Take 'Em Down NOLA reads Kevin M. Levin just before confronting Mitch Landrieu: Item #1 TakeEMDownNOLA Series

I was down in New Orleans at the Take 'Em Down NOLA (TEDN) national conference, 3/23-25/2018, this last weekend. It had people from across the nation attending. I will be doing a series of posts on what happened. The neo-Confederate movement is now doomed and it is just a matter of time before the Confederate landscape is gone.

Sunday, 3/25/2018 we had a morning march in the streets of New Orleans to the statues of white supremacists. Then a little later in the early afternoon we went to for lunch. Saturday, the previous day, I learned that TEDN was not happy with Mitch Landrieu taking all the credit.

The plan was that after the lunch we would go to the Mitch Landrieu book signing at 2pm.

During lunch, I shared with them Kevin M. Levin's posting on Mitch Landrieu's book where Levin criticizes Landrieu for taking too much credit for the monument removal. This is the link to Kevin Levin's posting.

http://cwmemory.com/2018/03/24/mayor-mitch-landrieu-and-the-mythology-of-confederate-monument-removals-in-new-orleans/

One of the TEDN leaders was very interested and read it through on my cellphone. I also shared the link. This was good preparation when we tracked down Mitch Landrieu's book signing several blocks away at a museum.

It was on the second floor with tables with linen cloth and African American food servers in an elite space and thus creating plantation optics. You needed a ticket to get up.

I was asked to reconnoiter and find out where it was.

I was able to get upstairs anyways by just walking up and saying no I did not have a ticket, but I was a historian that just happened to be in town and wanted to get a book. I had a nonchalant attitude that I expect to be admitted anyways and it worked.

I did photo documentation of the event and the audience and the food servers and the whole elite thing. Then I went down to report. However, TEDN had decided to come up and I direct them to the book signing where Landrieu was just spinning his narrative.

Malcolm Suber entered into a dialog with Landrieu but his is a very able politician, that is he had some rationalizations for everything. He also spoke to Suber as if he was an acquaintance.

I had explained that Kevin M. Levin was a person who wrote articles for the Smithsonian and The Atlantic and was an establishment figure and Levin saw what Landrieu was doing. I have shared the link and showed the URL of Levin's blog to them. There was a lot of interest and I think some gratification that others were seeing what Landrieu  was doing.

I also explained that though Levin and I am opponents that his blog often has good information. I also explained that Levin got on the train to remove monuments very late in the historical process.

TEDN during the march criticized academics for being missing in action and not challenging the built environment that honors white supremacists. They are right to a great degree, but I was able to show that there were exceptions.

The power of these conferences is that they connect resources. I was able to alert TEDN to Levin's posting. It lets TEDN know that there are people who see their side of this story and are supportive. It encouraged TEDN to continue to assert their narrative.

The following are photos of the event. Click on them to see the WHOLE photo.

Then TEDN appeared. It no longer was just an elite event.

Maybe Richmond won't follow the Richmond example

This was published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch today or yesterday.

http://www.richmond.com/opinion/your-opinion/letters-to-the-editor/cod-june-monuments-whitewash-history/article_c5249b40-45f3-5be8-982d-433395236b29.html

The title is "Monuments whitewash history," by John Winn III.

The letter to the editor is given the award "Correspondent of the Day," with a fountain pen drawing. He is listed as a resident of Richmond by the Times-Dispatch. So Levin can't ask Winn his question, "Have you ever been to Richmond?" which he asked Sarah Jones when she proposed taking down the Confederate statues. https://twitter.com/KevinLevin/status/864241228333940737

A single letter, even given the Correspondent of the Day designation, won't by itself bring down the monuments. It will be a voice to bring the Confederate monuments down and that is important.

However, the letter being given the designation Correspondent of the Day may signify that the Richmond Times-Dispatch is shifting on the monuments. They could have just published the letter, but instead decided to give it a special designation. Perhaps they want to be able to position themselves as neutrals going into what they see as an upcoming intensified struggle over the Confederate monuments.

I am sure that those involved in Richmond politics, civic affairs, cultural institutions will note that this letter was given a special designation by the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

I  doubt that the elites of Richmond wanted Richmond singled out as Confederate monument city before the nation. To be set up as the opposite of New Orleans.  To be seen as a new capitol of Confederate monuments as they tumble elsewhere across the nation.Yet, Levin made Richmond the capitol of Confederate monument retention in this article.
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/what-richmond-has-gotten-right-about-interpreting-its-confederate-history-180963354/

I doubt African American Mayor Dwight C. Jones wanted to be set up as the opposite of New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu.

