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45 Comments
Politics

Florida Voters Want Confederate Statues to Stay, Support Concealed Carry

By
Kevin Derby
August 29, 2017 - 9:45am
Robert E. Lee Memorial in Fort Myers
Robert E. Lee Memorial in Fort Myers

A new poll shows Florida voters support keeping statues honoring the leaders of the Confederacy, continue to support concealed carry and have concerns with former President Barack Obama’s health-care law. 

Florida Atlantic University (FAU) released a new poll looking at where voters in the Sunshine Stand stand on some of the leading issues in the news on Tuesday. 

Almost half of those surveyed--49 percent--think statues and memorials honoring the Confederacy should remain standing in public places while 30 percent say they should be removed. More than a fifth of those surveyed--21 percent--are undecided. 

Despite that, Florida voters were far more divided on President Donald Trump’s take on saying “there is blame on both sides" for the violence that broke out in Charlottesville, Virginia earlier this month as protesters took to the streets and clashed over removing a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. The poll shows 44 percent disagree with Trump’s assessment, 42 percent agree with him and 14 percent are undecided. 

Turning to Second Amendment issues, a plurality of those surveyed--43 percent--say Floridians should be allowed to carry concealed handguns in public places as long as they have a license while 15 percent prefer open carry and 7 percent back the idea of carrying handguns in public places without licenses. A third of those surveyed--34 percent--think Floridians should never be able to carry handguns in public places. 

With Republicans in Washington, D.C. failing to overturn Obama’s health-care law, Florida voters are divided on what to do with the Affordable Care Act. The poll finds 37 percent want to repeal the law while 30 percent want to keep it in its current form. A third of those surveyed--33 percent--want to see parts of the law repealed but do want to repeal it completely. 

The poll of 800 registered voters in Florida was taken from Aug. 24 through Aug. 26 and had a margin of error of +/- 4 percent. 

Comments

Submitted by Barbara on August 30, 2017 - 8:20am
Florida was at the time so inconsequential that the Union didn't even bother to capture the capital. We don't have anything that resembles even the myth of "the cause". No grand General's and no strategically critical battles. Confederate flags and monuments are truly items that belong in historical museums that, in part, teach about the failures of Reconstruction and the rise and lingering tragedy of Jim Crow. For Florida to pretend it was steeped in the confederate tradition is simply not accurate. That it is steeped in segregation and Jim Crowism is sadly true. Let's distance Florida from the false narrative and admit to the sad but true one and then move forward into a new Florida that is what it has increasingly become a state of hope

Submitted by Fred on September 3, 2017 - 9:04pm
You have no idea what you are talking about. The Union was prevented from capturing the capital of Tallahassee by brave Confederate soldiers at two different Battles My great-great grandfather fought at The Battle of Olustee in February 1864 ( a Southern victory). The Yankee troops at Olustee were on their way to Tallahassee from Jacksonville; that march was planned in the White House, with Abraham Lincoln present. Another of my great-great grandfathers fought at the Battle of Natural Bridge south of Tallahassee, in March of 1865. Northern troops landed at St. Marks and were on their way to Tallahassee. They were almost completely annihilated at Natural Bridge. Today, year 2017: I am named after my great-great grandfather who fought at Natural Bridge. My brother is named after the great-great grandfather who fought at Olustee. My living 98 year old great aunt and my living 110 year old cousin heard the stories of those battles first-hand from their grandfathers. We speak from personal knowledge and family heritage, not from re-writes of history by the Government schools and the PC'ers.

Submitted by Mary B on September 4, 2017 - 2:45pm
Right on. I love the Natural Bridge area and its history. Tearing down statues and the history is the same acts done by the Taliban when they destroyed the mountain carvings Ghengis Khan did on the Golden Trail in Afghanistan. Rather barbaric ! Politically correct. It's all become a crutch to use by people who are discontent and extremely naive!

Submitted by Robert Adair on September 3, 2017 - 7:38pm
The first shots of the war were fired by the North at Fort Barrancas, one month before Fort Sumter.

Submitted by Michael Herring on September 3, 2017 - 6:00pm
As a descendant of numerous Confederate soldiers the idea that we should erase our history is ridiculous and dangerous. This new thinking of cultural cleansing is comparable to the German Workers party in the 1920's-30's when the Nazis vandalized and removed Jewish merchants, houses of worship and all written opinions of Authors and academic . Jim Crow was a direct result of the Federal Governments agenda named Reconstruction which was a dismal failure. It has taken nearly 150 years to over come the stains and now the new version of removing ageless monuments and statues.

