In perhaps the most backwards move of the entire “tear down the statues” movement, the U.S. Congress’ Naming Commission will soon attempt to demolish the Confederate Memorial in Arlington, Virginia, designed by the first globally renowned Jewish-American artist, Moses Ezekiel. Ezekiel himself is buried at the base of the statue. Announced this week, the Democrat and Republican-backed Naming Commission has said the entire endeavor of attempting to rewrite American history will cost around $62 million, and involve around 1100 sites, statues, and properties. Most notably, the Commission targets the grave and Confederate Memorial of Moses Ezekiel – an artist once
Democratic Representative Bobby Rush introduced a bill that would use $150,000,000 in federal funds to “remove and replace” Confederate monuments. The February bill, Rejecting and Eliminating the Foul Use of Symbols Exulting Confederate Principles Act’ – or the ‘REFUSE Confederate Principles Act – would launch a National Park Service program called the ‘‘Emancipation Historic Preservation Program.” The program would “award grants to eligible” entities and endeavors as outlined in section two of the bill for: removing a Confederate symbol; removing and replacing a Confederate symbol with an alternative monument, memorial, statue, commemorative structure, symbol, or signage; remove and replace a Confederate