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Trump: Confederate statue removals 'rip apart' American history Trump: Confederate statue removals 'rip apart' American history
(about 3 hours later)
Donald Trump on Thursday again lamented the removal of Confederate statues from US cities, saying these removals “ripped apart” the country’s history and culture. Donald Trump on Thursday lamented the removal of “beautiful statues and monuments” commemorating the Confederacy, saying that he was sad to see America’s history and culture “ripped apart” by efforts to move the memorials.
He then compared statues of Confederate leaders like Stonewall Jackson to monuments of US founding fathers, including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Trump’s comments came days after a white supremacist protest against the removal of a statue of Confederate general Robert E Lee in Charlottesville, Virginia turned violent. Trump is under attack after he defended the white nationalist marchers, who carried signs with swastikas and chanted racist and antisemitic slurs.
In a string of morning tweets, Trump compared the statues of Confederate leaders like Lee and Stonewall Jackson to monuments of US founding fathers, including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.
“The beauty that is being taken out of our cities, towns and parks will be greatly missed and never able to be comparably replaced!” Trump tweeted.“The beauty that is being taken out of our cities, towns and parks will be greatly missed and never able to be comparably replaced!” Trump tweeted.
Trump’s comments were part of a barrage of Thursday morning tweets echoing statements he made at a press conference on Tuesday, where he defended the statues and drew parallels between white supremacists and and anti-hate protesters like Heather Heyer, who was killed during the violence in Charlottesville. Asked during a press conference on Tuesday whether the Lee monument should come down, Trump said: “This week it’s Robert E Lee. I noticed that Stonewall Jackson is coming down. I wonder, is it George Washington next week? And is it Thomas Jefferson the week after? You know, you really do have to ask yourself, where does it stop?”
Hours earlier, he denied on Twitter that he had said there was a moral equivalence between the Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazis and white supremacists and the anti-hate protesters. While all four men were slaveholders, neither Washington nor Jefferson rebelled against the US in an attempt to protect the institution of slavery from federal interference.
The defense of Confederate monuments was made one day after New York City’s mayor, Bill de Blasio, said the city would conduct a review of “all symbols of hate” on city property. Earlier this week, statues were taken down overnight in Baltimore, Maryland. Trump has come under sustained criticism for defending the statues. He has also drawn parallels between white supremacists and anti-hate protesters like Heather Heyer, who was killed during the violence in Charlottesville.
Efforts to remove Confederate monuments have taken place for decades, but were given renewed energy in June 2015 after the killing of nine African Americans in a church in Charleston, South Carolina. Some of the white supremacists in Charlottesville claimed they were demonstrating to protest a push to remove the city’s statue of Confederate Gen Robert E Lee. Trump denied on Twitter that he had said there was a moral equivalence between the Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazis and white supremacists and the anti-hate protesters. He said his words had been distorted by the media.
In his first daybreak tweet, Trump attacked the Republican senator Lindsey Graham as a “publicity seeking” lawmaker and attacked him for saying “falsely” that Trump had said there was “moral equivalency” between the hate groups and anti-fascists. Calls to remove the confederate statues on display in cities, states and even the US Capitol have escalated in the days since Charlottesville. This week, Baltimore quietly removed four statues overnight, while mayors from Florida to Kentucky have called for their monuments to be taken down.
Graham was one of a group of Republicans who criticised the president for his apportioning of blame on “many sides” over the violence that ensued after white nationalists descended on Charlottesville for a rally on Saturday. On Thursday, House minority leader Nancy Pelosi called for the removal of the Confederate statues from the US Capitol and urged Republicans to join Democrats in signing legislation that would see the memorials moved.
The violence left the 32-year-old Heyer dead and multiple people injured. “The halls of Congress are the very heart of our democracy. The statues in the Capitol should embody our highest ideals as Americans, expressing who we are and who we aspire to be as a nation,” Pelosi said in a statement on Thursday.
She added: “There is no room for celebrating the violent bigotry of the men of the Confederacy in the hallowed halls of the United States Capitol or in places of honor across the country.”
