Baltimore said "Forget this!" They took their Confederate statues down with the quickness. Deets inside…
B-More officials swooped in like a thief in the night and scooped up several Confederate statues around 3 AM, likely to avoid a repeat of the deadly violence that went down in Charlottesville over the weekend. They also likely weren't trying to have a repeat of the riots that took place following the death of Freddie Gray.
The city had been planning to remove them, but after seeing all of the racist terrorism that invaded Charlottesville, Baltimore made moves fast.
A statue of Supreme Court Chief Roger Taney was taken down from its location in the Mount Vernon Place neighborhood, followed by monuments of Confederate generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas. J. "Stonewall" Jackson, the Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Monument, and the Confederate Women's Monument.
Quick history lesson: Former chief justice Roger Taney is famously known for the Dred Scott Decision, the 1857 Supreme Court ruling that said black people were not considered American citizens and the federal government couldn’t regulate slavery.
There has been controversy over whether the statues across the nation should be taken down. Some feel the statues represent Southern history and heritage, while others feel like they’re racist symbols glorifying a side that lost its desire to maintain slavery.
Confederate Monuments coming down tonight; right now. Lee Jackson has caution tape around it. Police here pic.twitter.com/GlJmlucRgK
— brandon soderberg (@notrivia) August 16, 2017
Peep a clip of the statues being taken away below:
#BREAKING Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger #Taney statue taken down in #Baltimore. Slavery defender. @WPTVpic.twitter.com/2cptImr0nf
— Chris Stewart (@CStewartWPTV) August 16, 2017
After the major move, people rejoiced:
Other cities and states across the nation are also trying to figure out what to do with their statues. On Monday, protesters in Durham, NC took matters into their own hands and yanked down a Confederate statue.
Our residents took care of it instead. #Durhamhttps://t.co/ge1bgbZqBWpic.twitter.com/N7LI9zfzbc
— Jillian Johnson (@JillianDURM) August 15, 2017
It’s unclear what the city of Baltimore will do with the removed statues at this time.
On social media...
For the Black Community, tell us ways the non-racist white community who loves u can do better to help influence the country? #HowWeDoBetter
— xoxo, Gaga (@ladygaga) August 15, 2017
Lady Gaga has joined the conversation and she’s asking black people what can white people do to help the country. Umm…
Can she not round up the whites and figure this ish out themselves? Folks seem to figure out plenty of other things amongst themselves.
"Insecure" star Amanda Seales served up the perfect response:
Gaga shld hv said: My fellow non-racist white ppl it's time we further educate ourselves & get 2 work on being the generation 2 end racism.
—Amanda Seales (@amandaseales) August 16, 2017
It is not every black person's role to educate white folks on how to fix their racist system. I'm appalled at any1 who suggests it is.
— Amanda Seales (@amandaseales) August 16, 2017
Then she should have done some research and provided them wth suggestions.
— Amanda Seales (@amandaseales) August 16, 2017
Thoughts?
Photos: @AlecMacGillis
