Council passes resolution to pursue removing Confederate statue

However, that is not what will be most remembered from this meeting. It was what came before that: a unanimous vote of the council to form a committee that would draft a resolution to remove a statue from the northwest lawn of the Calloway County Courthouse that honors soldiers who fought for the Confederate States of America during the Civil War. The resolution will then be forwarded to the Calloway County Fiscal Court.

This comes after the past few weeks have seen protests nationwide in response to the death of George Floyd while being restrained by a Minneapolis police officer. Many of the protests have spilled over to the subject of Confederate displays in public places.

Rogers indicated that a reason he opened the floor for discussion Thursday was his concern for the safety of people on both sides of the argument.

“I respect the rights of everyone to try to understand folks and try to understand those concerned about history. There are those that are offended by the statue (depicting Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee), but I am very concerned about the safety of our community,” he said, referring to an incident last week during a demonstration in Murray in which two people were arrested. One was detained for allegedly pointing a gun at demonstrators, and the other was arrested for allegedly unloading a canister of pepper spray that injured demonstrators and five law enforcement officers.

“Some of the people that are showing up at these rallies are armed,” Rogers said. “They’re angry. They’re worked up and sometimes people don’t use good judgment.”

Councilwoman Linda Cherry said early in the discussion that she was not sure even the fiscal court could do anything about the statue. She said that an organization — the Kentucky Military Heritage Commission — has the final say on these matters and, from what she researched, a monument of this type cannot be altered unless to repair it.

Councilman Wesley Bolin, however, quickly interjected, explaining that he believes that commission can allow such an action if it is initiated by local governments. He told of how two statues were moved from public places to cemeteries in Lexington and those objects have not returned.

That seemed to loosen the other council members, who began speaking quite freely. Councilwoman Pat Seiber asked “to consider the message of our town to visitors and potential employers and a large number of people of color who feel sadness or discomfort or anger when they see that statue.”

Councilman Jeremy Bell said one thing to be considered is what to put in place of the Lee statue. He suggested a historic figure from Murray.

Councilman Burton Young was less emphatic in his comments, explaining that he believed the fiscal court needs to be consulted, as well as supporters of the statue and those against it.

Bolin, though, said he believes a big moment has arrived for the community.

“I think we’ve had 100 years to study this issue,” Bolin said of the statue that was purchased by the United Daughters of the Confederacy in 1917. The fiscal court approved of its placement on county land. The city has no say in the matter.

“You’re part of a historic moment that demands an answer,” he added. “As (former President) Teddy Roosevelt said, we have access to the bully pulpit. We have that tonight. I want to see a show of hands.”

Easily, though, the most forceful comments were reserved for Councilman Danny Hudspeth, who actually initiated the motion to form the committee.

“We must do better,” he said, quoting the late civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “‘Now is the time to lift our national policy from the quicksand of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood.’ This was said in the ‘60s, yet here we are some 60 years later, and these words still ring true today.”

“So, after many days and weeks and months and years and decades of talking about and debating the issue of this statue, an object that divides and offends, I would like to be the one to make a motion that you form a committee to remove that statue from the court square and you would send it to the fiscal court. The time is now to do the right things. The time is now.

“We start off all of our meetings with a moment of silence and, most of the time, all of the time, I pray during that moment of silence. That is followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Today, that pledge and, most importantly, the last three words (justice for all), should have a rejuvenated meaning to all of us. The time is now to ensure that those last three words have true meaning for all of us.”