Petition Started to Ban Monument to Founder of Ku Klux Klan, Nathan Bedford Forrest - Polidicks

[quote]Malika Fortier with GrassrootsDemocracy.net has created a petition on Change.org to ask the Selma City Council in Selma, Alabama to ban KKK monuments. Fortier is upset that the Friends of Forrest, a neo-Confederate group, is planning a renovation of a public monument to the founder of the Ku Klux Klan, Nathan Bedford Forrest, in the Live Oak Cemetery. Earlier this year, the head was stolen from the Forrest statue, so the Friends of Forrest are planning to build a bigger monument while sprucing up the larger Confederate Memorial Circle. Todd Kiscaden, with Friends of Forrest, told WSFA-TV: "I recommend this man to model his life after. He always led from the front. He did what he said he was going to do. He took care of his people, and his people included both races." However, Fortier notes that "Nathan Bedford Forrest was a Confederate military leader, a founding member of the KKK, and the first Grand Wizard of the KKK. He wasn't even from Selma, why should Selma be honoring his shameful legacy of racial segregation and terrorism?" Fortier wants the Selma City Council to "remove the monument celebrating Ku Klux Klan founder Nathan Bedford Forrest" on her Change.org petition, which so far has 282,038 signatures: Dear Selma City Council, I am writing to strongly urge you to stop the current plans to expand a monument celebrating Nathan Bedford Forrest. People know Selma, Alabama as the city where Dr. King fought for civil rights. Selma was the launching point for historical protests that hurtled the civil rights movement into the national spotlight. It is also a city of tragedy: thousands of students, religious leaders, and families fighting for civil rights in Selma were arrested, injured, or brutally killed. It was shocking to learn that Selma would ever choose to celebrate the legacy of a Ku Klux Klan founder and Grand Wizard by allowing a monument to Nathan Bedford Forrest to stand on city property. For the council to allow this monument to be expanded would simply be beyond the pale. If Selma wants be viewed by the rest of the country as forward-thinking, we cannot give in to those who pine for the "good ole days" of the 1860s. The Selma city council has no business allowing the the city's history and the memory of those who fought for civil rights to be smeared in this way. I demand that you stop the expansion of the Nathan Bedford Forrest monument and remove it from public property.[/quote] [url]http://www.opposingviews.com/i/society/race/petition-started-ban-monument-founder-ku-klux-klan-nathan-bedford-forrest[/url]

Bit of a tough issue, though, isn't it? You can't just brush him under the rug, since the KKK should be remembered so that their acts aren't committed again, but having a monument is spreading the wrong message.

The KKK are sorta still around though.

I believe Forrest Gump was named after this gentleman.

immediately thought of Forrest Gump.

KKK is retired of racism and now going onto gays right?

a public monument to the founder of a hate group? yeah, nah, tear it down [QUOTE=CMB Unit 01;37644532]Bit of a tough issue, though, isn't it? You can't just brush him under the rug, since the KKK should be remembered so that their acts aren't committed again, but having a monument is spreading the wrong message.[/QUOTE] not really? a public monument is an honour, not a somber remembrance of a total cunt. not to mention its not like tearing down this monument is somehow erasing all history of the KKK from america, its still embedded in our history books and literature so there's no loss here

Haha, so he actually [I]was[/I] called that...Thanks Forrest Gump

[QUOTE=Kopimi;37644696]a public monument to the founder of a hate group? yeah, nah, tear it down not really? a public monument is an honour, not a somber remembrance of a total cunt. not to mention its not like tearing down this monument is somehow erasing all history of the KKK from america, its still embedded in our history books and literature so there's no loss here[/QUOTE] He wasn't the founder of it, he joined it at some point and was placed in some command position. He actually was a good leader and what not. He also later rejected the racial aspects of what he did and advocated for some black rights.

[QUOTE] the first Grand Wizard of the KKK[/QUOTE] I want to join the KKK just to have a cool title like this one.

I never knew Forrest founded the KKK, only that he was a great general. Lol Texas education

[QUOTE=teh pirate;37644798]I never knew Forrest founded the KKK, only that he was a great general. Lol Texas education[/QUOTE] He didn't, who ever wrote the article apparently used Forrest Gump as a source.

[QUOTE=BusterBluth;37644763]He wasn't the founder of it, he joined it at some point and was placed in some command position. He actually was a good leader and what not. He also later rejected the racial aspects of what he did and advocated for some black rights.[/QUOTE] [quote]Author Andrew Ward, however, writes, “In the spring of 1867, Forrest and his dragons launched a campaign of midnight parades; ‘ghost’ masquerades; and ‘whipping’ and even ‘killing Negro voters and white Republicans, to scare blacks off voting and running for office.’”[/quote] he may have changed his mind in the end but i don't think he's deserving of a memorial for serving as a leader in the KKK

I just looked it up, apparently he dissolved the KKK and while giving a speech was offered a bouquet of flowers from a black woman. He accepted them and declared himself a progressive and in favor of equal rights.

-snip- Never mind.

[QUOTE=CMB Unit 01;37644532]Bit of a tough issue, though, isn't it? You can't just brush him under the rug, since the KKK should be remembered so that their acts aren't committed again, but having a monument is spreading the wrong message.[/QUOTE] I suggest we just add a big nice plate with "Leader of one of the world's biggest fucking idiotic groups ever" carved on it.

maybe they should make a statue of forrest gump since he was named after nbf, cept hes a good role model

There are memorials and statues to General Lee. Unless it's actually financed by the KKK, lobbied by the KKK and dedicated for the KKK, I don't see an issue with the statue.

It sounds like at least the people they interviewed wanted the monument to commemorate his service in the Confederate army, not because he was founder of the KKK. That may not be the case with a great deal of the monument's proponents though.

Forrest didn't found the KKK. He was an early member but that would be like saying postal or firerain founded facepunch

[QUOTE=ButtsexV3;37646637]Forrest didn't found the KKK. He was an early member but that would be like saying postal founded facepunch[/QUOTE] I thought Dragon founded facepunch

[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;37646513]There are memorials and statues to General Lee.[/QUOTE] Yes but Lee is significant for more than just racism [QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;37646513]Unless it's actually financed by the KKK, lobbied by the KKK and dedicated for the KKK, I don't see an issue with the statue.[/QUOTE] I see that as being backwards. If the KKK financed it it would be fine, but it's a public monument, and I doubt most of the public would want it around

Make a Forrest Gump statue instead.

[QUOTE=JohnnyMo1;37646740]Yes but Lee is significant for more than just racism [/QUOTE] As is Forrest.

Put it to a city referendum. Why should the city council, some political action group, or anyone else decide whether the monument should be there or not? This affects the people of the city, let the residents decide for themselves.

[QUOTE=yawmwen;37646802]Put it to a city referenda. Why should the city council, some political action group, or anyone else decide whether the monument should be there or not? This affects the people of the city, let the residents decide for themselves.[/QUOTE] referendum

[QUOTE=JohnnyMo1;37646844]referendum[/QUOTE] Heil grammar nazi.

[QUOTE=JohnnyMo1;37646740]Yes but Lee is significant for more than just racism [/QUOTE] Was Lee even directly a bigot? Sure he is indirectly one for fighting for the South but I was under the impression he only fought for the South because he had a hard-on for Virginia.

-snip-

[QUOTE=SGTNAPALM;37646922]Was Lee even directly a bigot? Sure he is indirectly one for fighting for the South but I was under the impression he only fought for the South because he had a hard-on for Virginia.[/QUOTE] I remember reading that he was openly pro-Union until Virginia seceded.