Posted on 07/29/2005 5:28:16 AM PDT by Sybeck1
Statue OK to move to Southaven Mayor willing to let Jefferson Davis stand
Southaven Mayor Greg Davis said Thursday he would be willing to display the Jefferson Davis statue, which is in Downtown Memphis, near City Hall at the end of Northwest Drive.
Horn Lake Mayor Nat Baker also said he would take the statues of Davis and of Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest "in a heartbeat, even if we'd have to find some privately owned land to put them on."
The statues have been a controversial topic in Memphis, with Shelby County Commissioner Walter Bailey leading a charge to have them removed and three parks in Memphis (Confederate, Jefferson Davis and Forrest) renamed.
The statues of the two men are of some controversy because of the lives they led, which some find offensive.
Davis was the president of the Confederacy during the Civil War.
A slave trader as a civilian, Forrest is considered by many to be one of the greatest strategic minds on the side of the Confederacy during the war. After the war, Forrest was the first grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, but later renounced the organization's violent ways.
Davis said he isn't "pushing" for the statue of Davis, despite some news reports saying otherwise.
"All I said was we'd be willing to give the statue a home," Davis said. "That's as far as my conversation with (Sons of Confederate Veterans member) Gary Roper went."
(Davis said he doesn't know whether he is a relative of Jefferson Davis.)
Davis said he hasn't talked with any public official in Memphis about acquiring the statue.
He also said he doesn't know what the exact process of obtaining the statue would be.
"I don't even know if Memphis is even going to move it or not," Davis said. "We were asked if we could give it a home and we said 'yes.' We're not going to pay for it.
"If it happens, it happens, but we're not going to aggressively go to the (City) Council in Memphis with actions trying to get the statue here." The council would have to approve the name changes.
According to Robert Fouche, the director of Park Services in Memphis, finding ownership of the statue has proved futile.
"We can't find anyone here that we identify with ownership," Fouche said. "Whether it's the Sons of the Confederacy or the Daughters of the Confederacy ... we just don't know.
"All we know is that the Daughters of the Confederacy put up about $30,000 at one point to help (fund) it."
Davis said he hasn't really thought about the details of placing the statue if the city were to acquire it, but suggested a place between City Hall and Southaven's Police Department.
"I haven't given much thought to it," Davis said. "That's just one of the places it could go.
"We may not even get it. The state may want it for the presidential library. I don't know."
Davis and Baker both said if their cities did get the statues, it could provide an extra attraction for tourists.
"We'd put the statues in an appropriate setting and keep them well maintained," Baker said. "Those statues are important to a lot of people in this area and to a lot of people nationally.
"Certainly, we would do nothing to denigrate the statues in any way."
Davis said Jefferson Davis identifies more with Mississippi.
"I think Jefferson Davis, especially since he is from Mississippi, is an important figure here.
"I thought people could stop on their way through here and view it."
At least one person willing to be identified, Jim St. Clair, said "I couldn't care less whether the statue comes down here or not."
St. Clair is from Saginaw, Mich., but has lived in Southaven for the past 17 years.
"I'm a Yankee from the north," St. Clair said. "Since coming here I've had different people saying to me, 'You think you won the war, you think you won the war?' and I just really couldn't care less."
St. Clair rolled his eyes. "If Davis wants the statue here, then he can have the statue here."
-- Cedric M. Anderson: (901) 333-2013
"St. Clair is from Saginaw, Mich., but has lived in Southaven for the past 17 years.
"I'm a Yankee from the north," St. Clair said. "Since coming here I've had different people saying to me, 'You think you won the war, you think you won the war?' and I just really couldn't care less."
St. Clair rolled his eyes. "If Davis wants the statue here, then he can have the statue here." "
That tells says more about the company you keep than the state of Mississippi, Mr. St. Clair.
What are they going to do about Jefferson Davis Hy. (51) that runs through Covington.
Memorials to Confederate dead are part of the Courthouse property of most every Southern Town. How long before these memorials are under seige by the history revisionists?
The city of Memphis is named for the largest and most notorious slave trading capital in world history; Memphis, Egypt. Should they change the name?
What about the giant status of Ramses in the downtown district? He was considered to be the largest slave trader in his day; dealing in South Africans as well as Jews.
What about Auction Block (Slave sold there)?
Wasn't this the same city that gave Calipso Louie a Key to the City?
And finally, what about the high crime, teen pregnancy, and murder rate in the inner-city? What about one of the nation's poorest public school systems?
Oh, I forgot........
Only if the politicians allow it, Rebelbase. I'm sick and tired of so-called city and county leaders letting revisionists and racial cry babies carry the day. ALL of those Southern heroes DESERVE their rightful place in history as well as those who gave all for the cause against Northern Aggression. There is indeed a move to remove statues, graves, flags and mentioning of names of these gallent men from the south. ENOUGH ALREADY!
Yep...this is a burning issue that will certainly keep Memphis blacks off crack and keep them from having illigitimate babies. Wonder what the black pols will find next to divert attention from their abject failure to clean up their city?
Some are saying Bailey wants to fill the void left by the arrest of John Ford.
And we could go on and on!!!!!!!!! BTW do you live in the Memphis area? If not you sure have them pegged.
(((MISSISSIPPI PING)))
New Mexico Ping!
Until the black activist in Memphis stop looking backward instead of forward they aren't going to get anywhere. The majority is behaving like a downtrodden minority in that city and then they wonder why they are going broke. I'm still amazed that I could stay gone for ten years and go back for a visit and find the same antics going on at city council meetings that were occurring ten years ago.
Heck, they can bring it here. We have several statues and a whole military park that showcases them.
If History's hall had painted wall
And newly finished floor
Still, pigments pale
And old winds gale
While shadows large and small
Reform in blame the mighty shame
Behind the bloody door
I'm not going to get an ulcer if you want to chain yourself to some statue. In fact, I couldn't care less.
IF Forrest is moved, it seems logical to me that he go to Brice's Crossroads battlefield.
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