Wednesday, July 8, 2020

City Council: Ole Hickory Must Go

The Jackson City Council voted 5-1 to move the statue of President Andrew Jackson from the Josh Halbert Gardens at City Hall to another location.  





Mr. Stokes placed the item on the agenda.  There was little debate aside from how fast the statute could be moved and the best way to do it.   Councilman DeKeither Stamps left the room when the discussion began while Ashby Foote voted against the measure.


71 comments:

Anonymous said...

Who exactly do they think the City of Jackson is named after? Don't tell Stokes or he'll want to change it to Stokesburg or Lumumbatown.

Anonymous said...

On pace to be the most homicidal year on record but you know... statues are racist.

Anonymous said...

Did they address the crime problems or the water issues or the street issue or the sewage issues or anything relative to what the actual tax payers are paying for?

Anonymous said...

Sickening

Anonymous said...

I would rather the statue be safely stored until a rational dialogue can happen.
We can decide if the good he did outweighed his mistakes.
Chimneyville might be a choice if we change our name. It would be a reminder of the outcome of losing a Civil War started by extremist firebrands that couldn’t use their brains to resolve conflict.

Anonymous said...

Not sure there's another deliberative body in the state where elected decision makers leave the room so readily and frequently to avoid taking a public position than the Jackson City Council.

Anonymous said...

Can't wait to see what they do when they find out about Woodrow Wilson.

Anonymous said...

There's too much momentum from the fringe left. To them, this is "year zero," because all things before this very day are to be shunned and forgotten.

I fear this is not going to end well......

Anonymous said...

If a council member is statuesque, is that racist?

Anonymous said...

the dumbasses probably don’t realize the city is named after a revolutionary war general instead of a civil war general....

Anonymous said...

Good. Andrew screwed the Indians so bad. Can I say Indians?

Anonymous said...

Top Years for Jackson Murder:

2020 = 106 (Projection based on current murder rate)

1995 = 92
1994 = 91
2018 = 84*
1993 = 84
2019 = 83*
1991 = 76
2008 = 73
1996 = 67

* Antard Lumumba Yearly Average = 83.5

Anonymous said...

It’s absolutely imperative that the city name be changed as well!

Anonymous said...

Hey guys, let’s start with stopping the fecal matter from getting poured into the river and murder in the street and THEN move to statues.

But hey, Jackson has tons of cash for this project so it doesn’t matter.

Anonymous said...

5:32 They have absolutely no easy answers to the problems you mention. None. The hard answers are for other people. They did not run for those offices to deal with hard issues. The statue falls right into the category they can handle. Renaming streets, complaining about history, passing out turkeys,
marching in parades, etc. is right up their alley. That other stuff is beyond their pay grade. They will do a great job of moving that racist statue.

Anonymous said...

Nobody is going to miss it 30 days after it's gone.

Anonymous said...

Sadly, elections have consequences and the simple fact is that most of those with the power and authority to direct Jackson’s fate these days are people who believe erasure of Andrew Jackson’s legacy is a good thing. People of good faith are talking of packing up and leaving with their tax dollars. Not people who are racist; rather, people who have long promoted Jackson and been loyal to her. The sad-sack gaggle that comprises the city council will be left to preside over what’s left. They’ll be king of nothing and then look for something else to “govern”. I take zero pleasure in pointing out these sad truths as I grew up in Jackson and love the city. Jackson still has a lot going for her but this move irreparably damages Jackson and its tax base. Just watch. In a couple of months they’ll waddle in and change the name of the city to something embarrassing and the deed will have been done.

What is needed are people of honesty and good faith in both sides of the racial divide. What happened with the state flag was heartening to a state that has had more than its fair share of blame and criticism. The leadership that made the flag change possible is not in charge of Jackson (I am referring to citizens both black and white, from religious to political leaders who moved beyond a simpleton’s view of race relations to effect positive change. Removing the statue of Andrew Jackson is just the opposite. Small-minded and reactionary. That’s our lot in leadership for Jackson.

Anonymous said...

Hey guys, quick question: if there is any violence in the city of Jackson at all, is the city government allowed to consider any other issue? Because it seems like you think the answer is no — at least not until we have world peace.

Anonymous said...

Do the obvious, no disrespect to Wyoming --- Change the name to Jackson Hole !

