Lincoln Statue Heightens Old Pains
Confederacy Backers Say They’ll Never Recognize Tribute
By Michael D. Shear and Peter Whoriskey
Washington Post Staff Writers
Sunday, April 6, 2003; Page C06
RICHMOND, April 5 — The unveiling of an Abraham Lincoln statue today in downtown Richmond, a city his armies once conquered, was heralded as part of an effort to heal old wounds. But the ceremony was carried out amid catcalls and protests by promoters of Confederate heritage.
The life-size bronze sculpture of Lincoln and his son Tad sitting on a bench was unveiled in front of several hundred members of the public, three former governors and a host of local politicians at the Civil War Visitor Center at Tredegar Iron Works, where the Confederate Army forged its weapons.
Robert Klein, chairman of the U.S. Historical Society, which commissioned the statue and donated it to the National Park Service, said the work symbolizes Lincoln’s only visit to the state capital, hours after Confederate armies.
“He came here as a visit of reconciliation after the surrender,” Klein said. Years from now, the statue will bring people together, he predicted. “They will find it’s reassuring that we have Lincoln here,” he said. “We are not a red-neck city of the Confederate. We are part of the United States of America.”
But just as previous efforts at racial healing have been difficult and painful here, today’s event highlighted the deep divisions that remain.
Outside the park gates, about 40 people — some in period costume — waved Confederate battle flags and signs disparaging Lincoln, a man several said they consider to be no better than any of this century’s worst war criminals.
“Hitler/Paris 1940. Lincoln/Richmond 1865. Any questions?” one sign read. Another, held by a young boy, read: “Lincoln wasn’t worth a cent — then or now.” And a wanted poster with Lincoln’s face read: “WANTED: For War Crimes.”
Several hours before the afternoon dedication, about 100 members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans and their families gathered at the nearby grave of Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederacy, to protest the Lincoln statue.
“As long as I’m commander in chief, we will never accept it,” vowed Ron Wilson, national commander of the group. “We are going to fight these people everywhere they raise their head.”
Those opposed to the statue said they consider its placement at a Confederate landmark a gratuitous measure of disrespect to people of Southern heritage.
Several also said they are skeptical of what they call the “Lincoln mythology” and his record of achievements, adding that to the terrified city residents at the time, Lincoln behaved as a conquering boor.
Supporters of the statue dismissed the opposition as a small group of divisive people, many of whom have also been at the center of other racially tinged debates over the appropriate civic symbols for the former Confederate capital.
“These people are largely not from Richmond,” Lt. Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, a former mayor of Richmond, said of the opponents. “They feel they have a right to tell us in Richmond how to do our business. They are wrong. We claim Abraham Lincoln as a brother. We claim Abraham Lincoln as a Virginian.”
April 9th, 2003 at 4:46 pm
I’m not sure…but were there any African American or Nothern Sympathizers protesting the erection of Jefferson Davis statue at the University of Texas?
April 9th, 2003 at 10:41 pm
If I remember correctly, Texas was a member of the confederacy, was it not? Your analogy would be appropriate if the statue of Davis were being erected in New York.
April 13th, 2003 at 10:01 am
Any one whom embraces Abe Lincoln and his works are embracing Racism & Tyranny for our historical record speaks for it’s self was it not the racist Lincoln whom In one of the now famous Lincoln-Douglas debates in 1858, Lincoln said. “I will say, then, that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in anyway the social and political equality of the white and black races–that I am not, nor ever been, in favor of making votors or jurors of negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people; and I will say in addition to this that there is a differance between the white man and black races….I, as much as any other man, am in favor of having the superior postion assigned to the white race.” In another debate with Douglas, Lincoln showed his support for apartheid. He made the following comments: Such seperation if effected at all, must be effected by colonization:…what colonization most needs is a hearty will…Let us be brought to believe that it is morally right, and at the same time favorable to, or at least not against, our interests to transfer the African to his native clime, and we shall find a way to do it, however great the task may be. Honest Abe, the great white supremacist.
Also In his book, Forced into Glory: Abraham Lincoln?s White Dream, Ebony magazine editor Lerone Bennett, Jr. writes that “On at least fourteen occasions between 1854 and 1860 Lincoln said unambiguously that he believed the Negro race was inferior to the White race. In Galesburg, he referred to ?the inferior races.? Who were ?the inferior races?? African Americans, he said, Mexicans, who he called mongrels . . .”
