quote Originally posted by rinselberg: The first thing about this "Hudini-ism" is that it leaves me wondering what part of my message he did not understand. I mean the message from me that he reproduced using the Quote format, right before he said "You have no say . . ." The second thing is that--well, let me go back to the first thing. I didn't say that I had any say about what happens in Tennessee. I just expressed an opinion about it. "Attempts to interfere" . . ? Not from me. I'm not that into this thing. But if I did try to "interfere" in some way, I think I'd keep it to myself. I don't think I would talk about it here. So there is no second thing. Actually there was, but I didn't like how it turned out, so I deleted it.

Seriously? I don't get out much and even I recognize the obvious message.
IOWs, your opinion doesn't mean squat in TN. Of course, that pretty much sums up things in most of the civilized and uncivilized world also.


Rams

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"Nashville or Bust"

According to MSNBC anchor Chris Hayes's video report, the bronze of Nathan Bedford Forrest was placed in the state capitol building in 1978 "in response" to the placement in the capitol building of a bronze or statue of one of the Civil War's Union heroes, US Navy Admiral David Farragut.

In 1980 the "Tennessean" newspaper published a front page photo of three men in Ku Klux Klan regalia, using the bronze of Nathan Bedford Forrest as a backdrop.



Here's what one of Nathan Bedford Forrest's modern day descendants, Brett Forrest, had to say almost a year ago:

quote “Once my grandfather discovered [our ancestry] the family kind of took it to heart. They’re very proud of it. I can’t remember at what point my dad got that painting [of Forrest] in his living room, but I remember I was always kind of uncomfortable with it. It’s a giant portrait. The portrait has him sitting on a horse riding, looking very militaristic and very heroic … in his Confederate uniform. “My family likes to tout that he was the first grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan but he left the organization when he realized it was not just a social club; they were secretly lynching the Black community. And so he left when he figured that out, which makes him a good guy. And I’m of the mindset: If that’s all it takes to be a good guy, I think you need a bit more, especially if you’re going to be honoring him.” “[My] letter to the editor made my Dad pretty much yell at me for about 30 minutes the other day when I called him for Father’s Day. My Dad said, ‘You know, he was a tactical genius on the battlefield. They still study his tactics to this day. That's what we’re proud of.’ And he also said—this was a good one—‘his slaves loved him. So that shows he wasn’t a bad guy.’ My counterpoint was ‘I’m sure the slaves would have loved to not be slaves.’ He also brought up the point, ‘You can’t put today’s morals on history because,’ he said, ‘if I had been born at that time, I’d probably own slaves myself,’ which I said was a very strong possibility. But that doesn’t change how I feel about it today. “Any sort of honoring or glorifying of him probably is past its due now. I’m of the mindset: Yeah, it’s a part of our history, so don’t erase it or forget it. Just don’t glorify it.”

quote Brett Forrest, 30, is a journalist in Colorado Springs who grew up in the shadow of a nearly life-sized portrait of his Civil War ancestor. He broke his public silence about his lineage in a letter to The Tennessean newspaper on June 20, calling for the removal of the bust in Nashville.

"Why the Descendants of Confederate Generals Are Happy to See Their Names Go"

quote As the Senate prepares to debate renaming military bases, we called living family members of the generals. Here's what they said.

Bryan Bender, Daniel Lippman and Sarah Cammarata for Politico; July 1, 2020.
https://www.politico.com/ne...ilitary-bases-341278

From that same article in Politico:

quote [Nathan Bedford] Forrest, born in Tennessee in 1821, was a Confederate hero and post-war leader of the Ku Klux Klan who was implicated in the slaughter of 300 black Union Army soldiers in the Fort Pillow Massacre of 1864. His bust is featured in the Tennessee state capitol and he is honored with a state holiday. Fort Campbell in Kentucky, home of the Army’s elite 101st Airborne Division, also has a main thoroughfare named in his honor.

I think the obvious way to interpret the report from Chris Hayes which aired just the other day on MSNBC is as a response to the "do over" bill that was sponsored by Tennessee state senator Joey Hensley (R), calling for a new 12-member commission after the Tennessee Historical Commission voted 25-1 to send the Nathan Bedford Forrest bronze "packing" to the nearby Tennessee State Museum, along with a representation of Union Admiral David Farragut and another US Navy Admiral who was only a toddler in 1861 when the Civil War began.

If that "do over" bill doesn't gain traction in the state assembly, the story of these bronzes would seem likely to recede into MSNBC's (and my) rearview mirror.

On the other hand, if the bill does gain traction . . . "stay tuned."

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