This week the Atlanta City Council voted to remove a work of art and memorial stone to unknown Confederate dead in a historic cemetery that is visited by countless visitors annually. The “Lion of the Confederacy” has been the target of vandals who keep damaging it. Yet the Council didn’t ask for any public input, had no public engagement and immediately took a vote to put the monument in storage.
An InsiderAdvantage reader contacted us and pointed out an interesting contrast: Council swiftly took the vote to remove the monument from Oakland Cemetery but voted to table, once again, a vote to authorize the leasing of property for a $90 million police and fire training facility to be built with private funds.
Our reader says:
“Let me put this into perspective … (This is) a city with soaring crime, homicides every weekend, and a huge need for a training facility, after the “summer of love.” That’s when the WOKE rioters shot fireworks at our officers, threw urine in their faces, and tried to burn down public safety facilities all the while screaming “OFFICERS NEED BETTER TRAINING!” On top of that, after having dozens of meetings and 20-plus hours of public comment, Council voted 8 to 7 to table a training center vote. INSANITY!!!”
Finally, a footnote on the cemetery monument removal. Even though security cameras were installed to watch the lion monument (carved from Georgia marble), Council members said it was too costly for taxpayers to keep repairing and should be moved to storage.
As for the police and fire training facility that wouldn’t be paid for by taxpayer money, maybe it will be considered again at the next Council meeting in September.
