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csziggy

(34,164 posts)
17. Given the history of Stone Mountain and the KKK, it should be destroyed
Wed Jun 24, 2015, 10:14 AM
Jun 2015
<SNIP>
The carving was conceived by Mrs. C. Helen Plane, a charter member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC). The Venable Brothers, owners of the mountain, deeded the north face of the mountain to the UDC in 1916. The UDC was given 12 years to complete a sizable Civil War monument. Gutzon Borglum was commissioned to do the carving. Borglum abandoned the project in 1925 (and later went on to begin Mount Rushmore). American sculptor Augustus Lukeman continued until 1928, when further work stopped for thirty years. In 1958, at the urging of Governor Marvin Griffin, the Georgia legislature approved a measure to purchase Stone Mountain for $1,125,000. In 1963, Walker Hancock was selected to complete the carving, and work began in 1964. The carving was completed by Roy Faulkner, who later operated a museum (now closed) on nearby Memorial Drive commemorating the carving's history. The carving was considered complete[6] on March 3, 1972.

Carving and the Ku Klux Klan

The revival of the Ku Klux Klan was emboldened by the release of D. W. Griffith's Klan-glorifying film The Birth of a Nation,[7] and coincided with the August 1915 lynching of Leo Frank, who was convicted in the murder of Mary Phagan. On November 25 of the same year, a small group, including fifteen robed and hooded "charter members" of the new organization, met at Stone Mountain to create a new iteration of the Klan. They were led by William J. Simmons, and included two elderly members of the original Klan. As part of their ceremony, they burned a crude cross.[8]

Fundraising for the monument resumed in 1923, and in October of that year, Venable granted the Klan easement with perpetual right to hold celebrations as they desired.[9] The influence of the UDC continued, in support of Mrs. Plane's vision of a carving explicitly for the purpose of creating a Confederate memorial. The UDC established the Stone Mountain Confederate Memorial Association (SMCMA) for fundraising and on-site supervision of the project. Venable and Gutzon Borglum, who were both closely associated with the Klan, arranged to pack the SMCMA with Klan members.[10] The SMCMA, along with the United Daughters of the Confederacy continued fundraising efforts. Of the $250,000 raised, part came from the federal government, which in 1924 issued special fifty-cent coins with the soldiers Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson on them, but would not allow the politician Jefferson Davis to be included.[11] When the state purchased the mountain in 1958, they had removed the Klan and voided Venable's agreement by condemning the properties.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_Mountain#Confederate_Memorial


That the completion of the monument and the purchase of the site by the state occurred during the fight for civil rights is confirmation that the entire reason for it was to reinforce the "pride" and "heritage" of the racist.

