Professor argues Andrew Jackson statue should be removed from Jackson Square
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NEW ORLEANS - A Tulane University professor told the New Orleans Governmental Affairs Committee he believes the statue of Andrew Jackson in Jackson Square should be added to the list of monuments up for removal, WWL-TV reports.
"Well he owned more than 300 slaves in his life," Dr. Richard Marksbury argues. "He signed the Indian Removal Act when he was president of the U.S. That resulted in more than 4,000 deaths of peaceful Native Americans. He confiscated 25 million acres of their land which became cotton fields."
Jackson was the 7th President of the United States. He's also renowned for his role in the Battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812. Marksbury argues Jackson wouldn't be viewed admirably if he lived in 2016. He also says that if you're going to remove the four other statues, this one should be removed as well.
"There is no question that it honors somebody ideologically we would not honor today," he opines.
New Orleans City Councilwoman Stacey Head, who voted to keep the city's confederate monuments, lashed out saying there needs to be consistency when deciding which monuments stay and which ones go.
"I detest inconsistency," she says. "I go by the old adage, if it is horse poop, then tell me it is. Don't put sugar on it and call it a brownie."
The committee didn't vote on removing the statues Thursday, and the removal of the confederate statues is tied up in court.