Confederate-era marker protested - TX

[CMWinkler]

Confederate-era marker protested


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Miguel Roberts

The Jefferson David monument stands at Washington Park in downtown Browsville, Texas on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2016. Erected in 1926 by the United Daughters of the Confederacy the monument commemorates the President of the Confederate States of America for his services to the United States of America. The Brownsville Historical Association will host a celebration to honor Confederate heroes Sunday. (Miguel Roberts /The Brownsville Herald via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT

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Posted: Sunday, January 17, 2016 9:27 pm

By CHRISTINA R. GARZA Staff Writer

BROWNSVILLE — Since its inception a month ago, an online petition to remove a historical marker honoring Confederate President Jefferson Davis from Washington Park in Brownsville has amassed almost 5,000 signatures.

The petition's author, Brownsville resident Antonio Castillo, said his wife and children are of African American ancestry and that from the family's perspective the monument in a public park is unwelcoming to descendents of slaves.

More: http://www.valleymorningstar.com/news/local_news/article_5f483338-bd93-11e5-916c-439778eacc2c.html

 

[Andersonh1]

It's just the latest. This has been going on all across the South since June of last year, with New Orleans being the most high profile example. I think in a lot of cases these monuments are historical objects themselves at this point, and I'm sorry to see them threatened in any way. I understand times and public sentiment change, but from what I can tell there's very little public outcry at all over any of them. It's mainly small groups fighting to have them removed, and the politicians they've managed to influence. I hope any monument that is removed can be preserved and displayed elsewhere, assuming someone isn't offended by that.