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Probably to no one’s great surprise, violence has broken out at a white nationalist rally made up of hundreds of extremists who descended upon the college town of Charlottesville to protest the removal of confederate statues. While I was expecting hand to hand fighting, what I didn’t expect was a car mowing down peaceful protesters, killing one and injuring nineteen.
What has happened is sickening, despicable, and inexcusable. And of course the President was quick to condemn the violence. Oh. Wait. This is Trump. What the HELL was I thinking? After offering a couple of vague platitudes on Twitter earlier today, after this act of domestic terrorism, our Racist-In-Chief finally condemned the violence, blaming it on “many sides”, never mentioning the white nationalists and the alt-right movement. If there is any doubt left in people’s minds as to how racist hate groups view Trump, here’s what David Duke, former Ku Klux Klan leader, who attended the “Unite the Right” rally had to say:
This represents a turning point for this country. We are determined to take our country back, we’re going to fulfill the promises of Donald Trump, and that’s what we believed in, that’s why we voted for Donald Trump, because he said he’s going to take our country back and that’s what we gotta do.
There are not “many sides” to what happened in Charlottesville today. Mr. Trump had the chance to take an unequivocal stand against evil and he failed miserably.
*Update – There are now three dead including two state police officers whose helicopter crashed while they were helping monitor the rally.*
By Hook Or By Book 
Well said!
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Thank you! I’m absolutely incensed over this!
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Me too!
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The first I have heard about this incident, and it is inexcusable.
On the wider issue, I do find the removal of Confederate monuments to be inadvisable at best, and a shameful attempt to cover up American history at worst. Trashing statues of brave soldiers or distinguished officers, or banning Confederate flags, will not make the Civil War go away. I read that there are plans to remove the gravestones of Confederate soldiers from cemeteries too. What message is that supposed to send out?
Andrew Jackson is on your $20 bill. He was a famous slave-owner who paid rewards for slaves to be recaptured when they escaped. His former house, The Hermitage, is one of your national monuments. Should you also change your money, and demolish his house? History endures, and cannot be swept under the carpet.
Just a foreigner’s view, and not meant to offend.
Best wishes, Pete.
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I understand Pete. I’m divided about Confederate monuments myself. I realize they’re a huge part of American history, but at the same time I understand how blacks feel having to look at these. Don’t get me started on Jackson though. He never should have been put on the $20 bill!😡
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Jackson is being taken off the bill in 2020. And yes, the civil war is part of our history but there is a reason that Germany doesn’t have a bunch of sculptures celebrating NAZIs still standing – it’s awful to make victims look at those things. No one is going to forget slavery happened, and if they are, a statue of a despicable man in a park isn’t the only thing that’s going to stop it.
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I’m with you on this. The statues aren’t there to commemorate history: they’re there to glorify vile people of the past for the benefit of vile people of the present. As I understand it, they were raised (or most were) not contemporaneously but afterward, sometimes long afterward, for the purpose of putting blacks in their place.
So, yes, I think they should go. Just the same way I’d be pulling down a Nazi-glorifying statue of Hitler or Goebbels if there were one in my local park.
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I had heard about Jackson being removed and being replaced with Harriet Tubman, although Trump has been questioning this and wants Jackson to stay.
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There may not be statues of Nazis, but there are Holocaust memorials, and Concentration Camp museums. Would you close them too? Or are they OK, because they are not American History? Perhaps we should demolish Hadrian’s Wall, and forget the Roman Invasion of Britain? Where does it stop? What about the indignation of the US when ISIS destroyed Babylonian statues? Was that OK for ISIS to do that, because they didn’t agree with history either? You won’t change my my opinion on the ‘cleansing’ of history. But I appreciate the ‘debate’.
Regards, Pete.
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But the Holocaust memorials and Concentration Camps don’t actually honor the Nazis Pete. That said, I do understand your point, and many Americans feel the same way. However, once again, I’m not a descendant of slaves who has to walk by Confederate statues and flags on public and government grounds every day.
