The Southern racist Slave Owners who supported the Confederate States of America were traitors. Those who led the government of the Confederate States of America were traitors. Those who fought for the Confederacy were traitors. They killed Americans in war. They were traitors. These are undisputed and objective facts. These are not opinions.
That there is any memorial or monument or statue commemorating the traitors who killed Americans in America defies logic and patriotism. Indeed, the only reason one would commemorate the Confederacy is because one wants to promote the ideals for which the treason was committed in the first place: racism and slavery. Again, these are facts, not opinions.
With that background, you have to ask yourself why there is a Confederate flag and monument honoring those who fought for the South in the Civil War in Georgetown, Delaware.
You have to ask yourself why this racist and treasonous commemorative site was receiving $14,443 a year in taxpayer money from the State of Delaware.
It would appear that finally, a state office holder did ask why, and then took action.
Sen. Trey Paradee (D-17th) serves on the Joint Finance Committee, which reviews and allocates funding for various groups and organizations under the Grant-in-Aid bill. This year he recommended that the Georgetown Racism and Treason Memorial be struck from the list of groups receiving funding. The Grant in Aid bill passed unanimously on the last day of the legislative session, as it usually does.
“I will not play any role in supporting organizations that continue to celebrate the Confederacy and the traitors who fought for its failed racist ideology of hate and enslavement,” Paradee said in a statement. “To recommend a grant in any amount would be a betrayal to my constituents and every friend of mine who descended from African slaves.”
The monument will still exist and the traitor’s flag will still fly at that horrid site in Georgetown, since it is private property, and the private owners of the site have a right to free expression of their affinity for treason and racism, but at least state money will no longer support it. Thanks and gratitude to Senator Paradee for this move.
But yet we have a statue in Trolley Square of Ceaser Rodney, one of the largest slave owners in the state. 🤷🏼♂️
If you are going to do this whataboutism, can you please get smarter about it?
Caesar Rodney was a governor of this state. A legit Founding Father of this nation (who also would include slave owners). I was reminded yesterday that the flag flying at the Confederate memorial is officially the Battlefield Flag of The Army of Northern VIRGINIA, so has no connection to the State of Delaware.
That statue commemorates not racism and treason, but his ride to Philadelphia to vote on Independence, hence the presence of the horse. Thomas Jefferson was also a slave owner, as was George Washington, and I am not here advocating the destruction of the city of Washington, the Washington Monument or the Jefferson Memorial. I am only talking about memorials that celebrate the Confederacy, a defeated treasonous and racist institution.
Ok. So he did all those things but was still a slave owner which makes him a racists right? I mean Trump and Biden are racists for their comments so why isn’t someone who owned slaves and believe in slavery a racist? Hell, Come to think of it, Paradee even has a school district (which receives state money) in his back yard named after a racist slave owner.
What I *do* know is that is is pretty damned racist to just be concerned with an inventory of who you think is justifiably accused of racism. That’s not even the topic at hand, but just like racists everywhere you just want to litigate the label.
Ok, ok, I get it. Flying a Confederate flag in Sussex is racist but a statue of a known Delawarean who did in fact support and own slaves overlooking Wilmington is ok. This is why most of America thinks your looney. It’s ok because it doesn’t fit your agenda. Just wanted to point out your hypocrisy. And P.S. I also think the totem pole in Bethany should be removed. It’s offensive to me.
Ok, ok, I get it. Flying a Confederate flag in Sussex today is racist but a statue of a known Delawarean who did in fact support and own slaves over 200 years ago overlooking Wilmington is ok.
There. Fixed that for you.
As pointed out by Ryan Tack-Hooper on Twitter:
“Every story about this monument should note that the Delaware Gray’s website says “If you are interested in perpetuating the ideals that motivated your Confederate ancestor, then we need you!””
“The website says, “I salute the Confederate Flag with affection, reverence and undying devotion to the Cause for which is stands.””
The ideals that motivated their Confederate ancestors included the owning and brutalization of black people. If you want to affirm that this is also your ideal, then just say that. Stop beating around the bush with this silly whataboutism. Because the only thing you are doing here is working up a defense of this kind of racism. If you are for it, say that and stop wasting our time.
Why is our city delegation silent about the statue of Columbus and why Columbus Day is still a recognized holiday?
Have you asked them?
Yes, several times with no response. I was most surprised by Hanifa not responding since I had asked her about it during her campaign. Maybe you will have better luck since I am just a regular unknown voter without any political capital.
I am not clear what you want to disagree about (i) the confederate flag money being withheld or (ii) the statue in Rodney Square? Also not clear why you are arguing the point. IMO we shouldn’t have to compare how a possible act of racism would differ if perpetrated against blacks, whites, Asians or Mexicans . . . just to understand that it is wrong.
