Embattled rebel flag reassessed at Georgia's Stone Mountain

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Embattled rebel flag reassessed at Georgia's Stone Mountain
By JEFF MARTIN, Associated Press | June 30, 2015 | Updated: June 30, 2015 6:01pm



ATLANTA (AP) — At Georgia's iconic Stone Mountain — where the Confederacy is enshrined in a giant bas-relief sculpture, the Ku Klux Klan once held notorious cross-burnings and large Confederate flags still wave prominently — officials are considering what to do about those flags.

The park, which now offers family-friendly fireworks and laser light shows, is readying its "Fantastic Fourth Celebration" Thursday through Sunday, and multiple Confederate flag varieties are still displayed at the mountain's base.

The display includes the "battle flag" of the Confederacy, said Bill Stephens, chief executive officer of the Stone Mountain Memorial Association. That banner has come under renewed criticism nationwide after the June 17 church massacre in Charleston, South Carolina. The man accused in the case posed for photos with the Confederate symbol.

"I'm from Stone Mountain, and I've never liked that it was a place so synonymous with the Klan," said Shannon Byrne, a 1993 graduate of Stone Mountain High School who regularly hikes up the mountain.


Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/us/article/Embattled-rebel-flag-reassessed-at-Georgia-s-6358044.php

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[onehandle]

1. I grew up a few miles away.

When I was a kid, there were certain weekends during the year when you did not want to go there.

'Picnic' weekends.

It was ugly.

[cstanleytech]

3. Hmm never been there myself though I live in the CSRA and never been tempted to go to it.

Hell if I could I wouldnt even be living in the south but sometimes you dont have a choice where you live especially if you dont have the money to move.

[Cryptoad]

2. wat da fuck is with the dude throw up????

[mackdaddy]

4. Maybe loosing some of his "White Privilege" ?nt

[lexington filly]

15. Applause! Really, really witty. Thank you.

[7962]

10. I wondered what that had to do with the story too!

[yellowcanine]

19. My guess is that the OP is making an editorial comment on the flags.

[MADem]

26. I thought it was a perfect counterpoint to the story presented!

If that place doesn't make you vomit, it should.

[jtuck004]

5. Maybe they could borrow some artillery from the armory and shoot it off. n/t

[lastlib]

6. Or tell the Taliban it's a statue of Mohammed....?

[jtuck004]

11. Yeah. I guess it's ok if you are on the right side. n/t

[SwankyXomb]

7. Hellfire drone pilots need training too!

[Botany]

8. Jeff Davis, Robert E Lee, and Stonewall Jackson all three who worked to end ...

.... the United States of America and yet a huge monument is built to them?

Only one thing to do.

[Judi Lynn]

9. It would be far worse to allow that nasty work of "art" to remain. That's REALLY screwed up.

Hope they'll remember to pitch those flagpoles into the trucks as they are winding it all up.

[7962]

13. They're not going to blow up the monument, but I imagine the flags will go

[Art_from_Ark]

23. The US Government commemorated the monument

with a special half dollar, back in 1925

[7962]

24. Wow, never knew that. Wonder how many are around and what they're worth?

[Art_from_Ark]

25. Stone Mountain was also commemorated with a stamp in 1970

The value of the half dollar depends greatly on its condition. They retail for around $35 in worn condition, but can fetch hundreds of dollars if they have never been used and have exceptional strike and luster, and few if any dings.

[7962]

12. Stone Mtn is the biggest exposed granite face and the carving is bigger than Rushmore

I imagine they will likely take down the flags, but getting rid of the monument would be pretty stupid.

[yellowcanine]

20. Well they ruined a perfectly good natural stone face just like they did on Rushmore.

Not sure what is the best way to proceed now, given that it would be impossible to restore it to its natural state before they defaced it. I suppose with enough money they could get something close to the natural look back but that seems excessive. Perhaps just leaving it and letting nature take its course would be best. In a couple of hundred years maybe it will be weathered and covered with vegetation to the point of oblivion.

[YOHABLO]

14. That monument should go as well, R.E.Lee, Stonewall Jackson, and Jeff Davis ? Are you kidding?

Let's be clear too that the people who live in the surrounding area around Stone Mountain Park are predominately African American!!

[lexington filly]

16. All they need to do is add Gen Grant on the left,

facing them because it looks like to me, the three are surrendering to the Union and President Lincoln. That would fix it.

[cynzke]

17. Add an American flag. Just chisel it in to the left.

[Bonhomme Richard]

18. It would be OK if they put a white flag in Lee's hand.n/t

[KamaAina]

22. Maybe Bree Newsome could climb up there and plant it.

[Aristus]

21. Although born and raised in the South to an all-Southern family, and

with ancestors who fought for the Confederacy, I have plenty of irreverence for a monument to treasonous leaders.

When I went to my family reunion at Stone Mountain in 1993, I took my first look at the monument carved into the side of the monolith, and said (out loud): "Those are the worst portraits of Lincoln, Grant, and Sherman I've ever seen!"

My family just about went bananas. "SHHHHHHHH! You can't say things like that down here!"

[Hoyt]

27. I would like to see them remove the flags, and maybe add a monument to people

hurt by the Klan and racists.

I remember photos of big Klan rallies there in the newspaper whil growing up. The family that owned the mountain before the state, was heavily involved in the Klan and hatred.

To this day, I avoid the place -- it just feels creepy even though it's a popular park for all families.

[Judi Lynn]

28. Thank you for adding some perspective. Given what has happened, it WOULD be creepy

being anywhere near the place.

It would be wonderful seeing the confederate images sand-blasted right off the surface.

It's startling learning they even ran photos of the Klan rallies in the newspaper. Unforgiveable! It only shows the Southern culture still didn't want to give up, long after the war. Horrible. They were monsters, nothing other than monsters.

[FrodosPet]

30. While you are at it, what books do you think should be burned?

How excited were you when the Taliban destroyed the Buddhas of Bamiyan?

I have no respect for the Confederacy, and I have the same level of respect for anyone who would destroy art.

[happyslug]

29. Congress is on schedule to redo these monuments, after 90 years of neglect.

The Memorials all face SOUTH, like most CiviL War Memorials. These are made of Bronze, a shinny material but subject to darkening, these materials can shine brightly again and with a Modern Polyurethane paint to keep it shinny for a years instead of weeks.

http://www.aoc.gov/grant

?itok=osBzVecs

Here is the overview of the memorial between the Reflective pool and the Capital:





http://www.aoc.gov/blog/restoring-grants-glory

Grant's Statute between the other two monuments:

It stands with the US Capital behind it, Facing the Washington and Lincoln Memorials

http://www.aoc.gov/capitol-grounds/ulysses-s-grant-memorial

On his right is the Artilley memorial:



http://wikimapia.org/1770/Ulysses-S-Grant-Memorial#/photo/1080765

Cavary charge to his right:

?uuid=NXCOxPkIEeCvhYhGIVt8PQ

http://thecivilwarhomepagediscussion2824.yuku.com/topic/2130/Senators-others-ask-Park-Service-to-restore-Grant-memorial#.VZYLx_lViko