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I take your point Kim. But equating US Civil War soldiers with Nazis is just not acceptable, at any level. Almost every soldier fighting for the Confederacy believed in the ’cause’. Few of them had ever owned a slave, and most didn’t even own shoes! Many were sharecroppers, or tied tenants, making do on small patches of poor land. Some of the officers agonised over fighting the Union, for what they regarded as ‘State Rights’, but did so anyway. Lee fought for ‘Virginia’, because he could not turn his back on his home state. Slavery was a huge issue, undoubtedly, but only one of many issues that caused that war. If you eradicate the history behind it, the next step is to re-write the books, and to pretend it never happened.
I won’t be shaken on it, it is unforgivable.
Sorry if it has caused issues. if you prefer me not to go against the mainstream in your comments, I will understand, and will cease to comment on your blog. Just let me know.
Best wishes as always, Pete.
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You haven’t caused any issues Pete and I always want your honest opinion. There’s nothing wrong with healthy debate. What a boring world this would be if we all agreed on everything!
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Who is talking about rewriting history? I think you ought to think this one through a bit.
The statues weren’t erected to commemorate history. They were erected as Confederate propaganda. If people were suggesting the eradication of, say, Confederate cemeteries, or museums of the Civil War — then, sure, you’d have a point. But that’s not the issue.
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We have statues here to Oliver Cromwell, who signed the death warrant of Charles the First. Are they propaganda? Or just historical? Perhaps we should demolish those too. I fear that Americans will continue to alter history until it suits the vision they want to portray to the world. This thing with the Confederate statues is just a beginning.
I am not remotely right-wing. I was in the Communist Party in London for many years, and took part in street protests against neo-Nazi groups. I hate the White Supremacists as much as anyone. But changing history will not make them go away, and your First Amendment gives you the right to protest against them. But it also gives them the right to say what they want, like it or not. The world is not a comfortable place, and centuries of slavery (in which the UK was complicit) will not be forgotten by the removal of some statues, or the banning of flags. I also read on another blog that some states want to remove Confederate grave markers from cemeteries. Maybe just delete 1861-1865 from the history books, or replace it with some episodes of ‘Little House On The Prairie. This isn’t personal, you understand. I just hate all and any whitewashing of history, wherever it happens.
Regards, Pete.
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I’m not a fan of white-washing history either Pete. How else are we to learn from it if we’re unwilling to acknowledge and confront it. This is a subject that obviously inspires passionate feelings on either side. I think part of the problem is that the statues and flags in question are displayed on public and government property. Places that like I said, descendants of the millions of slaves who died and were victims of inhuman treatment have to walk by every day. I honestly can’t imagine how that must feel. Maybe these belong in museums and dedicated historical parks?
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OK, Kim. I have upset Agnes now, so I am calling it a day…At least I will be dead once history has changed, and it will be someone else’s problem…. x
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I think right now Pete this is a very sore point, especially given what happened on Saturday. I can’t stress this enough though, I value you, as a blogging friend and your honest opinion!😙
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centuries of slavery (in which the UK was complicit) will not be forgotten by the removal of some statues, or the banning of flags
But that’s exactly my point. Erasing a scrawled swastika from a wall won’t whitewash history, but it sure as heck will remove an offensive propaganda symbol.
By the way, I’m a Brit too, although I’ve lived in the US for the best part of two decades.
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And was Robert E. Lee a despicable man? He served with distinction in the Mexican-American War, and was appointed as the person in charge of the United States Military Academy. Just re-write everything, and have history nice and cosy, But life isn’t like that as we all know too well.
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Pete, Lee has a very complicated history. He was a slave owner who unapologetically beat those under his control. He also turned down President Lincoln’s request to lead the Union army.
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He did turn down Lincoln’s request. Probably just as well, as he proved to be a vain and erratic leader, who should never have attacked at Gettysburg. What about the much-lauded ‘Founding fathers’? Fortunes built on slavery or poor treatment of Native Americans, but still admired. You cannot select what you like about your past, and massage history into an acceptable alternative.
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What about the much-lauded ‘Founding fathers’? Fortunes built on slavery or poor treatment of Native Americans, but still admired.
On the other hand, I’m absolutely with you on this issue. To be fair, though, I think that increasingly people are getting a fuller picture of the Founding Fathers and their feet of clay.
