Sons of Confederate Veterans Call for Boycott of New Orleans

(ATLANTA – February 4, 2016)   In response to the disgraceful actions of New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu and the City Council that voted on December 17, 2015 to remove the historic monuments of General Robert E. Lee, General P.G.T. Beauregard and President Jefferson Davis, the Georgia Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans does hereby declare a Boycott of the City of New Orleans. The Georgia Division encourages all Members and their families in Georgia and Nationally, as well as all Southerners, to cease all plans to visit or do any business in the City of New Orleans unless and until such time as the citizens and businesses of the City apply sufficient pressure to rescind the decision of the current administration in cleansing the City of its proud Confederate heritage.

The Georgia Division strongly condemns New Orleans Mayor and City Council actions of hate and contempt aimed directly at the history and heritage of the New Orleans and the Southern people. We as descendants of Southern Soldiers are offended and insulted by the removal of these historical monuments. This is a perfect example of the divisive and contentious actions that individuals like New Orleans Mayor and the City Council intentionally seek to bring discord and division to the people of our great Nation. There is absolutely no difference between the terrorist actions of New Orleans Mayor and City Council and those of the Taliban and ISIS in their on-going endeavor of the destruction of cultural and historical heritage.

Whereas, the Robert E. Lee Monument dedicated in 1884 in New Orleans, Louisiana is a historic monument dedicated to Confederate General Robert E. Lee and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places; and

Whereas, the Dignitaries present at the Robert E. Lee Monument dedication on February 22, 1884 — George Washington’s birthday — included former Confederate President Jefferson Davis, two daughters of General Lee, and Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard; and

Whereas, the Confederate General Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard equestrian statue stands at the main entrance to City Park and was officially unveiled in 1915, designed by New York sculptor Alexander Doyle and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places; and

Whereas, P.T.G Beauregard was a Louisiana native, who was trained at West Point and served as an engineer in the US-Mexican War and as a general in the Confederate Army, Beauregard commanded defenses at Fort Sumter at the onset of the war and led troops in several battles; and

Whereas, after the war, Beauregard served as president of the New Orleans and Carrollton Railroad and an interstate railroad and advocated for increased civil rights and suffrage for recently freed slaves; and

Whereas, the Jefferson Davis Monument, that was dedicated on February 22, 1911 at the intersection of Canal Street and Jefferson Davis Parkway. Popularly known as the Jeff Davis Monument, the 6-foot, 4-inch full-length bronze portrait of Jefferson Davis, the former Presidency of the Confederacy from 1861-1865; and

Whereas, the Mayor and the City Council of New Orleans voted on December 17, 2015 to remove the historic monuments of General Robert E. Lee, General P.G.T. Beauregard and President Jefferson Davis and this despicable action was reconfirmed by Federal U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier on January 26, 2016 when he ruled that the city of New Orleans may relocate the statues; and

Whereas, the Georgia Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans’ charge is to protect and preserve the glorious history of the Southland, the good name of the Confederate Soldier, and his banners and monuments; and

Whereas, the Georgia Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans strongly condemns any interference with any Monuments or displays that honor our Nation’s Veterans and their leaders and condemns the actions of the Mayor and the City Council of New Orleans who are acting in the same manner as terrorist groups in the Middle East such as ISIS and the Taliban who are engaged in the destruction of cultural and historical heritage; and

Now, therefore, be it resolved the Georgia Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans does hereby declare a Boycott of the City of New Orleans andencourages all Members and their families in Georgia and Nationally, as well as all Southerners, to cease all plans to visit or do any business in the City of New Orleans unless and until such time as the citizens and businesses of the City apply sufficient pressure to rescind the decision of the current administration in cleansing the City of its proud Confederate heritage.

This, the 4th day of February 2016.

                                                         
Jack Bridwell, Division Commander