Ben Frazier, head of a group known as the Northside Coalition, is continuing his quest to remove all traces of the Confederacy from Jacksonville but like other Democrats he may be overreaching.
Frazier seems to think he has Council Member Matt Carlucci, a candidate for mayor, on his side as solidly as the current mayor, Lenny Curry.
In 2020, Curry had a statue in Hemming Plaza removed in the dead of night and, according to local media, pledged to have all other statues related to the Civil War removed as well.
Hemming Plaza later was renamed Johnson Park.
“We must find a way to peace and reconciliation. We must connect personally, listen and act. Differences will always exist but we must find common ground. I’m listening and seeking wisdom,” Curry tweeted at the time.
Frazier now is seeking the removal of a statue in Springfield Park, previously known as Confederate Park, and all other historical reminders of the Civil War.
But the Civil War was fought, even though many young people can’t tell you when or why. It is part of the history of America.
In a recent email, Frazier praised Carlucci for being the first of the 19-member council willing to listen to him, even though it is likely that the five Democrats on the council are in complete agreement.
Frazier also announced that his non-violent but “aggressive” protests are working. He has planned a rally for Oct. 16.
But Carlucci’s email said only that he would seek to find some common ground on the issue, Carlucci told Eye on Jacksonville.
He said organizations such as the Jacksonville Historical Society and Cultural Council should be involved in trying to find a response that satisfies everyone.
Carlucci said one possible solution might be to house the Springfield Park statue in a local museum.
Black and white soldiers fought on both sides during the Civil War and the great loss of life and property caused grief for family members on both sides. Each sought to remember their dead who fought valiantly, without regard for who was right or wrong, or who won or lost.
That is a historical fact but people today are trying to revise history for political purposes. Tearing down statues is a way the left has of continuing to divide Americans rather than promoting harmony. It is akin to the effort by Big Tech to silence voices on the right.
The statue in Springfield Park was erected in 1915 and dedicated to the Women of the Southland, placed by the Sons of Confederate Veterans. It depicts a sad woman, presumably a war widow, holding her arms around a young boy and girl.
The sculptor once wrote that his sculpture “represents the woman of the South instructing future generations as well as showing her the most privileged guardian of the home ties.”
It was described like this in The History of Jacksonville: “October 26 : In the presence of a throng of people the memorial to the women of the Confederacy in Dignan Park (now Confederate Park) was unveiled by Miss Jessie Partridge. The memorial is constructed of granite and bronze, it is 47 feet in height and cost $25,000, of which one-half was given by the State and the remainder by popular subscription. The figure on top represents a woman clasping a half-furled Confederate flag; and that beneath the canopy another teaching the children of the South the true story of the war. ‘Florida’s Tribute to the Women of the Confederacy’ is a masterpiece of artistic beauty and Southern sentiment. It is generally considered one of the most beautiful memorials in the South.”
A historical marker for the 1914 reunion of Confederate veterans that was held in the park already has been removed but leftists continue to demand the removal of the statue as well.
