New Name for JEB Stuart HS - 9/16 Community Vote

[Anonymous]

NP to this thread, but I have to wonder why anyone would be bothered by the name "Emancipation Park?" It seems to me that Emancipation is something that should be celebrated, certainly more than celebrating an individual who fought against it, no? Why is this even controversial, or more controversial than simply renaming the park to something other than Lee?

I was in favor of keeping the Jeb Stuart name (mostly because of the confusion and fiscal issues with a name change, in addition to the fact that the community mostly wanted to keep it.) I have NO problem with Emancipation Park. I suspect that the earlier poster just did not like the fact that it was changed.

There is NO excuse for the KKK or the neo-Nazis. Under any circumstance. However, they do have the right to peacefully protest. That is according to our First Amendment. The fact that people do not understand that hate speech is protected is scarier than those people.

Sadly, it was not a peaceful protest. I am hopeful that the fact that it was not a large group of KKK people and that they came from other areas. That indicates to me that there are not that many people like them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also, I'm not a native Virginian, but I live here now and likely will for the remainder of my life, and my children were born and will be raised here. I don't like all this revisionist history, where Confederates get to be presented as men worthy of honor. They were not and are not. They were traitors to our nation, and they LOST. The winners get to write history, not the losers. That's how it goes. Maybe we should sue the daughters and sons of the confederacy to remove these names and statues that they forced upon us.

They were not "forced" when they were built. They were "forced" by their children and descendants who were honoring their fathers and grandfathers. Please remember that. Most of these monuments were built as the soldiers were dying off. It's too bad you cannot understand that. They did see them as men of honor because they wished to do so and they loved them. Lee was looked up to because he fought for them and promoted peace after the Civil War. He could have acted differently. And, please remember, that they were pardoned. This was done in the name of unity for our country. And, their sons and grandsons fought proudly for the US in WWI, WWII, and following wars. I am sorry you cannot see that. You should teach your children to learn from their mistakes and tell them what a great country we live in that we could come together after such a bloody, bloody war.
And, there were battles fought all over Virginia and in this area. You want your children to be ignorant of that?

Other countries have not unified after civil wars or other conflicts. Look what happened in Ireland. Centuries of conflict. Iraq. There are plenty of examples. And, FWIW, the Irish still honor those who fought.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But why were the white supremacist groups in Charlottesville in the first place? Because Charlottesville recently change the name of "Lee" park to Emancipation Park... Why not Charlottesville Park, or a name of a local community leader, or notable former Charlottesville resident? Why Emancipation Park?

Do you actually believe for one second that the local Charlottesville community people "chose" the name Emancipation Park??? No they did not, the name was forced upon them just like what is happening now in the "Stuart" community. This is a little known fact that was hardly publicized, Charlottesville was not only about the statue removal.

I do NOT support ANY of the violence that occurred in Charlottesville, by any group. And what that idiot did with running the car into people was horrendous, I hope he get's life in prison or worse for what he did. But this is what this issue is coming to.

ALL those groups were in Charlottesville because of the NAACP agenda, to rewrite history and erase the truth.

Slavery is an unfortunate chapter in American history, but it did happen, we can't ignore it, we must learn from it.

For the "actual" Stuart community members that voted to change the name, I have no quarrel with them, this is America, they are allowed to express their views and vote in any way that they see fit.

But for the NAACP and people that are trying to force their will upon communities all over America, this has to stop, it is not "American".

NP to this thread, but I have to wonder why anyone would be bothered by the name "Emancipation Park?" It seems to me that Emancipation is something that should be celebrated, certainly more than celebrating an individual who fought against it, no? Why is this even controversial, or more controversial than simply renaming the park to something other than Lee?

+10000

WTF is wrong with Emancipation Park?

Ugh. This all makes me regret moving to the south. I really didn't expect so much open racism right here, right now in 2017. Very disappointing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, I'm not a native Virginian, but I live here now and likely will for the remainder of my life, and my children were born and will be raised here. I don't like all this revisionist history, where Confederates get to be presented as men worthy of honor. They were not and are not. They were traitors to our nation, and they LOST. The winners get to write history, not the losers. That's how it goes. Maybe we should sue the daughters and sons of the confederacy to remove these names and statues that they forced upon us.