The Virginia Defenders are quite aware of Levin's Smithsonian article. They took pains to explain to me that they wanted the monuments down. I am sure that Jones political opponents in the African American community have taken note of this article.

I have always said that pressing on the issue of Confederate symbols, place names, and monuments would be a lens to see who people really are.

The Smithsonian magazine article really pulled away the curtain and exposed Richmond's soul.

This maybe the first visible fracture in the defenses of the capitol of the Confederate monuments.


For those in Richmond who want to get their Confederate monuments taken down I recommend this article.

http://thegrio.com/2017/05/26/hundreds-of-confederate-statues-still-standing/#oQWeYWxF2IXyGtRl.01

"Why are hundreds of Confederate statues still standing?" Quoted twice in this article. I describe the emerging set of arguments set forth by academics as rationalizations for these monuments.

http://thegrio.com/2017/05/26/hundreds-of-confederate-statues-still-standing/#oQWeYWxF2IXyGtRl.01

The link to the article is above.

I will have to elaborate for this posting later. I am currently tied up with a project.

I did supply many links to the writings of different scholars, blog postings, news articles.

Robert E. Lee is going down! This is a good example for Dallas, Texas. FRIDAY, Updates Continue Friday Lunch update Evening Update

http://www.theadvocate.com/new_orleans/news/article_47a6d19e-3bfa-11e7-a1c1-47f6cb96a80c.html

Title of above article is, "Barricades, no parking signs crop up near Lee Circle signaling possible removal of state." It has a date time of May 18, 2017 4:29 pm.

Sounds like it is going to happen soon. This will be a great example to Dallas, Texas to take down their Robert E. Lee statue. This is the blog to take down the Robert E. Lee statue in Dallas, Texas.

http://roberteleepark.blogspot.com/

I will update as this happens. Multiple reports of barricades going up and expectation that the Lee statue is going down.

http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/05/robert_e_lee_monuments.html

Many commercials at this page.
http://www.wwltv.com/news/local/orleans/barricades-no-parking-signs-surround-lee-circle/440872784

You can see video at this page.
http://wgno.com/2017/05/18/barricades-going-up-at-lee-circle/

7:56 CST
http://www.fox8live.com/story/35462838/monument-watch-councilwoman-questions-funding-for-removal

New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu is going to speak on the removal of the monuments Friday.
http://www.theadvocate.com/new_orleans/news/article_56dd1a82-3c28-11e7-a2eb-4b44c8b13537.html

Well I am retiring for the night. I will update in the morning.

Back up for 15 minutes with this update. Title is "All signs point to removal of New Orleans' Robert E. Lee statue imminent."  They expect the statue will be removed Friday morning. Only a handful of protesters showed up so far. The pro-Confederates and neo-Confederates have given up.

http://www.theadvocate.com/new_orleans/news/article_cc3b196e-3c28-11e7-97aa-ef4297dddb6a.html

FRIDAY UPDATES CONTINUE

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-orleans-to-take-down-robert-e-lee-statue-on-friday/
The Robert E. Lee statue is coming down during the day.

Picture gallery.
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/05/live_updates_confederate_gen_r.html

It is a national story.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheats/2017/05/19/new-orleans-robert-e-lee-statue-to-come-down-friday?via=desktop&source=copyurl

It is an AP news story.
https://apnews.com/78d8ea941a554ba2836e222351454993/Statue-of-General-Lee-coming-down-in-New-Orleans-on-Friday?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=APSouthRegion

Mitch Landrieu is going to give remarks on the removal of the four Confederate landmarks.

http://www.katc.com/story/35467788/mayor-mitch-landrieu-to-give-remarks-on-removal-of-four-confederate-statues

"Special address on removal of monuments form New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu set for Friday."
http://www.theadvocate.com/new_orleans/news/article_56dd1a82-3c28-11e7-a2eb-4b44c8b13537.html

FRIDAY LUNCH UPDATE

You can watch it live at this website. It is their websites lead story and it is the first thing you see on the home page. The equipment is there. It is huge.
http://www.nola.com/


