Well, that was quick. Several groups in New Orleans are suing to halt the removal from public view of four Confederate monuments throughout the city. The lawsuit was filed hours after the New Orleans City Council voted six to one to remove the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee that graces Lee Circle, the statue of Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard, the statue of President of the Confederacy Jefferson Davis and a monument to a white supremacist organization that attacked the integrated Reconstruction-era police force.

The lawsuit alleges that, among other things, removal of the statues violates the plaintiffs’ First Amendment right to free expression which is exercised by maintaining and preserving the historic character and nature of the city of New Orleans, including the monuments. Okay. I mean, I don’t agree but, since three of the plaintiffs are historical preservation organizations—the Monumental Task Committee, Louisiana Landmarks Society and the Foundation for Historical Louisiana—I see what they did there. But that fourth group, the Sons of Confederate Veterans? Yeah, they can miss me with all this noise.

Anyway, the lawsuit also alleges that the opponents of the monuments were treated differently than the supporters of the monuments, hence an equal protection violation. What are they talking about? They are talking about world-renowned musician Wynton Marsalis. The groups allege that Marsalis wrote an op-ed that was the catalyst for New Orleans ditching the statues in the first place. Marsalis wrote last week in the Times-Picayune that,

“When one surveys the accomplishments of our local heroes across time from Iberville and Bienville, to Andrew Jackson, from Mahalia Jackson, to Anne Rice and Fats Domino, from Wendell Pierce, to John Besh and Jonathan Batiste, what did Robert E. Lee do to merit his distinguished position? He fought for the enslavement of a people against our national army fighting for their freedom; killed more Americans than any opposing general in history; made no attempt to defend or protect this city; and even more absurdly, he never even set foot in Louisiana. In the heart of the most progressive and creative cultural city in America, why should we continue to commemorate this legacy?” […] “Robert E. Lee betrayed his sacred oath to support and defend the Constitution and instead chose to lead an army intent on its violent overthrow — and he lost. The Civil War was a costly victory for democracy, but long after it had been decided, the backwards thinking leadership of this city erected monuments to Confederate generals who had committed treason against the United States — and lost.”

Ouch.

New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu says he won’t press forward with removing the statues while the lawsuit is making its way through the system.