Anonymous said...

I think Jackson should be named after Mahalia.

Anonymous said...

Those clowns should read a history book. Andrew Jackson saved not just New Orleans, but the entire gulf coast (and probably most of the country west of the Mississippi) from the British in the war of 1812. And he did it with an much smaller army made up us soldiers, militia men from several states, native americans, and pirates. He was a great uniter, not a divider like the liberal politicians of today.

Tucker Carlson is the best show on TV. Everyone should watch it.

Anonymous said...

State law says they can only move it to a more desirable location. Hmmmm

Anonymous said...

"the dumbasses probably don’t realize the city is named after a revolutionary war general instead of a civil war general...."

Yeah, THOSE dumbasses...Andrew Jackson was born in 1767 and died in 1845, so nope on both.

Anonymous said...

9:30--also for the ballot...Michael Jackson, Jackson Pollock, Kate Jackson (Charlie's Angels), Samuel L Jackson, Alan Jackson, Bo Jackson, Reggie Jackson, Shoeless Joe Jackson, Phil Jackson (Basketball coach), Percy Jackson and the Olympians...

Anonymous said...

It's not that Jackson anymore anyway. Shithole Mississippi has a much truer ring. They can replace the statue with an outhouse. I am ashamed I was born here and still live here.

Anonymous said...

It's past time we got rid of that statue. A tribute to a ethnic cleanser and slaver that should be retired just like that battle flag of the treasonous losers.

Anonymous said...

8:28 Don’t be disingenuous; we’re not talking about “any crime at all”, we’re talking about rampant crime. If you rank the issues Jackson faces, crime/violence is number one or two (it’s hard to ignore raw sewage everywhere). So-called racist statues may be number fifteen. The commenters here ask the legitimate question why the city council refuses to address the serious problems but wastes time on the trivial.

Kingfish said...

Jackson was 12 years old during the war for our freedom. The British tortured him and imprisoned him as a child.

Anonymous said...

I think the Leland Speed family had something to do with creating this statue. Jackson needs to give it back to his family.

Anonymous said...

Whatever will happen to Jackson State University?

Anonymous said...

9:27 pack up and leave!

PittPanther said...

Sherman, Mississippi has a nice ring to it. Hope it's not taken already.

Anonymous said...

10:15. I’ll bet it would be quite interesting to view YOUR past? Reckon we’d dig anything up there?

Anonymous said...

9:08, As president, Andrew Jackson also ushered in the "spoils system" of government patronage, which many people now view as public corruption (because there are actually laws against it).

And FWIW, I suspect Tucker Carlson probably could have been named "most likely to get his ass kicked" in high school, and I doubt he's changed much since then.

9:26: I vote for Jackson Browne (even though he's actually white).

Anonymous said...

Thank you Ashby Foote for standing up to this desecration and act of prejudice. The fact is Andrew Jackson saved the United States in 1814. It was a close run thing with the Brits outnumbering us 5 to 1. Read Winston Groom’s account. Had the Brits won they would have abrogated the treaty of Ghent and left us too weak to dislodge them from La or stop them from settling and taking the La Territory from us, or of stopping them from squeezing us between their blockade and the MS River. Old Hickory saved us all! Put the statue back!

Anonymous said...

"Can't wait to see what they do when they find out about Woodrow Wilson."

Actually, the historic old bridge across the Pearl River down by WLBT is known as "The Woodrow Wilson Bridge". On the east bank of the river at the bridge end there is a roadside pull off area with a scenic view of downtown Jackson and a piece of the original bridge railing that was replaced around 2004. It's in Flowood. "The Gold Coast". Rankin County. It would actually be a dandy place for the statue of Andrew Jackson, yet whether he would be facing Jackson or have his back to Jackson, that is the question.

Anonymous said...

@10:25 Yes... Leland Speed's mother, Katherine Speed Ettl created the statue.. She was a very accomplished sculptor. She lived in New Jersey for many years after her first husband died. Some of her works are in Washington DC. I definitely think that the statue should be returned to the Speed family when it is removed from city hall.
Beautiful statue though.. it is a shame that it is being removed..

By the way.. have they removed the Eudora Welty statue at Millsaps yet? For that matter, are they planning on changing the name of Millsaps College? Major Millsaps was a Confederate soldier.
This is getting crazy.

