Mississippi lawmaker calls for the lynching of Louisiana politicans for removing Confederate monuments, later apologizes
Dear World: Meet #Mississippi state Rep. Karl Oliver #msleg #lynching #slavery #Confederatemonument @thehill @WXVT15 @ddt_news @AP @cnnbrk pic.twitter.com/hczQoxYuRm— Sen. Derrick Simmons (@SenDTSimmons) May 22, 2017
A Mississippi lawmaker says any Louisiana politician who allows the symbols of Southern heritage to be removed should be lynched.
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| Rep. Karl Oliver (R-MS) |
In December of 2016 opponents of the Civil War remnants won the right to remove the monuments in a New Orleans City Council vote of 6-1 in an effort not to be reminded of the city's racist past.
New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu completely supported the decision to remove the statues and house them in a museum.
Comparing Louisiana officials to Nazis Oliver posted:
“The destruction of these monuments, erected in the loving memory of our family and fellow Southern Americans, is both heinous and horrific.
If the, and I use this term extremely loosely, ‘leadership’ of Louisiana wishes to, in a Nazi-ish fashion, burn books or destroy historical monuments of OUR HISTORY, they should be LYNCHED!”
Despite placing emphasis on the word lynched, Oliver has since apologized. Issuing a statement he said:
"I, first and foremost, wish to extend this apology for any embarrassment I have caused to both my colleagues and fellow Mississippians. In an effort to express my passion for preserving all historical monuments, I acknowledge the word 'lynched' was wrong," Oliver said in a statement. "I am very sorry. It is in no way, ever, an appropriate term. I deeply regret that I chose this word, and I do not condone the actions I referenced, nor do I believe them in my heart. I freely admit my choice of words was horribly wrong, and I humbly ask your forgiveness."
The apology proved to be insufficient as many are calling for his resignation.
The Mississippi ACLU is calling for an investigation into Oliver's past.
Mississippi Gov. Phil said the rep's comments had "no place in public discourse."
If the, and I use this term extremely loosely, ‘leadership’ of Louisiana wishes to, in a Nazi-ish fashion, burn books or destroy historical monuments of OUR HISTORY, they should be LYNCHED!”
Despite placing emphasis on the word lynched, Oliver has since apologized. Issuing a statement he said:
"I, first and foremost, wish to extend this apology for any embarrassment I have caused to both my colleagues and fellow Mississippians. In an effort to express my passion for preserving all historical monuments, I acknowledge the word 'lynched' was wrong," Oliver said in a statement. "I am very sorry. It is in no way, ever, an appropriate term. I deeply regret that I chose this word, and I do not condone the actions I referenced, nor do I believe them in my heart. I freely admit my choice of words was horribly wrong, and I humbly ask your forgiveness."
The apology proved to be insufficient as many are calling for his resignation.
The Mississippi ACLU is calling for an investigation into Oliver's past.
Mississippi Gov. Phil said the rep's comments had "no place in public discourse."
Statues of Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, and P.G.T. Beauregard, all supporters of the Confederacy which upheld slavery -- are now a new part of New Orleans history. An obelisk dedicated to the Battle of Liberty Place was also de-perched.