Aside from those points, it is not good art, has no true historical relevance, and is just plain offensive.
Yeah, but the laser shows on Saturday nights are awesome. onehandle Jun 2015 #1
And they will still argue edhopper Jun 2015 #3
Yes it is Kalidurga Jun 2015 #2
OTOH it has artistic and historic merit Recursion Jun 2015 #54
Monuments, headstones, history etc DustyJoe Jun 2015 #4
Nonsense. /nt yardwork Jun 2015 #5
What a ridiculous argument edhopper Jun 2015 #6
Technically they aren't traitors. They were all pardoned. Calista241 Jun 2015 #7
They fought against their own country edhopper Jun 2015 #8
Traitors to Britain from 13 New World colonies fought against their own country between 1775-1783 Pooka Fey Jun 2015 #15
Are there statutes edhopper Jun 2015 #16
Did England put up a statue honoring "Traitor-Rebel" George Washington? Yes, in Trafalgar Square Pooka Fey Jun 2015 #20
I was trying to understand what you meant by winners framing the debate edhopper Jun 2015 #22
In 1783, the Colonial Traitors against the British Crown WON their Turn-Coat Rebellion Pooka Fey Jun 2015 #26
No edhopper Jun 2015 #27
Riiiiight. Take a look at your post number 23 again. Pooka Fey Jun 2015 #29
You got me there edhopper Jun 2015 #31
it is one thing to discuss losers in a war DonCoquixote Jun 2015 #35
I stopped reading after your 2nd sentence, Godwin's law and all Pooka Fey Jun 2015 #39
You stopped reading DonCoquixote Jun 2015 #64
... Pooka Fey Jun 2015 #67
Never thought about it DustyJoe Jun 2015 #24
They may have been pardoned but what they did . . . brush Jun 2015 #10
Given the history of Stone Mountain and the KKK, it should be destroyed csziggy Jun 2015 #17
Well said nt edhopper Jun 2015 #23
Excellent post... Spazito Jun 2015 #43
That's a great idea - use it as a teaching tool for the history of racism csziggy Jun 2015 #44
To me, educating the young on the real history of racism and racist monuments like Spazito Jun 2015 #45
Bit of a difference between not celebrating those who fought to preserve slavery NuclearDem Jun 2015 #25
No doubt your bias is offended. LanternWaste Jun 2015 #51
Racists don't wear Stone Mountain shirts or wave SM flags NightWatcher Jun 2015 #9
I don't think getting rid of the monument edhopper Jun 2015 #11
Stone Mountain Georgia, the site where the Ku Klux Klan was reborn. MohRokTah Jun 2015 #12
No mention of the rebirth of the Klan is complete Art_from_Ark Jun 2015 #18
West Virginia had a precious member of the klan until yeoman6987 Jun 2015 #30
Byrd is such a red herring edhopper Jun 2015 #34
I don't know. You mentioned klam members in congress and yeoman6987 Jun 2015 #41
I mentioned that Stone Mountain was rallying point for the Klan edhopper Jun 2015 #42
That's what the Taliban said! FSogol Jun 2015 #13
That is how you see Stone Mountain? edhopper Jun 2015 #14
One man's "heritage" is another man's hell. nt kelliekat44 Jun 2015 #19
And what is the "heritage of Stone Mountain? edhopper Jun 2015 #21
Never saw or heard of it. yeoman6987 Jun 2015 #28
Then a hell of a lot of us are the descendants of traitors. pogglethrope Jun 2015 #32
Yes edhopper Jun 2015 #33
I agree that the Confederate flag shouldnt be flying on state grounds davidn3600 Jun 2015 #47
Not all edhopper Jun 2015 #57
Yes, and the principles of that nation were evil, it is nothing to be proud of. n/t Humanist_Activist Jun 2015 #36
History is written by the victors csziggy Jun 2015 #46
Don't make me come down there again Ichingcarpenter Jun 2015 #37
"War is Hell" edhopper Jun 2015 #38
Simple solution: Have them fly REAL Confederate flags. KamaAina Jun 2015 #40
Do you have a complaint with this one? former9thward Jun 2015 #48
No edhopper Jun 2015 #58
A distinction without a difference. former9thward Jun 2015 #60
and that is wrong as well edhopper Jun 2015 #62
The Confederate Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery is not anyone's grave. former9thward Jun 2015 #65
This should be blown up. philosslayer Jun 2015 #49
That is just a bullshit argument edhopper Jun 2015 #59
Would you support the bulldozing and destruction of confederate Graves? n/t oneshooter Jun 2015 #66
I'd hate to see any monument removed, replaced or destroyed. LanternWaste Jun 2015 #50
It's also the largest bas relief in the world (nt) Recursion Jun 2015 #52
So don't destroy it, give it a makeover. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Jun 2015 #55
I'm hesitant to alter old art. Put up an interpretive element Recursion Jun 2015 #56
MLK specifically mentioned it in the "I Have A Dream" Speech jberryhill Jun 2015 #53
Stoned and alone seveneyes Jun 2015 #61
How about statues of that Native American-exterminating, genocidal maniac Columbus? Nye Bevan Jun 2015 #63
So until we eliminate all statues to questionable figures edhopper Jun 2015 #69
I didn't even know that existed AwakeAtLast Jun 2015 #68
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