Anonymous said...

Seriously, how many of you irate posters on here have personally seen that statue in the last 10 years?

Anonymous said...

It's what happens when the majority rules, that's what happened when most of this junk was authorized, they need to take advantage of the pandemic and do it quickly before the Bozos in the legislature tries to stop them.

Mad Money said...

Can't believe my elementary school from the 60's is still named Robert E. Lee. I'm guessing its on the list.

Anonymous said...

Jackson was a proponent of an elected judiciary. Mississippi was among the first, if not the first state, to adopt judicial elections. Perhaps the minority community should celebrate him for that. it is what ultimately allowed minority judges to be elected.

Anonymous said...

Okay, we also need to purge Hinds from the county name. Thomas Hinds fought with General Jackson at the battle of New Orleans. And he was the one who named the city -- Jackson in honor of his former commander that he fought with. He was from Jefferson county and is buried there. I don't know about slaves, but it is very likely he owned some. This renaming business could be fun. Kush, Mississippi?

Anonymous said...

History is humanity. Great men do terrible things. Terrible men do great things. If you dive into the personal life of any leader there are spots that can be criticized. Normally the people yelling the loudest about the personal failings of another are the most corrupt in the room. Tearing down others does not build you up. This crab in a bucket mentality now runs our capital city, top to bottom. History should not be white washed, nor should it be black faced.

Jafarica said...

Let’s just go ahead and rename the city too

Anonymous said...

Eversville sounds like a good name to me, it would be nice to rid the city of this moniker.

Marine Biologist said...

While I would not stick my hand in it, what is a crab in a bucket mentality?

Anonymous said...

"Let’s just go ahead and rename the city too"

Change it to "National Championship" and give it to Alabama or Louisiana...

Anonymous said...

@7:28 p.m.: I agree wholeheartedly. It's sad what Jackson has become. Sadly, we too are getting ready to pack up and move to Madison. We wanted to be a part of the solution, but it is obvious the voters here don't care about the City. And, it's not about liberal vs conservative; it's about accomplishing improvements vs. letting the City rot. But, it's hard work to fix a City; it's easy to be outraged in front of a camera about a statue nobody knew was there. There has been zero effort by City leaders to tackle crime, attract/retain businesses/citizens, cut wasteful spending, and repair infrastructure. But, voters will continue to vote for the likes of Mayor Lumumbas because he'll get in front of the camera and wax poetic about this national issue or that national issue - none of which fixes the City.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow said...

I keep seeing the ignorant remark about the members of the confederacy being traitors. Perhaps some of these learned scholars would like to inform the readers of the number of convictions of this despicable crime. I'm sure the purveyors these remarks are fountains of historical information waiting to deluge this board with pertinent facts.

Anonymous said...

@7:52
Observe a bucket of crabs. As one crab nears the top lip of the bucket, nearly freeing itself from the maelstrom, the other crabs will snatch it back down to the bottom of the bucket. Thus, no crab escapes the bucket.

Anonymous said...

Stokesville

Anonymous said...

Well said 9:11. No one in the current "power structure" wants a solution so those of us who are native Jacksonians who would be available to work on solving the problems, are not welcome anymore..

Anonymous said...

The Confederates were traitors, they fought against the United States.
Why not change the name?, Business and Organizations do it everyday. Get rid of the old statues and monuments too, we takedown and rebuild,and redecorate all the time.
That's what you do when it gets outdated and ugly. Throw it Out.

fed up in Jackson said...

just want to ask @ 5:32 7/8 question again:

Did they address the crime problems or the water issues or the street issue or the sewage issues or anything relative to what the actual tax payers are paying for?

Until our el3ected leadership learns that the city of Jackson is a business and not a political arm, the city is doomed for failure

Anonymous said...

Pothole, Mississippi (it has a nice ring to it and truly reflects the predominant characteristic of the bold new city)

Anonymous said...

I wish everyone would take a deep breath and hit your internal " pause" button.

Perhaps, if we could calmly discuss history, we might understand that in the period of our founding, it wasn't just blacks that were slaves. That most here were black is more a matter of geography. Slave labor took different forms. Some of the slave owners were actually British and didn't live on the " colonies" at all.

