Lawmaker Moves Forward With Plans To Protect Confederate Monuments
It is a conundrum that most people have already made up their mind about. The removal or the protection of Confederate era monuments in New Orleans. I suppose that would apply to monuments of that same era around the state. I get the feeling that removing monuments is kind of like eating potato chips, you're not going to stop at one.
The debate when simplified seems to be this. Are the monuments the glorification of a time when not all of our citizens were treated as equals or are they moments in time that reflect the history of a state that wasn't always pretty.
I can see the passion and emotion that each side uses to fuel their beliefs and ideology.
The Louisiana Radio Network is reporting that Franklinton Senator Beth Mizell seems to believe that there can be a compromise on this issue. In my view, the basics of her legislation seem to make common sense. I know common sense and legislation in Louisiana very seldom go hand in hand.
Senator Mizell would like to enact legislative protection for any monument that is 25 years or older. Her legislation would also protect monuments that are on historic registers either through the state or national government.
Her bill also provides language for the removal of monuments throughout the state. That request for removal would have to come from a local government or municipality. In that request, the governing body would have to demonstrate a valid reason why they believe the monument needs to come down. In order to take that monument down the legislature would have to approve the request.
In a nutshell, Senator Mizell believes that a single municipality should not have the power to remove any monument that could have significance to the entire populace of the state.Mizell is hoping to have her bill heard before the state's Committee on Senate and Governmental Affairs.
It is very seldom if ever I believe the Louisiana Legislature should have a final say-so in anything but in this case, the idea seems to be a solid effort to give all sides an equal say. It also allows time for honest and passionate discussion on the message that is being conveyed by the display of a certain monument in a specific community.