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I remember doing a report on Thomas Jefferson way back in elementary school and being horrified to discover he owned slaves. I couldn’t equate how someone could write a document like the Declaration of Independence and still be perfectly fine with owning people.
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Oh, I’m not overly fond over the Founding Fathers, especially the ones who signed the Declaration of Independence. Talk about hypocrisy!
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I have no idea why you’re being so rude and defensive in your comments. I don’t wish to “debate” with people who can’t share their opinions without being condescending.
Have a nice day.
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I had the chance to visit Jackson Mississippi two years ago, and signs of the confederacy, as well as the civil rights movement are everywhere…a sad reminder of our past – https://johnrieber.com/2017/03/20/jackson-mississippi-a-southern-town-with-a-segregated-civil-rights-history/
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Thanks for the link John.💁🏻
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Reblogged this on It Is What It Is and commented:
“Unite the right”, David Duke, “many sides” … the new America, under Drumpf! 😡
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It feels horrible to be a minority in Trump’s administration! 😞 Why is this even a debate? I can’t imagine what the black community feels seeing this unfold as the president does next to nothing about it.
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Sadly, racism has never gone away, and now as evidenced by David Duke’s statement, the cockroaches feel comfortable in crawling out from underneath their rocks. It would have been so easy for Trump to call out and condemn these people and what they stand for. Instead, he once again showed himself to be the racist, bigoted, sniveling coward that he is!😡
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Each new day starts with, “Dear Lord, what’s that idiot going to do today?”
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Yep. You can pretty much count on something awful coming from him or one of his minions on a daily basis.🤢
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Still trying to understand EXACTLY what they’re ‘taking back’, ‘who they’re taking it back from’, and is this ‘making America great again?’
Racism is an economics tool… used to distract and deflect. Give the middle-class someone to blame – put a face on it and throw out some man-made facts to support the argument – while those in power make themselves more powerful.
I guarantee you if all the Muslims, Mexicans, African-Americans, and any other minority target group were removed from this country, there would still be racism. It would simply be given a new name, and many of the bigots calling for the ‘taking back’ of THEIR country would find themselves the new targets.
Man never learns which is why history continues to repeat itself.
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Ha! That’s exactly what my husband said Felicia! What is it they’re trying to take back?
And I absolutely agree with everything you’ve said. Hmm. What other dictator used a poor economy and picked a scapegoat to blame it on? I think maybe his name might have started with ‘H’?
And yep. If you removed all minorities from the country, another group would be targeted. First the disabled, then perhaps Catholics, and so on. Racism and bigotry seem to be part of our genetic code.😒
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Maybe the Native Americans should take their country back
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Seriously!
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I saw the “many sides” comment earlier today and just about threw up. The saddest thing is that the clown was probably striving to be “balanced” — as if there is such a thing as “balance” in cases like this.
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I basically had the same reaction. I actually think you’re being much too kind in regards to Trump. I firmly believe he is a racist and bigot and knows that these white nationalists, neo-Nazis are part of his electorate, and he’s too afraid of turning them off. David Duke’s comment speaks volumes.
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I just woke up and had not seen this news yet, but I am completely in shock by this. I really thought things like this were a thing of the past, but I guess that isn’t true. And the reaction from Trump does not surprise me at all,what an incredibly dumb manntgatbguy is. Great start of the day again….not!. It’s unbelievably sad that there are still people alive in this day and age that have narrow minded views such as these 😔
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This is definitely not America at its best Michel.😟
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It certainly isn’t sigh 😔
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Charlottesville is just up the road from me and I’ve spent a lot of time there over the years. My heart is breaking for the town, its people and the state troopers who also died. My town is looking at the statue issue now and I’m in the camp that believes it would be wrong to remove them because it’s wrong to try to re-write history, ESPECIALLY when that history reflects a shameful past. Things can be done to put them in context and to also recognize those who were and are on the receiving end of barbarities.
Regardless of what decisions are made, though, behavior like we’ve seen in Charlottesville is reprehensible. Remember the Westboro Baptist folks? Hatred is always here—and not just in the US—but they’re gaining credibility under Trump and we have to keep standing up in opposition.
