We hereby request that the monument to Confederate soldiers that stands in Franklin, TN be removed by the city in a show of respect for the African American residents of our community and a sign of the social progress that has been made in the past 150 years. We believe that this monument no longer represents the ideals and values that we uphold as a community. Remembrance is important, but a monument celebrating those who would hold others in bondage is inappropriate.

Franklin, TN has many things to offer as a community and is a tourist destination for people from all over the world. We find this statue, and its placement at the center of our town, to be an embarrassment. Surely there is a more appropriate person or group of people we could honor than those that would choose to fight a war so that slavery of human beings could continue to be a societal norm. Perhaps a monument to Ben Franklin, for whom our town is named, would be a fitting replacement.

Let us show the world that racism and hate have no place in our beautiful town. We have made considerable progress since the Civil War but there is still work to be done and this would be a strong symbol of the desire for racial reconciliation. Removing this statue would show the world that we hold dearly the American values of freedom and justice for all.