They were not "forced" when they were built. They were "forced" by their children and descendants who were honoring their fathers and grandfathers. Please remember that. Most of these monuments were built as the soldiers were dying off. It's too bad you cannot understand that. They did see them as men of honor because they wished to do so and they loved them. Lee was looked up to because he fought for them and promoted peace after the Civil War. He could have acted differently. And, please remember, that they were pardoned. This was done in the name of unity for our country. And, their sons and grandsons fought proudly for the US in WWI, WWII, and following wars. I am sorry you cannot see that. You should teach your children to learn from their mistakes and tell them what a great country we live in that we could come together after such a bloody, bloody war.
And, there were battles fought all over Virginia and in this area. You want your children to be ignorant of that?

Other countries have not unified after civil wars or other conflicts. Look what happened in Ireland. Centuries of conflict. Iraq. There are plenty of examples. And, FWIW, the Irish still honor those who fought.

Historically, the decision to be so generous to white Confederates so soon after the war ended ensured the perpetuation of white supremacy and overt racism in this country. I welcome the renaming of schools and replacement of monuments that celebrated the Lost Cause mentality.

[Anonymous]

Historically, the decision to be so generous to white Confederates so soon after the war ended ensured the perpetuation of white supremacy and overt racism in this country. I welcome the renaming of schools and replacement of monuments that celebrated the Lost Cause mentality.

Total lack of understanding of what would have happened otherwise. Need only look at Europe after WWI to understand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Historically, the decision to be so generous to white Confederates so soon after the war ended ensured the perpetuation of white supremacy and overt racism in this country. I welcome the renaming of schools and replacement of monuments that celebrated the Lost Cause mentality.

Total lack of understanding of what would have happened otherwise. Need only look at Europe after WWI to understand.

I understand what you're insinuating and it's a bogus argument. Need only look at Germany after WWII to understand.

[Anonymous]

I understand what you're insinuating and it's a bogus argument. Need only look at Germany after WWII to understand.

No. There would have been no Hitler had things been handled differently after WWI.

Go read a history book.

[Anonymous]

I understand what you're insinuating and it's a bogus argument. Need only look at Germany after WWII to understand.

You do understand that the Germans were treated quite differently after WWII than WWI? It was called the Marshall Plan.

Look it up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I understand what you're insinuating and it's a bogus argument. Need only look at Germany after WWII to understand.

You do understand that the Germans were treated quite differently after WWII than WWI? It was called the Marshall Plan.

Look it up.

Two swings, two misses.

[Anonymous]

You people are still missing the point, and going all over the map on this one simple issue. Many local people are not upset about getting rid of the name J.E.B. Stuart, they are mainly upset about 4 things:

a. The NAACP stuck their nose in a “local” issue, with less than a 10% African American student body.

b. They coerced and corrupted the School Board to put forth their own agenda, to change the name of a school from a white person to a black person.

c. If the name has to be changed, why does it have to be changed to a black person?

d. If they name were changed to something less controversial, nobody would care and there would be no issue at all (except for the NAACP of course).

This is happening all across America, it is costing taxpayers billions of dollars and people are now dying as a result of this misplaced agenda.

And once again, the NAACP has divided a once peaceful and serene community to put forth their own agenda.

It is time to stop dividing America with this nonsense about names and focus on more important things.

That other person was right, look to the future, not the past...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also, I'm not a native Virginian, but I live here now and likely will for the remainder of my life, and my children were born and will be raised here. I don't like all this revisionist history, where Confederates get to be presented as men worthy of honor. They were not and are not. They were traitors to our nation, and they LOST. The winners get to write history, not the losers. That's how it goes. Maybe we should sue the daughters and sons of the confederacy to remove these names and statues that they forced upon us.

They were not "forced" when they were built. They were "forced" by their children and descendants who were honoring their fathers and grandfathers. Please remember that. Most of these monuments were built as the soldiers were dying off. It's too bad you cannot understand that. They did see them as men of honor because they wished to do so and they loved them. Lee was looked up to because he fought for them and promoted peace after the Civil War. He could have acted differently. And, please remember, that they were pardoned. This was done in the name of unity for our country. And, their sons and grandsons fought proudly for the US in WWI, WWII, and following wars. I am sorry you cannot see that. You should teach your children to learn from their mistakes and tell them what a great country we live in that we could come together after such a bloody, bloody war.
And, there were battles fought all over Virginia and in this area. You want your children to be ignorant of that?