Neo-Confederates angry. Their world is going under.
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/05/watch_passion_rise_at_the_robe.html

Plans in place for former locations of Confederate monuments.

http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/05/confederate_monuments_water_fe.html#incart_big-photo

Louisiana House bill to protect monuments uses term, "War Between the States." The title of the article is, "Ar Louisiana House members Monuments Men or Confederate fanboys?: Opinion."
http://www.nola.com/opinions/index.ssf/2017/05/monuments_men_or_the_confedera.html#incart_2box

Winter Institute helped New Orleans address Confederate monuments
http://www.oxfordeagle.com/2017/05/19/winter-institute-helped-n-o-address-confederate-monuments/

Back to work. I will update this evening.


Evening updates
Best online place to watch is http://www.nola.com.

I am watching on Periscope when available. The neo-Confederate make all sorts of nonsensical historical claims.

New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu has issued a statement.
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/05/mayor_mitch_landrieu_conferate.html#incart_big-photo

The guys doing the work are really brave. They are way, way up high, and they are exposed to any crazed individual that might shoot. I don't know if I could do the job.

http://www.nola.gov/mayor/press-releases/

Ask Trump not to send a wreath to the Arlington Confederate monument.
https://www.change.org/p/edward-h-sebesta-ask-president-trump-not-to-send-a-wreath-to-the-arlington-confederate-monument


The Nola live feed seems to be getting overloaded. I am going to try to find another live feed.

Back to Nola.

ROBERT E. LEE IS DOWN!
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/05/confederate_monuments_lee_come.html#incart_big-photo

Mayor Mitch Landrieu's speech.
https://youtu.be/-uJ0Kp9X4eI

When will the Robert E. Lee statue go down? Probably soon

I think the Robert E. Lee statue will likely go down soon. I suspect that the crew that pulls down the statue needs a couple days to rest up and then they will be ready.

Mayor Mitch Landrieu very likely realizes he has to move fast. Though the Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards has spoken out that the state of Louisiana should not interfere with monument removal in New Orleans, he probably wishes the 4th Confederate monument is removed before the Louisiana State Senate passed a bill protecting monuments and has to veto it.

This is a link to a story about Gov. John Bel Edwards being opposed to the Louisiana House bill protecting monuments.
http://wgno.com/2017/05/17/governor-state-should-not-interfere-with-monument-removal-in-new-orleans/

Also, there is always the chance that some judge in either the state or federal judiciary might decide to give some ruling protecting the statue. The ruling might be overturned upon appeal, but the monument removal will be delayed until is overturned.

Also, someone might chain themselves to the Lee monument.  Or there might be a Confederate stylite. I see that there is a platform near the top of the monument. It might be difficult if somone was up there and refusing to get down.

Or perhaps a really large mob might yet mobilize.

I would not be surprised if the Robert E. Lee Monument is down before the end of this coming Sunday, May 21, 2017.  Landrieu needs to get a move on and get this last monument down soon and I think he well knows it.

Frank Stewart is outed as defender of Confederate monuments in New Orleans and isn't happy about it.

If you are wondering why the Confederate monuments stay up in Baltimore you would do well to study New Orleans. Many there were surprised when local historical societies and preservationists defended the Confederate monuments there.

The Sons of Confederate Veterans and the United Daughters of the Confederacy provide the show of sentimental nostalgia, but there is another force keeping Confederate flags in place -- rich white people who donate money to organizations and political campaigns.

In fact the fight over Confederate monuments reveals how peoples' cities are really run.

Frank Stewart was a very rich individual who contributes money to philanthropies. He also was a strong supporter of the Confederate monuments in New Orleans.

New Orleans Mayor Landrieu named him publicly and Stewart was quite angry about it.

http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/05/frank_stewart_mitch_landrieu.html

Landrieu made an apology, but the damage to Stewart's reputation has been done both with Landrieu's statement and Stewart's own reaction to it.

http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/05/confederate_monuments_bizarre.html

The above article notes that Frank Stewart is still defending the Confederate monuments.

So Landrieu can say that he apologized and the episode is over for him, but Stewart is revealed as who he really is, a person who defends Confederate monuments.

This is a warning to rich white banal nationalists and other Confederate monument supporters in other towns, you might have your face front and center before the public as a supporter of Confederate monuments. You might babble things, you might parade African Americans that support you, but it will be to no avail.