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U.S. NEWS Saturday 20 May 2017

In New Orleans, Confederate monuments are gone _ Lee last

JANET McCONNAUGHEY 60-foot-tall column.
Associated Press It’s not massive like the Su-
REBECCA SANTANA perdome or alluring like
Associated Press Bourbon Street, but Lee in
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — They his uniform was a familiar
were among the city’s old- landmark for tourists and
est landmarks, as cement- commuters alike.Lee’s re-
ed to the landscape of moval was planned during
New Orleans as the Super- the day, and announced in
dome and St. Louis Cathe- advance. Earlier removals
dral: a stone obelisk her- happened after nightfall,
alding white supremacy a precautionary measure
and three statues of Con- due to security concerns
federate stalwarts. for contractors and work-
But after decades stand- ers involved in the effort.
ing sentinel over this South- Landrieu said the change
ern city, the Confederate was out of safety concerns
monuments are gone, because the statue was
amid a controversy that at close to electrical wires
times hearkened back to and New Orleans’ famous
the divisiveness of the Civil streetcar lines.
War they commemorated. The atmosphere Friday was
The last of the monuments almost festive as dozens of
— a statue of Gen. Rob- people, some with lawn
ert E. Lee facing defiantly Workers prepare to take down the statue of former Confederate general Robert E. Lee, which chairs, came out to see
north with his arms crossed stands over 100 feet tall, in Lee Circle in New Orleans, Friday, May 19, 2017. Associated Press what many called history
— was lifted by a crane in the making.
from its pedestal late Fri- those who feel the monu- spurred a debate in many celebrate a fictional, sani- “If you can see history as it
day. As air was seen be- ments are a part of South- parts of the South about tized Confederacy; ignor- happens, it’s more mean-
tween Lee’s statue and ern heritage and honor whether it was appropriate ing the death, ignoring the ingful,” said Al Kennedy,
the pedestal below it, a the dead. But removal of to fly the Confederate bat- enslavement, ignoring the who supported the remov-
cheer went out from the the monuments has drawn tle emblem — and many terror that it actually stood al. Speaking of the Con-
crowd who recorded the praise from those who saw places have taken it down for,” he said Friday. federate past, he said: “It’s
history with their phones them as brutal reminders of — the reaction in New Or- “After the Civil War, these my history, but it’s not my
and shook hands with slavery and symbols of the leans seemed to go even statues were a part of that heritage.”
each other in congratula- historic oppression of black further, knocking away at terrorism, as much as burn- But others criticized the
tions. Many in the crowd people. even weightier, heavier ing a cross on someone’s move.
had waited since morning. Landrieu called for the parts of history. lawn. They were erect- “Mayor Landrieu and the
“I never thought I would monuments’ removal in the Landrieu drew blistering ed purposefully to send City Council have stripped
see this day!” shouted Mel- lingering emotional after- criticism from monument a strong message to all New Orleans of nationally
anie Morel-Ensminger with math of the 2015 massacre supporters and even some who walked in their shad- recognized historic land-
joy. “But look! It’s happen- of nine black parishioners political allies. But in ex- ows about who was still in marks,” said the Monumen-
ing.” at a South Carolina church. plaining his reasoning, the charge in this city,” he add- tal Task Committee, an or-
Lee’s was the last of four The killer, Dylann Roof, was mayor has repeatedly said ed. ganization that maintains
monuments to Confed- an avowed racist who they do not represent the Of the four monuments, monuments and plaques
erate-era figures to be brandished Confederate diversity and future of New Lee’s was easily the most across the city. “With the
removed under a 2015 battle flags in photos, re- Orleans. prominent: The bronze stat- removal of four of our cen-
City Council vote on a charging the debate over “These statues are not just ue alone is close to 20 feet tury-plus aged landmarks,
proposal by Mayor Mitch whether Confederate em- stone and metal. They are (6 meters) tall. It’s a bronze at 299 years old, New Or-
Landrieu. It caps a nearly blems represent racism or not just innocent remem- sculpture of Lee looking leans now heads in to our
two-year-long process that an honorable heritage. brances of a benign his- toward the northern hori- Tricentennial more divided
has been railed against by While Roof’s actions tory. These monuments zon from atop a roughly and less historic.”q