Denton Co. Confederate monument committee votes to keep statue with additional plaque, videos

DENTON -- The Confederate monument will stay put, but many questions linger about the proposed additions around the 100-year-old statue.

The monument advisory committee voted 12-3 Tuesday to keep the Confederate monument on the south side of the Courthouse on the Square lawn with an additional plaque and videos about the history of slavery in Denton. The plaque is supposed to include language denouncing slavery and segregation in Denton County.

The committee's decision was a culmination of two and a half months of discussion and research into the meaning behind the statue, which some feel symbolizes racism and pro-slavery ideals. Other county residents feel removing the statue would be an attempt to erase or revise history.

Denton residents Paul Meltzer, Willie Hudspeth and Alfred Sanchez cast the dissenting votes, though they all said they generally supported the proposed additions to the monument. Hudspeth and Sanchez told reporters after the vote they misunderstood what they were voting on. Meltzer said he would have voted for the proposal with more extensive discussions about the plaque's language.

Read more: http://www.dentonrc.com/news/news/2018/02/01/confederate-monument-committee-votes-keep-statue-additional-plaque-informational-videos