Virginia will remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in Richmond “as soon as possible,” Gov. Ralph Northam says. Read more:
"Some conservatives condemned Northam's plans" Paviour says."GOP State Sen. Amanda Chase — who is also running for governor — said this in a Facebook video posted last night: 'It's all about shoving this down people's throats and erasing the history of the white people.
'""a step in the right direction" in the fight to roll back systemic racism and"remaining vestiges of Jim Crow in our Commonwealth.""The Lee statue was a constant reminder to Black Virginians of racism, dehumanization, and hate that exists and was prevalent throughout our history," Caucus Chairman Lamont Bagby said. As he discussed the landmark moment in Richmond, the former capital of the Confederacy, Northam noted the symbolism of putting Lee on a pedestal and the message it sends to people of color. He also acknowledged that the decision to dismantle the monument will be criticized by some, in Virginia and elsewhere, who say Lee was an honorable man and that the statue is part of history. "Yes, that statue has been there for a long time. But it was wrong then, and it is wrong now — so we're taking it down," Northam said.But he added that when Virginians look at the state's past,"We must do more than just talk about the future. We must take action. So I am directing the Department of General Services to remove the statue of Robert E. Lee as soon as possible." Northam also cited Virginia's historic role in the American Revolution, including the famous call,"Give me liberty, or give me death," from Patrick Henry — who also served as a governor of Virginia. "But there's a whole lot more to the story," Northam said, adding that the ideals of freedom and liberty"did not apply to everyone — not then, and not now." He noted that as the new country was taking shape, one of its largest slave markets was operating in Richmond, where men, women and children were sold for profit. The monument to Lee is the latest controversial statue to be taken down during the furor over police brutality and racial injustice that is playing out in dozens of U.S. cities. The city of Birmingham, Ala., took down an obelisk to Confederate troops earlier this week that had stood for more than a century. Philadelphia's mayor also ordered a swift removal of a statue honoring Frank Rizzo – a divisive figure who rose to prominence during the late 1960s.
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