Some Jacksonville residents argued in defense of slavery while debating the renaming of a high school named for confederate general Robert E. Lee, thus revealing the fractured elements of a city divided on the issue of race.
News 4 Jax reported on a tense atmosphere where a number of Jacksonville’s white residents shared views on changing the name that blamed Black American’s African ancestors for the slavery endured in this country, said Jesus embraced the owning of human chattel, and “cancel culture.”
One woman stated, “I was taught that the chiefs of the tribes in Africa sold their people into slavery. If it had not been that way, there would not have been and slaves anywhere in America… So don’t blame Robert E. Lee. Maybe you should be after your ancestors.”
A man in the crowd spoke about Jesus, which enraged many of those who supported the name change. “It says in the Bible, Jesus himself never condemned slavery. In fact, he said slaves have an obligation to obey their master.”
Another man, Don Likens, re-upped the conservative talking point that wanting to change things that do not consider a phenomenon’s racist past was part of America’s ongoing “cancel culture.”
“Why should the name be changed, because it’s offensive? If this is a real issue, will it stop here? No, this will continue until everything that is offensive to this cancel culture movement is just that. Canceled.”
Someone else also wondered if the “problem” with the school, as they saw it, was the demographic makeup. Lee High is 80% minority, primarily Black.
The Jacksonville meeting went viral after a video was posted to Twitter and picked up live by several major news organizations, including CNN. Some were shocked while others saw this as typical Floridian racism.
They invoke Jesus, Robert E. Lee and Aunt Jemima. Yes, this is our country, with ignorance and racism front and center. https://t.co/zOzRHwkosA
— South Dakota Standard (@DakotaStandard) March 26, 2021
And just like you thought – it’s “their” fault. Made us take them slaves. We didn’t know. Gotta be Florida huh?
— Herodepot (@getitright2018) March 26, 2021
I wish my city was in the news for something other than idiotic residents objecting to renaming a high school (Robert E. Lee High School, to be exact) with the phrase:
“Jesus never condemned slavery.”
Shocking.
We can and must do so much better. https://t.co/qJR6A8C2KU
— Dr. John Hancock, DMin (@rdscrypto) March 26, 2021
Imagine being so upset about changing the name of a school that you defend the actions of Robert E. Lee: https://t.co/EfClrMCzR0
— Michael Lasley (@michaellasley) March 26, 2021
In case y’all were wondering what happens when you attempt to change the racist name of a high school in a majority Black area in my townhttps://t.co/aABMYqZ9ry
— Shy Link (@ShaiRinku) March 26, 2021
The school board intended for the renaming of all schools bearing confederate soldiers’ names to be a healing measure. Board member Warren Jones reiterated this in the initial proposal to rename the school. He wrote, “we must being the process of renaming all the schools named for a confederate soldier. This effort can help to heal a city that is fractured.”
Thursday’s meeting showed they have a long way still to go.
