Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has condemned the removal of Confederate statues, saying he had a “visceral reaction against” the destruction of monuments honoring southern leaders from the Civil War. Robert E. Lee, the top Confederate general, had “extraordinary qualities of leadership” that deserve to be celebrated, Kennedy said in an interview for the Timcast IRL, which is hosted by conservative podcaster Tim Pool.
Quick Read
- Kennedy condemns the removal of Confederate monuments
- Monument Controversy: Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has spoken out against the removal of Confederate statues, expressing a “visceral reaction against” the destruction of monuments honoring southern leaders from the Civil War.
- Leadership Qualities: Kennedy praised Robert E. Lee, the top Confederate general, for his “extraordinary qualities of leadership” that he believes deserve recognition, stating this during an interview on the Timcast IRL, hosted by conservative podcaster Tim Pool.
- Historical Preservation: Kennedy argued that some Confederate figures were “heroes” who didn’t own slaves and emphasized the importance of preserving history, even if it means acknowledging individuals with flawed pasts.
- Virtue and History: He mentioned that celebrating only those who were “completely virtuous” would lead to erasing much of history, suggesting a more nuanced appreciation of historical figures.
- Political Stance: The comments add to Kennedy’s list of controversial statements as he campaigns to become the first president elected without a political party affiliation since George Washington.
- Election Impact: Kennedy is attempting to attract voters dissatisfied with both major parties, positioning himself as a strong advocate for free speech and willing to take controversial stands, which has caused concern among supporters of Joe Biden and Donald Trump.
- Activist Push: Activists have long advocated for the removal of Confederate monuments and the renaming of buildings honoring Confederate leaders, viewing them as symbols of racism.
- Sophisticated Understanding: Kennedy concluded that society should be “sophisticated enough” to accept that ancestors might have disagreed with modern views and still had commendable qualities.
The Associated Press has the story:
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. condemns the removal of Confederate monuments
Newslooks- PHOENIX (AP) —
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has condemned the removal of Confederate statues, saying he had a “visceral reaction against” the destruction of monuments honoring southern leaders from the Civil War.
Robert E. Lee, the top Confederate general, had “extraordinary qualities of leadership” that deserve to be celebrated, Kennedy said in an interview for the Timcast IRL, which is hosted by conservative podcaster Tim Pool.
“There were heroes in the Confederacy who didn’t have slaves,” Kennedy said in response to a question about the monuments. “And, you know, I just, I just have a visceral reaction to this destroying history. I don’t like it. I think we should celebrate who we are. And that, you know, we should celebrate the good qualities of everybody.”
Celebrating only people who were “completely virtuous” would mean erasing all of history, Kennedy said.
The comment is another controversial pronouncement from the former Democrat, who is waging an uphill battle to become the first person since George Washington to be elected president without a political party affiliation.
Kennedy, who is trying to stitch together a coalition of Americans disaffected with both major parties, has promoted himself as a fierce advocate for free speech who is willing to take controversial stands. Allies of both Joe Biden and Donald Trump, the presumptive Democratic and Republican nominees, respectively, view Kennedy with trepidation and worry that Kennedy will earn enough support to tilt the election.
Activists have pushed for years to remove monuments and rename buildings that honor leaders of the Confederacy, calling them symbols of racism.
“We need to be able to be sophisticated enough to live with, you know, our ancestors who didn’t agree with us on everything and who did things that are now regarded as immoral or wrong, because they, you know, maybe they had other qualities,” Kennedy said.
