Monuments, in the words of the U.S. government, are “a cultural resource for the enjoyment, education, and INSPIRATION of this and future generations.” For many young people, however, the Robert E. Lee monument was none of these. It was a painful reminder of ideals that drove us apart, pitting brother against brother and nearly destroying our country. The young people of Lee County represent the future. We are the life blood of Marianna and Lee County. Where we decide to invest our resources, raise our children, and start our businesses will be largely decided by how the community responds to our cries for change. The presence of the Robert E. Lee monument in the center of town has haunted us for decades, shaping our lives in ways we didn’t fully understand as children and young adults. We grew up in its shadow, unable or unwilling to make our voices heard. Enough is enough. Marianna has no future if it insists on clinging to the past; we are the future, and will not align ourselves, politically, economically, or socially, with hatred and division. Sign this petition to support the immediate removal of the Robert E. Lee monument and to show your support for a better, more united Lee County.  Voices from the youth of Marianna:

“The citizens of Marianna, primarily its youth, believe that the Robert E. Lee Monument is a symbol of hate and division in our community that has aided racial tensions and fears in the past and continue to cause damage today. Monuments have always been meant to memorialize and idolize certain moments of history, and while we agree that this moment of history should never be forgotten it should never be idolized.” Alvertis Valentine

“Personally, as a child I did understand the negative impact of racism and the effects it had on many African Americans. I was not aware of the reasons for separate schools, parks, and living environments. However, as I aged and matured my perspective changed.” Warrenesha Arnold

“I grew up in a biracial home surrounded primarily by white family members. I went to a white church and had many white friends in Lee Academy. They all would say things like ‘you aren’t like other black people,’ or ‘you just have common sense unlike other black people.” As a young adult I look back at my community in disgust. Our city condones and supports these ideals as we maintain the Robert E. Lee Monument. I will never invest a dime or any of my time in this city until we decide to correct our past mistakes and remove the confederate monument.” Tyler Sims.

“It is not only disturbing but heartbreaking to be raised in a town that praises a slave owner. We are supposed to be living in a time of equality and fairness. That statue increases the racial and discrimination tensions that are supposed to be non-existent. Times have changed, and so should that statue.” Katrina Johnson

To further help our cause please share this petition on social media and along with a short video explaining why you want the monument removed, how the monument has affected your sense of belonging, or why its ideals do not represent our community today. Use the hashtag #CancelRobertELee.

Continue reading to learn why it is our moral and American duty to remove monuments of hate and division and why they should not be a source of inspiration for our youth nor be a representation of how the United States of America and the South has progressed to truly embody the meaning of liberty and justice.

The power a monument wields is subtle, but powerful.  It represents ideals, beliefs, and the heroes that champion them. It tells our youth what to value and praise, which ideals should govern how they live and who they love. Unfortunately, the symbol that stands in the center of the town that raised me is a symbol of inequality and division, a division that I experienced each and every day.

To be reminded of the pain and suffering that division caused hurt then and still hurts today. Removing this one monument will not make all the pain go away. It will not drive away the racism in our community, but it is a start. It will show our community that we value human dignity as the cornerstone of the United States, respect those who have ever died for it, and uphold the belief that God made all people equal. Any voice that says different is not a voice worth honoring, and it will not be given a pedestal any longer in our home of Marianna. It is a sign that our community will no longer allow the past to divide us and is ready to heal from America’s greatest sin and move forward, as one single group of Americans united.