The 2019 legislative session is underway, and already there are several bills which showcase a complete lack of common sense. SB2116, a bill which would outlaw abortion after a fetus’ heartbeat is detectable, has come back after it failed to gain enough traction during the 2018 session. Abortion is a hot button topic and the bill hasn’t yet made it out of committee, so I won’t go too far into that, yet.
The other eyebrow raiser that caught my eye was SB 2076, the “Mississippi Heritage Protection Act.” Similar to a bill passed in 2017 by our neighbors to the east, this bill would make removing, destroying or altering all military monuments, buildings, plaques, etc. illegal.
Also similar to its Alabamian predecessor, it goes way too far.
It doesn’t take much effort to know what this bill is supposed to do. The intended purpose is to protect the confederate monuments and statues that so many states have been quietly taking down, moving or otherwise wiping from their public image. This bill is intended to ensure tributes to oppression, racism and violence, I’m sorry, heritage, remain a prominent part of our state’s culture.
If that’s what Sen. Hill, the author of SB 2076, wants to celebrate, so be it, but the bill he wrote goes so much further than that. There are plenty of structures in Mississippi with military history that would be seriously hurt by this bill.
SB 2076 states no one shall alter such structures, which is a big problem. In Union, Bolers Inn played host to General Sherman and his troops. It’s a historic building, which should be preserved for future generations. Under SB 2076, basic repairs such as roofing, updating windows or even a fresh coat of paint would be illegal.
The same goes for the Newton Depot, which currently houses the Newton Chamber of Commerce. Since it played a part in the Civil War, – referred to in SB 2076 as “the war between the states” - it’s off limits. God forbid a storm damage it because any repairs would be grounds for arrest.
What about the Gulf War monument, currently sitting in front of the Newton County Courthouse? Plans to build a Veteran’s Memorial Park included the relocation of the monument to the park for all to enjoy and remember. However, SB 2076 is clear nothing can be relocated unless it’s to build a “school, hospital, public roadway or building that provides services related to the governing body.
Much like its Alabama counterpart, SB 2076 is a desperate attempt to use the government to protect a dying culture of misinformation about the South’s dark past. And, like the Alabama law, this bill, if passed, will limit the power of local residents to make their own choice what history to preserve and what parts of the past to let go.
Thomas is the managing editor of the Appeal. He can be reached at thoward@newtoncountyappeal.com.