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I go back and forth on this issue myself. On the one hand, the Civil War is a major part of American history, but on the other, I can’t imagine how it must feel for the people whose ancestors were slaves to be reminded of it on a daily basis. As you said, perhaps placing them in the right context as Holocaust memorials have done, is the right answer.
And who could forget the Westboro Baptists. Ugh. I think David Duke’s comments yesterday about Trump speak volumes.
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Scenes like this are horrifying and terrifying in this day and age.
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It’s disgusting Vinnie as was Trump’s reaction to it.
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What is the world coming to?
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History is repeating itself because we haven’t learned from the past. And when you have a president who has crawled into bed with white nationalists and the alt-right, thus is what happens. Trump may not have been behind the wheel of the car that mowed down innocent people,but he might as well have been.
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It’s a scary time. I do hope some form of hope is on the horizon.
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I honestly don’t know Vinnie. The same groups that were in Charlottesville yesterday are threatening to come to Boston in the next couple of weeks.
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I hope there’s some resolution lying in wait.
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Well, the problem is, these protests are protected under the First Amendment. I’m not sure why they even want to come up here to Boston as we’re not really involved in the continuing debate over Confederate flags and statues.
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Seattle too. Would they do all this shit if we just ignored them? If there wasn’t any news coverage? Or would they resort to more violence?
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Sad times 😦 Reminds me of the tragedies we’ve just experienced, but Kim you may find this brings people together in condemnation rather than dividing. As for Trump, I guess all you can say is white supremacists got him elected!
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I hope it does bring more people together Andrew.
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So true Andrew.
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Here’s victim Heather Heyer’s mother on the subject:
“I don’t want her death to be a focus for more hatred, I want her death to be a rallying cry for justice and equality and fairness and compassion. I’m very sorry that [Fields] chose that path because he has now ruined his life as well as robbed a great many of us of someone we love very much.
“No mother wants to lose a child, but I’m proud of her. I’m proud of what she did.”
There’s this and more from her here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/mother-of-charlottesville-victim-heather-heyer-im-proud-of-what-she-did_us_59907c45e4b09071f69a796c?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009
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Wow! Thank you for sharing that.
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Kim, tell me I’m mistaken because I can’t find it, but I thought I just a need crawler that said that some Republican lawmakers are trying to make it NOT illegal to hit a protestor with a car??
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What? Seriously? That can’t be right!
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*saw a news crawler*
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I’m trying to see if I can find anything on Google right now.
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There a bunch of stories all over Google that basically say that at least 18 states are considering or have passed anti-protest legislation which includes protection for drivers from any civil liability. This seems to have really taken off after the Dakota Pipeline protests. Unbelievable!
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Thanks for doing the legwork Kim. I tore a couple of tendons in my shoulder and can’t type well. So, you think they’ll be a lot more cars used as missiles? I am dumbfounded!
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Oh no! That sounds painful 😖 I haven’t had a chance to read everything, but it seems like their making it more difficult to prove that if an incident occurs that it’s nothing more than an accident. Of course the Republican lawmakers are insisting that’s not their intention but that’s the way it reads to me. Grr.😡
You go rest that sore shoulder of yours! I tore some tendons in my ankle once, and I remember how much that hurt!
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That’s just bullshit! Seems to me they just want to crack down on protests period. Gotta protect their own asses. Grrring with you!!😤😠😡
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Thanks sweet friend. You are a blessing
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Sending you a multitude of hugs!😙😙😙
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Awww thanks. I like you lots. 🤗🤗
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Yep. Another lovely day under the Trump regime Zoe.😒
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Oh butter emails!
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Butter emails?
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It’s Hillary meme. You know, before the election and that’s all the pubs kept squawking about. Can’t vote for her! Yes he’s a racist bigot, oh but her emails. Get it😁?
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Ahaha ha!🤣 Now I get it!😂
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Great, isnt it? I love wordplay. You can Google it and search images and you can see what I mean. 🤗😁
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Cool!😁
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Ark.. Despicable.
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Disgusting
😡
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Reblogged this on biblebeltsite.
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I feel ya.. he is outrageous
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Every day he does or says something horrible.😒
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Well said Kim! I don’t know how I missed this post! This is so tragic and despicable!!!😢😠
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Most definitely Dani.😞
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😢😢😢
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