Efforts to remove Confederate monuments have continued for decades, but were given renewed energy in June 2015 after the killing of nine African Americans in a church in Charleston, South Carolina. Some of the white supremacists in Charlottesville claimed they were demonstrating in protest at the push to remove the city’s statue of Lee.
In his first daybreak tweet, Trump attacked the Republican senator Lindsey Graham as a “publicity-seeking” lawmaker and attacked him for saying “falsely” that Trump had said there was “moral equivalency” between the hate groups and anti-fascists.
Graham was one of a group of Republicans who criticised the president for his apportioning of blame on “many sides” over the violence in Charlottesville.
Graham, of South Carolina, had said on Wednesday that Trump’s rhetoric was “dividing America”.Graham, of South Carolina, had said on Wednesday that Trump’s rhetoric was “dividing America”.
On Thursday, Trump tweeted: “Publicity seeking Lindsey Graham falsely stated that I said there is moral equivalency between the KKK, neo-Nazis & white supremacists … and people like Ms Heyer. Such a disgusting lie. He just can’t forget his election trouncing. The people of South Carolina will remember!” But on Thursday, Trump tweeted: “Publicity seeking Lindsey Graham falsely stated that I said there is moral equivalency between the KKK, neo-Nazis & white supremacists … and people like Ms Heyer. Such a disgusting lie. He just can’t forget his election trouncing. The people of South Carolina will remember!”
Graham responded by urging the president to lead the nation “toward the light – not back to the darkness”.
Graham said: “Because of the manner in which you have handled the Charlottesville tragedy you are now receiving praise from some of the most racist and hate-filled individuals and groups in our country. For the sake of our Nation -- as our president – please fix this. History is watching us all”.
In a separate tweet, Trump accused “the Fake News” of distorting “what I say about hate, bigotry, etc. Shame!”In a separate tweet, Trump accused “the Fake News” of distorting “what I say about hate, bigotry, etc. Shame!”
The president also attacked the Republican senator Jeff Flake of Arizona, who has become a prominent Trump critic. Over Charlottesville, Flake had said on Twitter: “We can’t accept excuses for white supremacy and acts of domestic terrorism,” he wrote. “We must condemn. Period.”The president also attacked the Republican senator Jeff Flake of Arizona, who has become a prominent Trump critic. Over Charlottesville, Flake had said on Twitter: “We can’t accept excuses for white supremacy and acts of domestic terrorism,” he wrote. “We must condemn. Period.”
Great to see that Dr. Kelli Ward is running against Flake Jeff Flake, who is WEAK on borders, crime and a non-factor in Senate. He's toxic!Great to see that Dr. Kelli Ward is running against Flake Jeff Flake, who is WEAK on borders, crime and a non-factor in Senate. He's toxic!
In his attack on Flake on Thursday, Trump backed the Republican Kelli Ward in challenging the incumbent senator in Arizona.In his attack on Flake on Thursday, Trump backed the Republican Kelli Ward in challenging the incumbent senator in Arizona.
Late Wednesday, Heather Heyer’s mother, Susan Bro, gave an emotional and defiant tribute to her daughter in front of 1,200 mourners at a memorial service.Late Wednesday, Heather Heyer’s mother, Susan Bro, gave an emotional and defiant tribute to her daughter in front of 1,200 mourners at a memorial service.
Heyer, who worked as paralegal at local law firm, was allegedly killed by the white nationalist James Fields. The 20-year-old is accused of ramming his Dodge Challenger into a crowd of anti-hate protesters on Saturday afternoon, sending bodies flying into the air and wounding 19 other people.Heyer, who worked as paralegal at local law firm, was allegedly killed by the white nationalist James Fields. The 20-year-old is accused of ramming his Dodge Challenger into a crowd of anti-hate protesters on Saturday afternoon, sending bodies flying into the air and wounding 19 other people.
“They tried to kill my child to shut her up. But guess what? You just magnified her,” Bro said.“They tried to kill my child to shut her up. But guess what? You just magnified her,” Bro said.