So, while yes, our Founders owned slaves, sadly they didn't see it much differently than servitude which was common worldwide and where room and left over food was as good as " payment".

Into the 20th century textile mill owners in effect, enslaved workers by creating mill towns where the worker was rented a place to live and could run a bill at the " company store". In reality, all the wages went right back to the mill owner.

The question is do we want to try to become a " more perfect" union and move toward being more civilized, enlightened and move closer to equal opportunities based on merit or not? And, can we not agree that perfection is not quickly or easily or often achieved and humans need to adapt to change?

If you don't help enlighten with some patience and dialogue, you get backlash. Forcing your will doesn't work well anywhere, anytime.

At any rate, it was true from the beginning of time that humans aren't persuaded to change by threats and insults. Killing works as long as the idea can be killed too. You might get submission, but those submitting will just bide their time until an opportunity comes along.

It's been nearly 80 years since the end of WWII , but still we have Nazis resurging and ignoring that that form of government didn't work in Germany or Italy or much longer anywhere else because like communism, it just doesn't work.

So stop being snarky and vile and start examining whether or not you have any rational basis for what you " believe". And, try to discover the reality that your life experiences are not the same as every American's everywhere.


Anonymous said...

'Ole Chokwe should stop oppressing himself and his people since he runs the city.

“While removing a statue does little to change our condition as oppressed people, we should not have to constantly encounter the likenesses of those who profited off of the blood, sweat, and despair of our ancestors or see them immortalized as honorable,” Lumumba said.

Anonymous said...

10:46, exactly who do you think the City of Jackson is named after?

Anonymous said...

A brief history lesson, courtesy of Wikipedia:

The City of Jackson was named after Andrew Jackson, not Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackson,_Mississippi

Stonewall Jackson was a West Point graduate who served in the U.S. Army before joining the Confederate Army after Virginia seceded from the United States.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonewall_Jackson

Anonymous said...

10:46...Heeerrrrs your dunce cap. History is your friend. Stop avoiding it.

Anonymous said...

Who’s going to volunteer to have their houses in Belhaven razed? After all, that area was defended by Confederate soldiers, hence “Fortification” Street. Since all things Confederate must go, I assume we’ll soon have a cleared, suitable space for the always-imminent zoo relocation.

Anonymous said...

No need to rename the city. Rededicate the name of the city to Michael Jackson and replace the statue with either Moonwalker or Thriller.

He has been throughly exonerated by the LAPD as not being a pedophile.

With that said, Andrew Jackson is an American Hero. But if he saw the charlatans running the City of Jackson then he wouldn't want to be associated.

Anonymous said...

I agree with 2:19. Let’s name the city after a pedophile and erect a statue of MJ to replace AJ in his classic MJ pose of grabbing his crotch with his sequined glove. That would pretty much sum up the current state of the City of Jackson. Also, I would volunteer to let them relocate the AJ statue in the massive pothole that has been in front of my house for the past 7 years.

Anonymous said...

What history, his slave owning or his banishing Native Americans from their lands.
They did win a victory today with the SC saying that the eastern half of Oklahoma is on a Reservation.

Anonymous said...

"banishing Native Americans from their lands."

Those people were as bad (if not worse) than the evil Whites.

The Choctaws and Chickasaws fought each other, enslaved each other, and routinely took each other's land. Even in 2020, they are not the best of friends.

That these Nations welcomed all runaway slaves is a myth.

Of course both would welcome strong slaves that would make great warriors. Other than that, for the most part the Chickasaws relied on the British, the Choctaws relied on the
French.

The Colonial history of Mississippi is actually more interesting than the Civil War era, IMHO.



Anonymous said...

With that said, Andrew Jackson is an American Hero. But if he saw the charlatans running the City of Jackson then he wouldn't want to be associated.

I agree.

Anonymous said...

Y'all better go take your family photos and selfies
quick!

Anonymous said...

4:42 re: Colonial history in the state—can you recommend a few good books on the subject? I’d love to read and learn more.

Micah Gober said...

If Jackson is going rename itself. I suggest Sparta, Mississippi. Hey it has the same murder rate of Sparta.

Doodley Squat said...

History is an excellent teacher - with few pupils.

The worst type of ignorance is that which is wilful.

Anonymous said...

A seriously tarnished USA hero.



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