By the way, the Ku Klux Klan Forrest lent his name to was nothing but an enforcement arm of ... [drum roll please] ... the Democractic Party.
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Posted on 08/14/2005 2:59:36 PM PDT by mcg2000
'Agitators' vs. Rebels
As citizens put Forrest under fire, activist Sharpton aims fusillade at city leaders
By Oliver Staley August 14, 2005
On a day when many feared an outbreak of racial strife, the only violence sparked by a rally at Forrest Park was of the rhetorical variety.
Attracted in part by the appearance of Al Sharpton, a modest crowd of about 250 gathered peacefully for a "Rally for Dignity" to remove the statue of Nathan Bedford Forrest, the Confederate general celebrated and vilified throughout the South. The protesters, who were surrounded by what appeared to be an almost equal number of police and media, heard fiery denunciations of both Forrest and those who would permit his statue to remain in place.
Much of the vitriol was directed at African-American politicians who have not embraced the issue, and particularly Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton, who advocates leasing Forrest Park to the University of Tennessee with the statue in place. Herenton has called the controversy over the names of three city parks a distraction and accused Sharpton of being a troublemaker whose invitation to Memphis "serves no useful purpose."
On Saturday, Sharpton arrived at the park in an RV, where he waited in air-conditioned comfort until he was introduced by Circuit Court Judge D'Army Bailey. Then he emerged like a prize fighter, surrounded by a stony-faced security detail and acknowledging the cheering crowd with a pumped fist.
Known as much for his aggressive stances on racial issues as his failed presidential bid, Sharpton fired back at the criticism that he was an "outside agitator."
"It was outside agitators that got us the right to vote," he shouted with a hoarse voice. "It was outside agitators that got you from the back of the bus. The only reason you need outside agitators is because your inside agitators aren't doing their job.
"If people did what you elected them to do, you wouldn't need to make a long-distance call when a local call would do," Sharpton thundered.
While Herenton took a verbal beating, he got off easy compared to Forrest.
Unveiled in 1905, his statue stands over the graves of Forrest and his wife, who were exhumed and moved there from Elmwood Cemetery. While many also object to the names of Confederate Park and Jefferson Davis Park, Forrest Park was reserved for special condemnation.
Forrest was called a slave trader, a murderer, a terrorist, a traitor to his country, a founder of the Ku Klux Klan.
"He is a liar, a destroyer, a killer of the innocent," said Perry Steele, who held up enlarged photocopies of the warrant for Forrest's arrest issued by the Union Army. "Ladies and gentlemen, this man does not deserve to be here."
Sharpton hammered at Forrest's role in the Civil War.
"No government celebrates a rebel against the government except those in this part of the country that want to romanticize traitors," he said. "Why would you put up a statue to salute those who would tear this government down?"
Charles Ingram, a writer from DeSoto County, called the statue "an upthrust middle finger of racism."
In the crowd, a sign questioned if a Jewish mayor would permit a statue of Hitler, and more than one speaker referenced Germany and its ban on Nazi imagery.
"In Germany, it is illegal to display the swastika and you tell us we have to accept this?" said Rev. L. LaSimba Gray, president of the Memphis branch of the Rainbow/PUSH coalition and the rally's organizer.
Along with the speakers, dancers and drummers performed and a children's choir sang. Bow-tied members of the Nation of Islam stood watch.
Most of the crowd -- mostly black people but with about two dozen white protesters joining in -- clapped and cheered, although the 90-plus degree heat may have blunted some of the enthusiasm.
Shirley Smith, 58, of Whitehaven, said she came to protest both the statue and Herenton, who she said made remarks critical of the rally on the radio.
"He lost my vote," she said. "He acted like Negroes are not civilized and don't know how to behave. He took a tone that was hostile."
At least one man at the rally favored keeping the statue. Tommy Walker, 50, of Germantown wore a "Republic of Dixie" T-shirt and an American flag bandanna. He proclaimed his support for Forrest and the statue as a matter of heritage.
"We don't need someone like Al Sharpton coming down here and stirring up trouble," Walker said. "He's one of the biggest racists."
