AIKEN, S.C. (WJBF) — The push to remove monuments in South Carolina could hit the bank accounts of municipalities. Lawmakers are focused on South Carolina’s budget, including Representative Bill Taylor. He and others want to defund cities that choose to remove those monuments.
“It used to be all about confederate monuments, it’s not now. It’s about the founding fathers. It’s about taking down George Washington even Christopher Columbus, go through the whole list. Everybody is unacceptable to the woke mob,” Representative Taylor told NewsChannel 6’s Shawn Cabbagestalk.
Talks are now reaching the state capitol in Columbia considering Confederate monuments. “Make no mistake. We’re at war. We’re at war right here on our streets in America right now,” Representative Taylor added.
The Aiken Representative proposed a budget proviso that would withhold funds from any local government that removes the historic relics. “The budget proviso I’m putting forward would tell cities, you have to abide by the Heritage Act. You can’t take down monuments on your own,” he said. “If you do that, you’re violating the law. Here’s the punishment, the state government won’t give you the money that you deserve it because you violated the law until you put it back up,” he added.
People across the nation including here at home have called on authorities to remove homages to historical leaders who advocated racist views.”When you look at the inscriptions on lots of these monuments, they’re very, very detrimental to the black people. So what we want to do is move forward in unity,” President of the Aiken County NAACP Eugene White said.
The State Attorney General offered an opinion on the Meriwether Monument in North Augusta saying that its removal will have to be taken up with the South Carolina General Assembly. Barnwell City officials spoke out about the monument there and the County shot down any plans of possibly moving it at a council meeting. In Bamberg, officials are submitting a resolution to state officials asking for their help with removal.
“The Aiken County Branch of the NAACP is against any monument, building, school, place, or street that’s named after anyone that’s done any damage to the black race,” White added.
“Poll after poll shows that South Carolinians don’t want the monuments to come down and they want the people who try to take them down or vandalize them to absolutely be criminally prosecuted. That’s the right thing to do because we’re a country of laws and the rule of law and law and order,” Representative Taylor said.
Whether for or against, both sides are looking to co-exist in a way that can bring our community together. “Am I with the peaceful protesters? The one who wanted quality and justice, absolutely! Peaceful protestors, not the anarchies not the Marxists that has to stop,” Representative Taylor said.
“We’re not in favor of erasing history of changing history, but rather putting history in its proper context,” White added.
Lawmakers will reconvene in Columbia in September. The proviso, if added, would expire after one year with a chance to renew it.
