University Of Texas Officially Removes Jefferson Davis Statue From Main Mall Of Campus
9 years ago

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The University of Texas removed a statue of Confederate president Jefferson Davis from the main mall of campus on Sunday morning.

The removal of the statue, which has been the center of a campus controversy for quite some time, was temporarily halted when the Sons of Confederate Veterans filed a restraining order to keep it in place. Last week, a Texas judge ruled against the restraining order, and UT went through with the removal this morning.

From The Dallas Morning News:

The statue had been at the center of months of controversy. Earlier this summer, UT-Austin President Greg Fenves convened a task force to make recommendations about the statues of confederate veterans at UT-Austin.

In August, after reading the task force’s recommendations, Fenves decided to move the Jefferson Davis statue to the Briscoe Center for American History. But the Sons of Confederate Veterans, a confederate heritage group, sued to prevent the statute from being moved.

Last week, the Sons of Confederate’s request for a temporary restraining order was heard in a Travis County District Court. The judge did not grant the restraining order, and UT-Austin was allowed to proceed with removing the statues.

About 100 students showed up to watch the statue’s removal Sunday morning. They cheered and sang as Jefferson Davis was taken down.

“When we were making fun of it back in March, we didn’t think it would result in anything but resparking a debate,” said Xavier Rotnofsky, UT-Austin Student Body’s President and a driving force behind removing the statue.

The Sons of Confederate Veterans promised to keep fighting the issue.

“What has happened was a cultural atrocity — this is a discretion of art,” said Kirk Lyons, the lawyer for the Sons of Confederate Veterans.

As a Texas Ex, I have no problem seeing the statue leaving our main mall. Not because I have anything against Confederate history, but because Jefferson Davis has zero connection to our university. It would be like erecting a statue of Michael Jordan or Kermit the Frog — interesting to some, but not particularly relevant to the history of our campus. In fact, Texas hero Sam Houston was one of the largest outspoken critics of Texas joining the Confederacy and most Texans don’t take pride in being a part of the “South will rise again” crowd.

The statue will remain on campus in the Briscoe Center for American History.

[via Dallas Morning News]

Image via YouTube

    1. PostGradWarheadsOnForeheads

      When are they gonna ban anything white? Paper, clothing, commercial vehicles? All obviously racist

      9 years ago at 2:52 pm
    2. Roadhouse

      Steve Holt is in favor of Jeff Davis’s statue getting ripped down, Big surprise.

      9 years ago at 10:23 pm
      1. TossMeABronson

        Steve Holt also apparently has no idea why the statue was there in the first place. As a Texas-Ex, he should know more about the history of his campus. The statues of Davis, General Robert E Lee, and General Albert Sidney Johnston were placed on the campus by Major George Littlefield (himself a Confederate veteran). The 3 statues were supposed to be placed facing President Wilson’s statue and symbolizing the final reconciliation of the nation that America experienced because of WW1. But for some unknown reason, against the wishes of Littlefield who was deceased at the time of their placement, all of the statues were placed at the edges of the mall facing inward with Davis “looking down upon the mall”. The placement had nothing to do with the civil rights movement as some suggest, as they were placed 3 decades before the civil rights and desegregation movements even began. And while Davis may not have been directly involved in many events in Texas history, to say he has no place in it at all is once again laughable. Decorated Mexican American War veteran amongst many other accomplishments, and don’t forget the fact that Davis was very nearly President of TU.

        9 years ago at 7:30 am
  3. CooneySigmaPhi

    There’s only person thing in the world I hate more than liberals, and that is Steve fucking Holt

    9 years ago at 2:45 pm
    1. CarlosSpiceyweiner

      Didn’t you know that John C. Calhoun? Just like petticoats are the deciding factor in social discrimination.

      9 years ago at 3:22 pm
      5. Jemarcus Russell

        I think that geed may be Steve Holt or maybe a brother of Steve Holt.

        9 years ago at 9:52 am
    3. ChiODarling

      How did this “ending racism” concept even come about anyone know? Like how do you eradicate something that is entirely based on individual subjective thought-processes ?You can’t stop people from thinking things

      9 years ago at 4:33 pm
      2. Nie Sass

        Wait. Do you have two accounts that you use to comment on your own comments?

        9 years ago at 6:31 pm
  5. Turquoiseshrimp

    Wow Steve, I guess a dickless squirrel busts a nut every once in a while

    9 years ago at 2:52 pm
  9. Texan_Brolo

    If Steve Holt was really a Texan he would clearly know that Texas doesn’t belong to the “South”. We are Texas, two completely different cultures!

    9 years ago at 3:03 pm