Submitted by Anonymous on August 30, 2017 - 11:33am
Au contrare'. The Union attempted many attacks on Florida forces during the War. The Union also attempted to take Tallahassee on March 6, 1865 by sending nearly 1,000 soldiers, mostly from the US Colored Troops regiments to seize the Capitol. They were repulsed by Confederates that consisted of students that from what would become FSU as well as Home Guard units and artillery units from several battalions at the Battle of Natural Bridge. The result was 306 Union troops killed, wounded or captured and 52 casulaties on the Confederate side. A monument commerating this victory stands at Natural Bridge and was dedicated on March 6, 1921. The inscription on the monument states: "This monument erected under authority of an act of the legislature of Florida of 1921 as a just tribute of the people of Florida to commemorate the victory of the battle of Natural Bridge. March 6, 1865. And to keep in cherished memory those brave men and boys who, in the hour of sudden danger, rushed from home desk and field and from the West Florida Seminary and joining a few disciplined troops by their united valor and patriotism saved their capital from the invaders. Tallahassee being the only capital of the South not captured by the enemy during the War between the States." Our history and heritage must be preserved not eliminated.

Submitted by Jake on August 31, 2017 - 4:52pm
They were not on the way to the capitol. They were headed to south GA to rescue Union soldiers imprisoned there. Also, Austin Texas was not captured.

Submitted by idiots everywhere on August 30, 2017 - 3:22pm
they were not the enemy you jackass, they were fellow Americans. The south was in violation of the law and the Constitution. The country should and does have battlefield monuments to commemorate the losses on both sides at major battlefield sites throughout the country. These are respected monuments that should stay. There is no reason to have Robert E. Lee statues all over the southern cities outside of Arlington House in VA. Same goes for Jefferson Davis. Let the voters decide what to do with them.

Submitted by James Fritz on September 4, 2017 - 9:22pm
The South was no more in violation of the law than was President Abraham Lincoln to "invade" the southern states. The Constitution does not address the issue of secession so to say that it was in violation of the constitution is a matter of opinion. To remove statues and monuments of those historic figures just because they owned slaves is ridiculous. My home state of New Jersey just removed a bust of Richard Stockton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, from the campus which bears his name because he owned slaves. That is just wrong and is stupid. If removing statues because past leaders had certain imperfections we would end up removing all statues because no one is or was perfect - except the Lord Jesus Christ. And if we are doing that, then by all means remove any and all statues and street signs honoring President Bill Clinton and Dr. Martin Luther King because they were both adulterers. Seriously, those who are trying to be so politically correct should devote their energies toward creating a stronger and more democratic society by learning from he past rather than covering it up.

Submitted by Jeff on August 29, 2017 - 5:58pm
I have lived in Florida since 1981. I think most Floridians like me have absolutely no southern ancestry. Still, we moved to the place and it's history comes with it. Florida today is just barely a southern state, but it did fight with the Confederacy. So leave the monuments alone.

Submitted by Barbara on August 29, 2017 - 3:34pm
Maybe the majority of your readers but not the majority of Americans. I understand how we got here. But I have come to a more history based realization. The successful rewriting of the American story has made traitors into heroes and acceptance of the notion that that made-up history is our culture. Simply not so. And sadly, People who believe this false version of our culture and history are pretty much like same people who want to run around with open carry or conceiled weapons. So sorry it has evolved to be so

Submitted by Anonymous on August 30, 2017 - 11:36am
All public opinon surveys, that's 'all' surveys show overwhelming support, usually in the 70-80% level, for keeping all Confederate War memorials in place. Only a very small radical group of misfits favor taking them down.

Submitted by George R Payne ... on August 30, 2017 - 11:08am
So which "false history" are you referring to? The yankee false history that has been rebuked by more historians or the so called revisionist history.

Submitted by Robert Warner on August 29, 2017 - 2:47pm
Born, raised, educated at multiple levels in Virginia - and a veteran, myself - Diane nails it. This from Robert Levinson, on the ground, in Charlottesville. https://warontherocks.com/2017/08/what-i-saw-in-charlottesville-and-what-we-all-lost/

Submitted by C Breeze on August 29, 2017 - 12:44pm
If I catch your stupid ass desecrating a Confederate statue, I'm personally going to "citizen's arrest" your ignorant self and prepare a deposition describing your desecration of a U.S. Veteran Monument under FEDERAL LAW passed in1929 and 1958. And I will be delighted to do so. signed:// "A Democrat Veteran". (If you "resist" or "try to assault me" I will lodge additional charges on you and anyone else who tries to subvert me from "taking out the trash" !)

