the never ending blame for present problems. Maybe law enforcement, which I guess is already in the political hot seat. So defund the police & get rid of them too? Then what? Will this insanity ever end?
For those in favor of removing statues and monuments I would like to bring a recent holiday to your attention. July 4, for 244 years we have celebrated our country’s freedom with fireworks, cookouts and gatherings. In 1776 slavery was as prevalent as the civil war period. What should the next step be? Ban fireworks and the holiday that celebrations?
All this should be left for those who were born here in pensacola that are 50 and older to decide if certain changes should be made 50 and older are the ones who built this town and now for those who move here and want to change it
Not going to happen if you don’t like pensacola by all means your welcome to leave. Pensacola use to be a town where we welcomed you to join us and show love to your neighbor crime has exploded in the small town filled with love. It’s high time we get back to old fashion values. Love thy neighbor.
Spineless. Totally spineless, the Pensacola City Council. That is history. Pure history.
These rioters and looters are just looking to steal and tear up things in these big cities. They don’t even know what they are taking down. But the mayor and city Council in this City have no back bone.
Disgusting
The fair and equal thing to do is put it on the ballot for a vote so all the Escambia County and voice their opinion
I was born in Pensacola and have lived here almost all my life. Lee Square and the monument have always stood at the top of Palafox Street overlooking downtown. It is a beautiful “entrance” if you will to the metropolitan area of Pensacola. I am perplexed that suddenly it is offensive! This is nothing short of pandering by our cowardly city leaders to a small number of community activists! Surely a matter like this should be voted on to decide if the citizens of Pensacola desire to forgo our local history and bow to the whim of a small number of loud people! I have watched (over 6 decades) my beloved birthplace change, through nationally televised riots, murdered babies through abortions, allowing the entire gay community to take over our beaches for their gay pride Memorial Day, allowing the homeless to live on our streets and now the erasing of historical monuments. Pensacola has become a place I am ashamed of and embarrassed by. This is pandering and cowardly and on Election Day we will not forget your names! You have denied your constituents their right to be heard and done much to further polarize this community. Shame on you for cowering to a few in your mistaken progressive and liberal policies!!! We won’t forget!!
Don’t appreciate my tax dollars being spent this way if protesters wish remove monuments around town and you should be at their expense… City officials do not have the authority to negotiate with terrorists organization…..
NOTICE…. the public did NOT complain. this action was initiated by City STAFF! Same way the Southern flag was taken down a couple years ago. City of FOUR flags… doesnt seem to have the same ring.
What in the world is wrong with all these cowards on the council including the worthless mayor they say take something down it offends them they take it down well guess what there’s a lots I don’t like but you won’t ever see me saying take something. Down just because someone don’t like it its never going to end if we all plain on going to Heaven together we got to get along in Heaven together my Big MaMa always said God don’t like ugly
What in the world is wrong with the cowards Council and pensacola spineless MAYOR its been there for ever some want something down so hey take it down remember something people you can’t take it out of our hearts Jesus Christ will always be in our hearts and if were all going to Heaven together. We got to get along together always remember God don’t like ugly leave our monuments along
It’s history. It’s a reminder of what our forefathers went through to get us where we are now. We should learn from our history. We should use it as a reminder not to repeat it
What in the world is wrong with all these cowards on the council including the worthless mayor they say take something down it offends them they take it down well guess what there’s a lots I don’t like but you won’t ever see me saying take something. Down that makes someonevelae proud that’s there right guess what if we all plan to go to Heaven together we got to except every thing and every body the council needs to put some backbone on and be for all of us
If these cowards get this approved, how many will stand with me to make sure anything in this town with the name of Martin Luther King be changed or removed! I’m sick & tired of this crap and will not stop on this one!
I have “NO” problem with any of the statues of our history. I think they should stay and be a reminder of just how far our country has come (or not come in todays setting). If the confederate statue must go then MLK statue must go as well. Even tho I have nothing against either statue. The city of Pensacola must be fair about the removal, if one goes all should go. Reading some of the comments, the locals are just about at the breaking point with all this nonsense, and the outcome will not be pretty.
How many people have passed this monument each day and felt threatened by it’s presence? How many city residents can get permission to paint a message on a city owned roadway? What’s next Pensacola?
Lets bow to everything someone dislikes. Remove 5 flags.
for most of the southern soldiers, slavery was not the issue, they were fighting an invasion of them damn yankees and defending their homes very few of those poor white trash soldiers owned anything
slavery is/was the most hideous thing ever.
Pensacola should be called the city of NO flags since slavery was present under all five of the flags. But it is obvious that the members City administration and mayor haven’t studied history or just prefer to ignore parts of it!
Well, this is not surprising to anyone? Can anyone in the city of Pensacola get a permit to paint a message on a city street?
The Mayor said,
“The Square and Monument are not equitable representations of all our citizens”
does that mean that any and all other statues nearby should also be removed if they do not equally represent our citizens, or just this statue. just wondering. or did the mayor misspeak.
I do not want them to take down anymore statues.
