The plaque above has been prominently displayed in the Texas State Capitol for the last six decades. It should be removed. First, because it contains at least two obvious lies -- that the Civil War was not a rebellion (it clearly was), and that it was not fought to sustain slavery (it clearly was). Second, because the obviously racist plaque is offensive to many Texans (and visitors to the state) -- not just minorities, but all people who believe in equality and diversity.
But the Texas governor (Gregg Abbott) and the Texas Legislature (mostly Republican) have been playing a political game over who has the authority to remove the plaque. Abbott says it must be done by a vote in the legislature. The legislature says Abbott must remove it through the Texas State Preservation Board (which he controls).
Neither Abbott nor the Republican-controlled legislature wants to offend the racists in their party's base. The 2018 election scared them, and they don't want to run off any voters they might need to fend off the growing electoral power of Democrats in Texas.
A ruling by the state's Attorney General seems to have put the ball back in Abbott's court. The Attorney General published a ruling last Wednesday that said Abbott's Preservation Board has the authority to remove the plaque without legislative action.
The truth is that either Abbott or the legislature could remove the plaque -- and should do so as soon as possible. Will either do it? I doubt it. They love racist votes more than they honor truth and decency.
How much longer will decent Texans be shamed by that vile and odious plaque?
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