Walker said he didn't know if others in the crowd shared his views but said "it only takes one, like Rosa Parks on the bus."
After the rally, Sharpton shook hands and gave out hugs, and Gray exhorted people to sign a petition he planned to deliver to the City Council, which is expected to take up the issue Tuesday.
Gray said he was "disappointed" that Memphis's politicians won't agree to remove the statue and wants to meet with Herenton to understand his position. Gray called Saturday's rally a starting point, and said Sharpton has agreed to return to Memphis until it was resolved.
"The momentum of today will push us forward," Gray said.
-- Oliver Staley: 529-6515
Violence wasn't much of a concern considering the police force outnumbered the total number of protestors, supporters, media, production crew, local politicians, and Al himself ... 245 MPD vs. 238 Spectators.
The turnout was a total embarrassment for the good Reverend imhop.
Isn't there some kind of ownership issue with the park? Something like it belongs to the public as long as the Forrests lie there?
Ping
It wasn't a surprise ... the degree to which it failed is amazing! Memphis is still a very racially polarized community (no thanks to the local politicians) that contains nearly 700,000 African-Americans within the Metro Area. To have less than 200 show up is jaw dropping!!!!
The park was donated to the city by the family of NBF. The city and family are currently discussing how to handle this previous donation considering a return to family clause in the original paperwork. Where they stand now is unclear.
The strongest reason I can think of for it to remain is that Al Sharpton wants it removed. I'd like to hear some Southerners' input on this.
On I-65 North between Brentwood and Nashville a small plot of privately owned land has a really bad statue of Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest sitting atop his horse bransishing a saber.
There are about a dozen or so flag poles around it that usually fly the Conferdate battle flag (they were torn and faded and he has taken them down and not replaced them).
When he "dedicated" the statue he actually had a direct descendent of a slave Forrest had. She was proud to be there. Scares the crap out of the Yankees that move down here or the those from the left coast.
Sharpton and company are more than welcome to come protest it since they'll have to stand in the shoulder of the interstate. I promise not to swerve.
Forrest joined the Confederacy as a private, and left as a general, respected on both sides for his eerie sense of battlefield tactics, even though he was completely uneducated in military matters.
By the way, the Ku Klux Klan Forrest lent his name to was nothing but an enforcement arm of ... [drum roll please] ... the Democractic Party. It would seem to me that if the good Revn is determined to hate someone, it should be the party that later supported the Klan, not the man who quickly realized the error of his ways.
The killers of innocents labeling someone a killer of the innocent. How low can they go? Who is more innocent than a baby still in the womb? Besides, it doesn't matter what the issue is, because any endeavor that entertains the likes of Sharpton, Rainbow/PUSH, and the Nation of Islam - you can count me as totally against it.
Here's some excellent reading material ... in a lot of ways ... NBF was one of the 1st Civil Rights Leaders of the American South.
btw ~ how many people know he was the first white person invited to speak to The Independent Order of Pole Bearers Association (a forerunner of the NAACP)?
http://www.nbforrest.com/nbf_essay_gl_01.htm
By the way, the Ku Klux Klan Forrest lent his name to was nothing but an enforcement arm of ... [drum roll please] ... the Democractic Party.
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Nathan Bedford Forrest may have founded the Klan, IronJack.
He was also superb Cavalry Officer whose tactics were used throughout the West, Europe and Iraq. Forrest could make decisive moves on the fly and turn being vastly outnumbered into surprising victories.
I think the statue should stay.
Jack.
Like I said, outside of Harlem Al Sharpton is NOTHING and NOBODY. African-Americans all over the country know that Al is not the, er, "sharpest" (Pun intended.) knife in the drawer.
As Don Corleone said, Sharpton, "He's a pimp."
That about sums up ole Al.
"but I have to wonder if it's right to honor a man who helped found the KKK."
Good point, but I don't see Sharpton marching and protesting Robert Byrd who was a KKK member.
From what I understand, as long as the statue and the graves are in Forrest Park the property belongs to the city. If the statue and the graves are removed the property reverts to the Forrest family.
Who gives Al "Kill the Jews" Sharpton clearance to call anyone else a bigot, anytime?
bump for NBF reference
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