What in the world are you bunch of cowards on the council,afraid so just give in to everyone’s wants what’s next its never going to end you can remove everything y’all want which is very wrong but you can’t take our statues and Flages but you can’t take them out of our hearts and you know what you can’t take Jesus Christ out of our hearts shame shame shame of y’all scared people
Once again the city administrators bending to the loudest cry baby’s and showing NO backbone what’s so ever, go ahead ,,erase the history, and be doomed to repeat it. I don’t understand why we didn’t have a vote on the removal instead of allowing the council of the spineless speak for us.. welcome to the city of four flags
Not only are the members of City administration idiots, they are cowards also!
This is wrong if yall go through with this , yall are a bunch of spineless , you dont have the back bone tostand up for the majority allyou wont to do is passify the the minority’s, WHAT A OUT THE PEOPLE THAT PUT YOU IN OFFICE , I GUESS WE DONT COUNT BECOUSE WE ARENOT YELLING ENOUGH COME ELECTION TIME WE WILLSEE WHO S VOTE WILL COUNT, YOU ARE A BUNCH OF YELLOW BELLYJACKASS’S.
Stupid no I’m not for erasing history but what’s good for one should be good for all let’s not have a double standard here like the Democrat’s do .
Over the last 60-years I’ve never known of that little man at the top of the pedestal to come down and bother anyone. (what’s his name anyway)?
Hooray, great time to be alive. People should not have to live under the constant reminder of being enslaved.
do it at your own political peril. names will be remembered.
Typical garbage coming from an inept city. Where are the jobs?
Our Confederate Dead
This is a monument to those that died for what they believed in.
Being removed by cowards that believe in nothing.
Where will it end?
City of 5 flags? So whats next Delunna! Ya’ll going to bow down to
any one else? Grow a backbone, Seem to me we do not have a problem with it! You can’t change the past. It is what it is, good or bad, but you learn from it. So whats next, ya’ll going to back defund the police? Guess we will have our say on the 15th! 5:30 city council meeting! See you there!
For the first time since I moved here 20+ years ago
I am actually embarrassed to say that pensacola is
my home.
Deborah Daugherty,
When you go to to Greenland or New Zealand,
Please take me with you.
No protest???
Pay the ransom to hostage takers, more hostages will be taken.
With all the statues coming down I’m beginning to be annoyed by MLKING BLVDS and his statues plastered on historic places that had nothing to do with him. How about the new name for the three mile bridged
Seems to me like you’re all het up over one statue, one issue. There is a protest. Yes, you can be offended by the pelicans and you can protest any monument, park or statue that offends you. It is certainly your right. Lee was no hero. Just some dude.
Didn’t the President of the United States of America say leave the Confederate Monuments and Statues alone? This statue comes under Federal law and is protected.
History tells us that Lee himself was an Abolitionist, Lee was against slavery! He fought for the Confederacy because of his love for Virginia. You people really need to open a Civil War History book and learn something! Lee’s plantation is now Arrington National Cemetery. Are we going to destroy that also?
A huge win for progress in this area! Lets strive to be inclusive! This belongs in a museum or graveyard where history can still be studied. It is in no way erasing history. The confederacy was a shorter period than Game of Thrones run was. This statue is only supported by those who support backwards thinking and we are above that behavior and seeing the city show that gives me hope. Thank you for doing what is right! Ignore the naysayers, they’ll always be there. Always do what is right, not what you’re pushed into. Thank you!
Leave it alone, if you don’t like it then don’t look at it. This is becoming so stupid. What a bunch of idiots we have here in a Pensacola…
Vote them all out, this city Is 461 years old and this is just the beginning of the burying history. Coddling the idiots that have been allowed to block traffic, paint graffiti in the roads, throw out the rebel flag and change names of high schools has to end.
I tend to agree with the comments here, if it offends you just look away. This is not the way to promote unity. It is a one sided decision and a weak one at that. What a loss for a time in history.
This is so wrong! If you don’t like it then don’t look at it. What if I said that I am offended by the Pelican because it represents vicious birds that slaughter our fish. How about MLK? Then there is Ferdinand Plaza, De Luna and the Veterans Memorial. Where does this stop? HISTORY IS HISTORY. Everyone is offended by something now days, so you are saying you can’t be offended but I can?
Saint Michaels Cemetery says it can be put there. They have graves there with Confederate ties already. They just do not want to be responsible for the upkeep. Those of you that really, really care, should make it happen.
Pensacola City of Five Flags? Make that four? Legislating and erasing history is a mistake.
Once again our “local” govermemt
has showed how weak of a backside they
have.
When is enough,,,enough…??What will happen next,,,?? And why can’t we vote on this issue ?? I am so sick about all this unrest and killings,if I had the money,,I would go to Greenland,,New Zealand,,for real..Why can’t people just get along ???
My observation: There is no smoke. There is no fire. There is no protest. There seems to be no issue. It’s stone and mortar and a bit of history. Yet the City of Pensacola is seemingly caving in to non-existent pressure. I am going to bet this stirs up trouble where once there was none. I hope not.
Does the stupidity never end?
IDIOTS
If we are going to remove all monuments and start renaming things let’s do it for everything not just single out this.Lets rename streets back to street names and bridges back to a bridge because I don’t like it,that’s okay to do because that’s what happened here.Erase history so erase it All!