Other countries have not unified after civil wars or other conflicts. Look what happened in Ireland. Centuries of conflict. Iraq. There are plenty of examples. And, FWIW, the Irish still honor those who fought.

While it sounds like your heart is in the right place, your history isn't really accurate.

Although many people subscribe to the belief that states’ rights was the reason for the war, quotes from Confederate leaders at the time make their intentions clear. This is just a sample:

"We hold as undeniable truths that the governments of the various States, and of the confederacy itself, were established exclusively by the white race, for themselves and their posterity; that the African race had no agency in their establishment; that they were rightfully held and regarded as an inferior and dependent race, and in that condition only could their existence in this country be rendered beneficial or tolerable.” Texas Declaration of causes for secession, February 2, 1861

“Our position is thoroughly identified with the institution of slavery — the greatest material interest of the world.” Mississippi Declaration of causes for secession

“They assume that the negro is equal, and hence conclude that he is entitled to equal privileges and rights with the white man. If their premises were correct, their conclusions would be logical and just but their premise being wrong, their whole argument fails.” Alexander H. Stephens, Vice President of the Confederacy, Cornerstone Speech, March 21, 1861

“Our new government is founded upon … the great truth that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery subordination to the superior race is his natural and normal condition.” Alexander H. Stephens, Vice President of the Confederacy, Cornerstone Speech, March 21, 1861

“A geographical line has been drawn across the Union, and all the States north of that line have united in the election of a man to the high office of President of the United States, whose opinions and purposes are hostile to slavery.” South Carolina Declaration of causes for secession, December 24, 1860

So, the war wasn't about "states rights" (except for the right have slaves). The war was about slavery because the entire economy and the "southern way of life" was based on slavery.

While some of the statues were put up for the reasons you cite, even those were honoring a rebellion that was based on maintaining slavery. However, a study of Confederate statues and monuments across the country published by the Southern Poverty Law Center last year (https://www.splcenter.org/20160421/whose-heritage-public-symbols-confederacy#findings)notes that the placement of statues and naming of schools in honor of Confederates tended to peak during times of racial tension:

There are at least 109 public schools named after prominent Confederates, many with large African-American student populations.

Schools named for Robert E. Lee are the most numerous (52), followed by Stonewall Jackson (15), Jefferson Davis (13), P.G.T. Beauregard (7), Nathan Bedford Forrest (7), and J.E.B. Stuart (5).*

...

Of these 109 schools, 27 have student populations that are majority African-American, and 10 have African-American populations of over 90 percent.

At least 39 of these schools were built or dedicated from 1950 to 1970, broadly encompassing the era of the modern civil rights movement.

and

There were two major periods in which the dedication of Confederate monuments and other symbols spiked — the first two decades of the 20th century and during the civil rights movement.

Southerners began honoring the Confederacy with statues and other symbols almost immediately after the Civil War. ... But two distinct periods saw a significant rise in the dedication of monuments and other symbols.

The first began around 1900, amid the period in which states were enacting Jim Crow laws to disenfranchise the newly freed African Americans and re-segregate society. This spike lasted well into the 1920s, a period that saw a dramatic resurgence of the Ku Klux Klan, which had been born in the immediate aftermath of the Civil War.

The second spike began in the early 1950s and lasted through the 1960s, as the civil rights movement led to a backlash among segregationists. These two periods also coincided with the 50th and 100th anniversaries of the Civil War.

Those spikes are easily visible in the following chart:




We shouldn't be destroying statues. We should be putting them in places where it is appropriate to remember, in context, who these men were and what they were fighting for. A statue at a battlefield or in a museum or a cemetery is appropriate, because then they are in context and can include more educational information.

Random statues of Confederate generals in town squares, not appropriate, but still art that shouldn't be destroyed.

Alternatively, if individuals or businesses want to make their own preferences known and have statues moved to their property, that's fine, too. If it's a business, people can vote with their wallets. If it's a person, people can decide whether they want to associate with someone who venerates those who led a war to retain slavery.

[Anonymous]

Name it Malcolm X high school.

[Anonymous]

Rosie Odonnell HS

[Anonymous]

AIDS awareness HS

[Anonymous]

ANTIFA HS.

Home of the "fighting gender confused"