MEMPHIS, Tenn. (localmemphis.com) – Local 24 News political analyst and commentator Otis Sanford shares his point of view on the latest ruling in the lawsuit over Memphis’ Confederate monuments.
Now that a second court has spoken, there should be little doubt that the days of Confederate statues being on public display in Memphis are over. And the Sons of Confederate Veterans should stop their legal fight and start working to help find an appropriate home somewhere else for the monuments.
Like it or not, city officials – led by Mayor Jim Strickland, his legal team and the city council – acted legally when they sold two city parks in 2017 to the upstart nonprofit group Memphis Greenspace. The sale allowed for the immediate removal of giant monuments honoring Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest and Confederate President Jefferson Davis, along with a smaller bust of lesser-known Confederate Captain Harvey Mathes.
The state appeals court this week agreed with a lower court that the Confederate veterans group has no legal standing to undo the sale of the parks or to prevent Memphis Greenspace from doing what it wants with the monuments. The fact is, city leaders – urged on by grassroots activists – found a loophole in state law and did what needed to be done; get rid of offensive symbols of slavery and racism from public parks.
So instead of wasting time with more appeals, the best move now is to help Memphis Greenspace find a suitable home for the monuments. Memphis has moved on from publicly honoring the Confederacy. It’s time for others to do the same. And that’s my point of view.