It’s the money, stupid.
Oh I get it Paul, it is ALL about the stupid money and not racism . . . hahaha
If we as a nation are going to rid our landscape of everything that is a hypocritical idea then we must do so in every fashion.
Every statue and monument be taken down.
Every library named after anyone be closed.
Every school named after anyone be closed.
Every scholarship fund named in honor of someone be abolished.
Every road named for a person of our past be renamed. Yes this includes Martin Luther King Jr. Sorry to say.
We stop checking the race box on applications. We also stop checking the gender box as well
Because evidently we are all offended by something. So in order to make everyone happy we abolish anything that has to do with the history of America in everyway. Right down to the Smithsonian Museums. We rid our children of learning history. Especially the Holocaust. Slavery. The civil war. Anything American Indians. The creation of the rail road.
We make American history completely disappear and star fresh everyday. And when someone is hurt over a statement we write a law stating it will not be repeated of you get the death penalty.
Before it’s over we will be a mute nation.
Perfect solution. !
Yeah, no thanks, just the racist and right-wing ones will do. They are leftover tributes to a time where whites, specifically white males, controlled everything without a care for anyone else. That time is coming to a close thanks to the ills of late stage capitalism and the benefits of progress.
Somebody got triggered here. With a solution that essentially says that “If I can’t have my racist symbols, then let’s just burn everything down.” For someone pretending to care about history, you are doing this all wrong.
I believe if they want to celebrate their racist beliefs they can do so. But you will not use my tax money to do so. You must come up with your own way to fund your beliefs but you should not receive grant money to do so. As for the totem pole I’m not from down state but that’s not a racist symbol when this land belonged to the Native Americans (which the government stole their land and shipped them all over this country without any feelings towards their beliefs and livelihood. They had their own tribal names. The government, racist people, and money hungry people felt the need to ignore them and decided to take all from them.). The totem pole is a symbol of their tribe and that was their land from long ago. Nothing of that symbolizes to hate other races, genders, or religions.
And on a lighter, non Ro-man note, at last something good from Paradee. Begs the question why this game with the traitor flag has gone on this long and why it was not challenged.
For the record…
On August 18, 2017 the Progressive Democrats of Sussex County (PDSC) sent a letter to every Democratic senator and representative. The first two paragraphs read:
“The Confederate monument on the grounds of the Georgetown Historical Society is a 9-foot obelisk inscribed with the confederate flag and the names of Delawareans who fought with the southern army. Twenty-five foot flag poles flank it. One pole flies the Delaware flag and the other the Confederate flag with its 13 stars representing the 11 southern states that seceded from the United States and slave states Kentucky and Missouri. The obelisk is also inscribed with a 14th star to represent Delaware — a slave state that did not secede. http://csatrust.org/delaware-monument/
“At the dedication on May 12, 2007, dirt from each of the Confederate states was spread at the base of the monument to “give it a firm foundation in Southern soil.” Noted Southern Patriot H.K. Edgerton led the crowd in singing ‘Dixie’ and performed his rendition of ‘I am their Flag.’ You can read more about the festivities of the dedication at http://shnv.blogspot.com/2007/05/monument-to-delaware-confederates.html…”
On August 27, 2017 the News Journal printed two Delaware Voice columns:
Confederate Monument Affirms Racism by Joanne Cabry, PDSC Chair
Sen. Brian Pettyjohn: Confederate monument in Georgetown has value.
On April 16, 2018 PDSC Civil Rights team sent a letter to every member of the General Assembly.
Excerpts:
…In 2007, the Georgetown Historical Society, which operates the Marvel Carriage Museum in Georgetown, entered into an agreement with the Delaware Grays to allow a Confederate monument on its property.
…We do not believe it is appropriate for the state to support a non-profit organization that implicitly affirms slavery and its lingering legacy of white supremacy.
…The Delaware Grays, on their website, are equally clear about their purpose: to “preserve the history and legacy of these heroes.” The website also includes the Salute to the Confederate Flag, with which the Grays open each meeting: “I salute the Confederate Flag with affection, reverence and undying devotion to the Cause for which it stands.”
…We respectfully request that no grant be awarded to the Georgetown Historical Society as long as its members continue their agreement with the Delaware Grays to allow a monument to the Confederacy on their property.
The Civil Rights Team of the Progressive Democrats of Sussex County
In April 2018 PDSC ran a full-page ad in the Cape Gazette. The State News also published it.
Isn’t there a statue of Vladimir Lenin in Seattle?
There is. It is privately owned and on private land, All of the Lenin statues or busts in the US are privately owned and on privately held spaces.