'An incredible day' as Lee statue removed in Charlottesville

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By SARAH RANKIN

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Cheers erupted Saturday as a Confederate statue that towered for nearly a century over downtown Charlottesville was carted away by truck from the Virginia city where it had become a flashpoint for racist protests and deadly violence.

It was a day of palpable joy and immense relief for scores of residents and visitors who lined neighboring streets to watch the larger-than-life figure of Gen. Robert E. Lee as it was hoisted from its pedestal and taken — at least for now — to storage.

The statue’s removal came more than five years after racial justice activists had renewed a push to take down the monument, an initiative that drew the attention of white supremacists and other racist groups, culminating in the violent “Unite the Right” rally in 2017.

“I’m ecstatic that we’re here now. It’s sad that it’s taken so much to get us to this point. But this is an incredible day,” said Don Gathers, a local Black activist who long advocated for the statue’s removal.



The monument of Robert E. Lee is removed on Saturday, July 10, 2021 in Charlottesville, Va. The removal of the Lee and Jackson statues comes nearly four years after violence erupted at the infamous “Unite the Right” rally. (Erin Edgerton/The Daily Progress via AP)


Read more: https://apnews.com/article/charlottesville-robert-e-lee-statue-removed-2efbc5e13b74e2545a0f6642e2384308

[Blue Owl]

1. Saying Robert E. Lee was the "Kindly General" is kinda like...

calling gunshots “friendly fire”

[ZonkerHarris]

5. Kindly Traitor to his country.

[Skittles]

2. unbelievable how long monuments for losers were around

sickening

[PatrickforB]

3. Like the insurrectionists on January 6, Robert E. Lee was a traitor

to this republic.

[AZ8theist]

4. I can't believe it's been 4 years since the murder of Heather Heyer....

Hopefully this ASSWIPES' LIFE has been destroyed as well....

(fucking Hitler haircut....what a douchebag...)

[jcmaine72]

6. Ironically enough, Robert E. Lee was opposed to the erection of....

...Confederate monuments. He thought they would keep open the sores left behind by the war.

If these RW idiots are such fervent admirers of Lee and the history he represents (which they stupidly claim is being erased), they'd respect his wishes and celebrate the removal of these scab-opening eyesores.

[EYESORE 9001]

9. Keeping open the sores was the point

The confederate-sympathizing civic leaders of that era commissioned creation of statues on a mass scale for distribution to towns and cities. They were placed strategically to remind African Americans of where the sympathies of those in power lay.

[electric_blue68]

7. Seeing the video of it being taken away yesterday....

felt so good!

Visually you saw it approaching, then going past you (straight on through) then going away from you.

Like riding off into the sunset never to return or maybe
to a museum of Southern Confederate racist statues. 👍

[twodogsbarking]

8. There are those in the north that view the south as an enemy

and those in the south same. We are not enemies because of a geographical location.

[EYESORE 9001]

10. However, we can be enemies because of differences in ideology

For example, I consider those who fight to retain these symbols of hatred and apartheid my enemies. They are too far gone for redemption AFAIC.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

11. Good riddance

Link to tweet

[twodogsbarking]

12. Giddy up. Add Lone Ranger music.

Last edited Sun Jul 11, 2021, 12:30 PM - Edit history (1)

The William Tell Overture

[tonekat]

13. Someone put it to "Ashokan Farewell" from Ken Burns Civil War:

Link to tweet

?s=20

Link to tweet

?s=20