For his entire adult life Lincoln advocated deporting all the black people in America to Africa, Central America, or Haiti (”colonization”) and was a member of the American Colonization Society. “There is a moral fitness in the idea of returning to Africa her children,” he said in his 1852 eulogy to Henry Clay. Ten years later, in his December 1, 1862 message to Congress, he said, “I cannot make it better known than it already is, that I strongly favor colonization.” He held these views until the day he died. As Joe Sobran has remarked, Lincoln?s position was that black people could be “equal” all right, but not here in the U.S.
Lincoln supported the Illinois constitution, which prohibited the emigration of black people into the state; he supported the Illinois Black Codes, which deprived free blacks of any semblance of citizenship or economic freedom; in his First Inaugural he supported a proposed constitutional amendment that would have prohibited the federal government from interfering with slavery; and he was a staunch supporter of the Fugitive Slave Act which coerced the Northern states to round up runaway slaves and return them to slavery. He did denounce slavery in principle, as did most political, military, and business leaders of the era. But as historian Robert Johannsen explained in Lincoln, the South, and Slavery, his position was opposition to slavery in principle, toleration of it in practice, and a vigorous hostility to the abolition movement. The notion that Lincoln was a champion of equality is an Orwellian absurdity.
Seems all factual evidence is in direct conflict with those whom worship the tyrant lincoln. If the truth is to be told those whom embrcae lincoln are embracing the purest form of white supremacy.
Having said that NO! LINCON DOES NOT BELONG IN RICHMOND, VIRGINIA!
Seems those whom make the case of my SOUTHERN HERIATGE as promoting racism are the true racist here!
April 13th, 2003 at 10:13 am
I forget to mention the fact that I was at this protest and that your reported numbers of protesters is incorrect at my last count there where 80 protesters on one side of tredager and about 25 on the other side on a hill over looking the dedication of the racist Lincoln and as of the time I left school 80 + 25 = 105 I’m not sure where yall come up with this 40 people protesting but it is obvious either you wernt there or you base your reporting on myth much like the Lincolnites.
Now from our Southron prespective:
Southerners Stand United In Richmond Virginia!
It was truly an honor to stand with the gentlemen whom brought their forces to bare against the dedication of the Tyrant Abe Lincoln Saturday at Tredager.
Mr. Brag Bowling Virginia SCV Commander, Mr. Fred Tayor President of the Heritage Preservation Association and Mr. Elloitt Germain Chairman Virginia League of the South mustered up Southerners from Fla.,Tx., Ga., Nc. and all across Virginia to show a united front in the ever increasing Ethnic Cleansing of our Heritage here in the Commonwealth.
“Fort” Tredager is protected by an 8 foot tall iron bared fence which was a relief to some Confederates, that Lincoln was now behind bars! There was heavy presents of police in squad cars, paddy wagons, horse back and “bobbies on bicycles two by two” not to mention those whom thought they where undercover (you have to get up early to fool this ole Soutron Boy) and the Republican Guard of Ethyl Crop. (private police).
As the people entered the gated Lincoln compound they where submitted to a more extensive search than I’ve seen in most airports today, stopping just short of a retina scan. All where padded down for literature and any pro-Southern clothing or flags if found they where denied entry, even though one can purchase our Confederate Battle flag in their gift shop and to make matters worse one Southern Brother attempted to purchase our beloved flag and was informed it would be “Confiscated” if he left the gift shop.
How’s this for some TRUE Southern Comfort:
As the dignitaries addressed the Lincolnites our Confederate Air Force gloriously provided our air support via an enormous banner Proudly Proclaiming Sic Temper Tyranis (Thus Always To Tyrants!) then there where the ground forces whom where chanting (your hero our tyrant - lincoln was a racist) so loud from the street that it drowned out poe former Gov. Doggie Wildless as he attempted to further indoctrinate these lost sheeple. Then there where the two Stealth Confederates caught within spiting distance of the lincoln statue. As they where preparing to pull out concealed Confederate flags they where quickly ushered out by Richmond City’s finest. And then there was Virginia Lt. Governor, New Yorker, Tim Kaine as he attempted to sneak out the back he was met with a welcome befitting a TRUE carpetbagger (heckled).
The Lincoln statue itself was placed in a hole smaller than life and is surrounded by surveillance cameras in case the “healing process” isn’t quite complete. Such a sad waste of money!
We must keep the pressure on my Southron patriots, we all must support each other if we are to gain ground in Virginia we can NO LONGER be the silent minority, we must take our stand NOW!