Submitted by Laurie on August 30, 2017 - 12:47am
WOW, I'm thinking you might need a bit of therapy.....

Submitted by pasture breeze on August 29, 2017 - 3:47pm
If I catch you out, I'm going to whip you for impersonating a veteran. Take your coward azz back to NY.

Submitted by Diane on August 29, 2017 - 1:26pm
Your comment is puzzling, considering Confederate soldiers were NOT US veterans. The Confederacy had pulled itself (seceded) from the US.

Submitted by Sandra on August 29, 2017 - 9:48pm
Read a history book and know your facts before making a statement.

Submitted by Patrick Monroe on August 29, 2017 - 4:55pm
Diane you need to reread the history books Confederate soldiers are indeed US Veterans and are afforded all the benefits of a veteran including the standard US military headstone . So get your damn facts straight

Submitted by Robert Warner on August 29, 2017 - 6:13pm
I looked it up. It's only the headstone.

Submitted by Brian Van Atta on August 29, 2017 - 4:50pm
Congress gave veterans status to all who fought for the confederacy. Look it up

Submitted by 33884 on August 29, 2017 - 3:24pm
Confederate soldiers are US veterans by law. Do some research.

Submitted by idiots everywhere on August 29, 2017 - 3:59pm
"For the purpose of this section" is referring to Section 432 of the Veterans' Benefits Act of 1957, which set pensions for widows of U.S. veterans of the Civil War; Section 433 of that act pertains to pensions of Civil War veterans' children. There is nothing in U.S. Public Law 85-425 or the law it amends that says anything about making Confederate veterans U.S. veterans or "pardoning" them.

Submitted by Voted yes on 2 on August 29, 2017 - 3:33pm
They might be verterns by law as you say. But they did fight to separate themselves from the United States and go against our constitution. So the way i see it they committed treason and should probably be treated like traitors.

Submitted by Danny Gilmer on September 4, 2017 - 12:39am
Confederate soldiers were not traitors as some have been led to believe. A traitor to ones country is like a Benedict Arnold and more recently a Bowe Bergdahl. Arnold was serving in a trusted capacity and in Continental uniform when he gave information to the British and Bergdahl was in US Army uniform and serving in a trusted position with the US Army when he left his post and defected to the enemy. Southern men in US uniform like Lee "resigned their commission" with the US Army before joining the ranks of the Confederacy. Many of the Southerners did not want to leave the Union but when their states by legal process of vote and legislation left the Union they felt compelled to resign from the US and join the Confederate states. The South believed that the Union was in violation of the Constitution and the south believed in States Rights....the government had also levied high import tariffs on the South which it had been paying for decades. And self-righteous Radical Northern abolitionist who were trying to get slaves to have an uprising against their masters was another concern ................and many people try to use slavery as the main and only reason why the South left the Union this was not so If slavery had been the only and main reason all she had to do was to stay in the Union as slavery was legal according to US Constitutional law (no we don't like it now but it was part of the culture at that time and again it was protected by the law of the land (Consider: the border states of Missouri, Maryland, Kentucky and Delaware remained slave states all during the war and W. Virginia entered the Union as a slave state when the war was still going on. Southern people were not traitors to the US they legally divorced themselves from the Union and were American Southern Patriots defending their homes and families from the large, destructive Union army that invaded the South.

Submitted by army op's on August 29, 2017 - 12:39pm
As an ArmyNam Vet and born July 4th n raised Floridian...Put Removal of Statues on Bill for Public Election....My Family on both sides are Descendants of CSA...Besides WHERE DOES IT STOP with these Whiner's & SnowFlakes....

Submitted by pasture breeze on August 29, 2017 - 4:09pm
this is that coward trailer parker from NY pretending to be a veteran and someone else again. Take your candy, fat ass back to NY.

Submitted by Robert Warner on August 29, 2017 - 3:06pm
Robert Levinson is neither a whiner nor "snowflake". See my linked article, above. Rob Levinson is a retired Lt. Col in the U.S. Air Force with over 20 years of service as an intelligence officer. He is a graduate of the Air Force Academy and served in Latin America, the Middle East and South Korea as an intelligence officer, foreign area officer, commander and politico-military affairs officer. His wife was decorated for her combat service to the United States during Operation Just Cause as a civilian.

Submitted by Diane on August 29, 2017 - 1:28pm
As a veteran of the US military fighting for your country - the USA - why would you defend people who hated the country so badly, they seceded and formed their own country - CSA - Confederate States of America?

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