New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu On Why Confederate Monuments were Taken Down | National Geographic

I went and said to me one morning I want

I went and said to me one morning I want you to think about something I said what

you to think about something I said what

you to think about something I said what about these statues man we need to do

about these statues man we need to do

about these statues man we need to do something special that statue of Li

something special that statue of Li

something special that statue of Li there’s no reason for them never statue

there’s no reason for them never statue

there’s no reason for them never statue in the waters even win anything I think

in the waters even win anything I think

in the waters even win anything I think my first reaction was a few of us and

the issue is this is a symbol of a

the issue is this is a symbol of a defeated general I always wanted to

defeated general I always wanted to

defeated general I always wanted to remove I used to dream about blowing it

remove I used to dream about blowing it

remove I used to dream about blowing it up of course I wasn’t going to do it but

up of course I wasn’t going to do it but

up of course I wasn’t going to do it but I would dream about it like in high

I would dream about it like in high

I would dream about it like in high school and it was always on my mind that

school and it was always on my mind that

school and it was always on my mind that was the first time I actually put myself

was the first time I actually put myself

was the first time I actually put myself in somebody else’s shoes and then I just

in somebody else’s shoes and then I just

in somebody else’s shoes and then I just started researching it something will

started researching it something will

started researching it something will put out well after the Civil War had

put out well after the Civil War had

put out well after the Civil War had ended by the Daughters of the

ended by the Daughters of the

ended by the Daughters of the Confederacy and the cost of the Lost

Confederacy and the cost of the Lost

Confederacy and the cost of the Lost Cause the people that lost decided to

Cause the people that lost decided to

Cause the people that lost decided to put these statues up to send a message

put these statues up to send a message

put these statues up to send a message to people just like when that you’re

to people just like when that you’re

to people just like when that you’re lessening and even though we lost the

lessening and even though we lost the

lessening and even though we lost the war and the United States won we’re not

war and the United States won we’re not

war and the United States won we’re not coming along and that’s why Robert easel

coming along and that’s why Robert easel

coming along and that’s why Robert easel these arms are folded and he’s looking

these arms are folded and he’s looking

these arms are folded and he’s looking north it’s an affront to the idea of

north it’s an affront to the idea of

north it’s an affront to the idea of what America was supposed to be post-war

what America was supposed to be post-war

what America was supposed to be post-war where the monuments for of course the

where the monuments for of course the

where the monuments for of course the four million American citizens who were

four million American citizens who were

four million American citizens who were enslaved beaten tortured raped I mean

enslaved beaten tortured raped I mean

enslaved beaten tortured raped I mean that’s what slavery was as Landrieu was

that’s what slavery was as Landrieu was

that’s what slavery was as Landrieu was contemplating what to do nine black

contemplating what to do nine black

contemplating what to do nine black parishioners were murdered in the

parishioners were murdered in the

parishioners were murdered in the Charleston AME Church by Dylan Ruth a 21

Charleston AME Church by Dylan Ruth a 21

Charleston AME Church by Dylan Ruth a 21 year old self-proclaimed white

year old self-proclaimed white

year old self-proclaimed white supremacist who posted photos like this

supremacist who posted photos like this

supremacist who posted photos like this one online

one online

one online [Music]

the time has come as a result the

the time has come as a result the Confederate flag flying over the South

Confederate flag flying over the South

Confederate flag flying over the South Carolina Statehouse was lowered for good

Carolina Statehouse was lowered for good

Carolina Statehouse was lowered for good and nationwide there was a reexamination

and nationwide there was a reexamination

and nationwide there was a reexamination of Confederate symbols it is

of Confederate symbols it is

of Confederate symbols it is specifically the moment that South

specifically the moment that South

specifically the moment that South Carolina happened when I said to myself

Carolina happened when I said to myself

Carolina happened when I said to myself you know what we can’t wait any more to

you know what we can’t wait any more to

you know what we can’t wait any more to do this these issues have to be

do this these issues have to be

do this these issues have to be confronted but it wasn’t easy it took

confronted but it wasn’t easy it took

confronted but it wasn’t easy it took our 7 different lawsuits 13 separate

our 7 different lawsuits 13 separate

our 7 different lawsuits 13 separate judges I mean people really kicking and

judges I mean people really kicking and

judges I mean people really kicking and screaming in the spring of 2017 after

screaming in the spring of 2017 after

screaming in the spring of 2017 after the City Council voted to remove the

the City Council voted to remove the

the City Council voted to remove the four statues the first of them came down

four statues the first of them came down

four statues the first of them came down there were imminent death threats that

there were imminent death threats that

there were imminent death threats that were coming again the reason three of

were coming again the reason three of

were coming again the reason three of them were taken down at night was on

them were taken down at night was on

them were taken down at night was on advice of security personnel who

advice of security personnel who

advice of security personnel who basically said it’s harder to get shot

basically said it’s harder to get shot

basically said it’s harder to get shot by a sniper at night but there were also

by a sniper at night but there were also

by a sniper at night but there were also celebrations New Orleans

celebrations New Orleans

celebrations New Orleans [Music]

when the final statue of Robert Ely was

when the final statue of Robert Ely was removed from its nearly 60-foot column

removed from its nearly 60-foot column

removed from its nearly 60-foot column Landrieu gave a speech that got national

Landrieu gave a speech that got national

Landrieu gave a speech that got national attention these monuments celebrate a

attention these monuments celebrate a

attention these monuments celebrate a fictional sanitised Confederacy ignoring

fictional sanitised Confederacy ignoring

fictional sanitised Confederacy ignoring the death ignoring the enslavement

the death ignoring the enslavement

the death ignoring the enslavement ignoring the terror that it actually

ignoring the terror that it actually

ignoring the terror that it actually stood for

stood for

stood for [Applause]