A.G. Gancarski
Republicans running for office in the 4th and 5th Congressional Districts have been mum, but Democrats in each race have issued statements supportive of Jacksonville taking down one of its Confederate monuments.
In CD-4, a press release from Democrat Donna Deegan, running to replace incumbent Rep. John Rutherford, said the move was “long overdue” and a “goodwill gesture from the city’s leadership.”
“These symbols have caused much pain and suffering for our black community. The presence of these monuments were a daily reminder of slavery and a very dark period in our nation’s history,” Deegan said in the release.
“This is a good first step in restoring unity locally and across our country, but this decision needs to be followed with meaningful policy and budgetary changes that will address long standing racial inequities. It is time to make good on the promises of consolidation.”
Rutherford has messaged heavily about red snapper season, but the former three-term Jacksonville Sheriff has yet to say anything about the monuments. He did call Black Lives Matter a “hate group” in 2016, however.
Meanwhile, CD-5 incumbent Democrat Rep. Al Lawson, an ally of the Curry administration, lauded the move and Mayor Lenny Curry.
“As someone who grew up in the heart of segregation and has first-hand accounts of racial inequality and injustice. It warms my heart to see the city of Jacksonville remove the Confederate monument in Hemming Park, and throughout the City. I commend the citizens of Jacksonville for pushing this initiative for the past few years, the elected leaders who dreamt of this moment, and the Mayor for having the courage to help erase our troubled past and begin the healing process of our city, state, and nation.”
Overnight, a controversial statue commemorating the Civil War’s Confederate cause was removed from Jacksonville’s Hemming Park.
At this point, that is the only one of the city’s monuments of that type to come down. But the rest are coming, Curry said Tuesday.
“I’ve heard people … I’ve evolved,” the Mayor said. “The others in the city will be removed as well.”
Jacksonville has at least two more monuments, put in place between 1898 and 1926, and eight historic markers.
5 comments
Sonja Fitch
June 9, 2020 at 4:58 pm
I have been overcome with tears of joy all day! Amazing!
Frankie M.
June 9, 2020 at 6:24 pm
OMG…is Lenny saying he was wr…wrr…wrooo….wrrrrooonnngg?! Wrong about the people of Jax being discriminated against based on skin color & sexual orientation?? Good on ya Lenny. I’m not gonna give you a hero cookie for finally doing the right thing but better late than never.
It didn’t take courage or integrity to do the right thing when it’s en vogue. The time to be a hero was 3 years ago when it wasn’t as politically expedient to embrace Anna Brosche’s platform because you were more interested in polling at the ballot box than the people of Jax. But like I said better late than never.
Frankie M.
June 9, 2020 at 6:32 pm
Thank you to Chris Conley for showing Lenny the light. Couldn’t have all those people showing up at city hall today without some kind of ✌ offering. I think Lenny knows the RNC cruise ship has sailed so no need to drag this out.
Next steps: Have Lenny publicly lobby Shad to sign Kaepernick. Offer him whatever Minshew is making at $1.5M. Even not playing the last few years he’s still an upgrade over that statue Glennon they signed to backup Shew.
BLM are terrorists
June 9, 2020 at 7:06 pm
Black Lives Matter is a terrorist group. Donna Deegan is pandering to her base. The next time there is a black on black murder, which will be any day now,,, lets see whom you blame that on.. wont be the confederate monument.. which will mean taking them down did not mean a thing, you racist idiots
BLM IS A RACIST GROUP FUNDED BY GEORGE SOROS!
June 10, 2020 at 2:43 pm
Here Here
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