Florida lawmaker will file bill to ban all Confederate statues, signs and names from public property

Florida Representative Shevrin Jones (D-West Park) says he will file legislation to immediately remove all Confederate statues, signs and names from public property in Florida.

“William Faulkner once stated that ‘The past is never dead,’ but I’m here to tell you that it can damn well be buried,”” said Jones in a statment.

“Rather than being held up as figures of celebration, it is past time we relegate these symbols of oppression and bigotry to the halls of museums where their proper context can be articulated. As one of the most proudly diverse states in our nation, Florida needs to show our citizens that we value everyone equally and will not be divided by the voices of bigotry and racism. Let’s move forward, not continue to look back, ” continued Jones.

Jones was part of the successful fight to rename three streets in Hollywood, Florida, that were named for Confederate generals.

No exact details were given on the proposed bill, or when he plans to file it.

This article appears in Aug 16-22, 2017.