CNN DUMMY: Should We Take Down Thomas Jefferson Memorial Because He Owned Slaves?

06.23.2015 | News | Jerome Hudson |

The debate over whether or not the Confederate flag should be removed from government buildings in South Carolina is squeezing out weapons grade stupidity from just about every corner of the American media today.

The latest profile in Confederate flag idiocy comes courtesy of CNN host Ashleigh Banfield.

Banfield, who has a rich history of putting her foot in her mouth, asked fellow CNN dummy Don Lemon if it’s now appropriate for lawmakers to start a future conversation about whether or not the monument of Thomas Jefferson should be removed from the U.S. Capitol.

As I’ve written before, take down the Confederate flag and throw it up in a Museum. It’s a flag that represents another country, founded on the preservation of the institution of slavery. You want to worship that, fine.

But that has absolutely nothing to do with Thomas Jefferson’s ownership of slaves.

Thomas Jefferson–like a lot of people 270 years ago–owned slaves. He inherited them from his father. Jefferson gave away many of the estimated 170 slaves he owned after his death. While writing in the Declaration of Independence that “all men are created equal,” Jefferson didn’t believe blacks and whites were equals.

But Thomas Jefferson didn’t want to divorce from the union in order to preserve slavery. In fact, Jefferson wrote constantly and argued regularly about whether or not the founders should include the abolition of slavery in the Bill of Rights.

Banfield is foolish to conflate the Confederate flag with a Thomas Jefferson memorial. And I fear the stupid won’t be receding anytime soon.

Jerome Hudson

Managing Editor

Jerome Hudson has written for numerous national outlets, including The Hill, National Review, and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and was recognized as one of Florida’s emerging stars, having been included in the list “25 Under 30: Florida’s Rising Young Political Class.” Hudson is a Savannah, Ga. native who currently resides in Florida.

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