STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSEMBLY

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN

1 University Station, A6210 Austin, TX 78712-0810
(512) 471 3166 Fax: (512) 471-3408 http://www.utsg.org

AR 35: In Support of Removing the

Jefferson Davis Statue at UT
On the removal of the Jefferson F. Davis statue located on the South Mall of The University of Texas at
Austin
---------Authors: Mr.ROHITMANDALAPU(STUDENT),Mr.XAVIERROTNOFSKY(STUDENT),
Mr.CHRISTOPHERGILMAN(EDITORINCHIEF,TEXASTRAVESTY),andMr.
CIARANDEANJONES(STUDENT)
Sponsors:

ANISHPATEL(REPRESENTATIVE,COLLEGEOFNATURALSCIENCES)ANDTARAL
PATEL(REPRESENTATIVE,UNIVERSITYWIDE)

WHEREAS, StudentGovernmentservesastheofficialvoiceofstudentsatTheUniversityofTexasat
Austin;and,
WHEREAS, ThecorevaluesofTheUniversityofTexasatAustinarelearning,discovery,freedom,
leadership,individualopportunity,andresponsibility1;and,
WHEREAS,ThepresenceoftheJeffersonDavisstatue,locatedontheSouthMallofTheUniversityof
TexasatAustin,isindirectcontradictionwithsaidcorevalues 1;and,
WHEREAS, JeffersonDavisheldthatAfricanAmericansrepeatedlyweremorallyandintellectually
inferiortowhites2;and,
1 http://www.utexas.edu/about-ut/mission-core-purpose-honor-code
2 Davis, Jefferson. The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government. Whitefish, MT: Kessinger, 2005.
Print.

STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSEMBLY

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN

1 University Station, A6210 Austin, TX 78712-0810
(512) 471 3166 Fax: (512) 471-3408 http://www.utsg.org

WHEREAS, Jefferson Davis argued vociferously that the institutions of American slavery were
beneficial2;and,
WHEREAS, JeffersonDavismemoirsincludethefollowingquotes:Asamerehistoricalfact,we
haveseenthatAfricanservitudeamongusconfessedlythemildestandmosthumaneof
allinstitutionstowhichthenameslaveryhaseverbeenappliedexistedinallthe
originalstates,andthatitwasrecognizedandprotectedinthefourtharticleofthe
Constitution,Apassingremarkmayherebeappropriateastotheanswerthusafforded
tothebeneficentCreatorhasimplantedinthebreastsofourfellowmenofallcountries,
topassjudgmentonameasurebywhichseveralmillionsofhumanbeingsofaninferior
racepeaceful,contentedlaborersintheirspherearedoomedtoextermination
(VolumeII,page600)[SeeAppendixAforfurtherquotes] 2;and,
WHEREAS, Anargumentforthepreservationofthestatueisthetraditionheldtosymbolizeunityof
theNorthandtheSouth3;and,
WHEREAS, ThepresenceoftheJeffersonDavisstatuehasbeenchallengedbefore,butneveracted
upon4;and,
WHEREAS,Theuniversityseekstoactonthewillofthestudentbodyandmaintainitsvalues;and,
WHEREAS, Thereisprecedentinalteringcampussymbolsthatdonotalignwiththevaluesandideals
ofthestudentbody5,notablytherenamingofSimkinsResidenceHall,namedaftera
notableKKKleader,toCreeksideResidenceHall;andtherefore,
BEITRESOLVED,Fromthequotedremarks,itisclearthattheinstitutionalpromotionofDavislegacy
contradictstheuniversityscorevalues;andtherefore,

3 http://m.statesman.com/news/news/local/questions-linger-regarding-confederate-statuesa-1/nRs8Y/#__federated=1
4 http://www.utexas.edu/president/past/faulkner/speeches/rrf_051004.pdf
5 http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/07/11/texas.klan.dorm/

STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSEMBLY

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN

1 University Station, A6210 Austin, TX 78712-0810
(512) 471 3166 Fax: (512) 471-3408 http://www.utsg.org

BEITFURTHERRESOLVED,TheUniversityofTexasatAustinasapublicinstitutionoftheStateof
Texas that represents a diverse student population should not condone or promote
JeffersonDavisvaluesthatareoffensivetothestudentbody;andtherefore,
BEITFURTHERRESOLVED,Whiletheaforementionedargumentthatthestatuesymbolizesunityof
theNorthandSouthisanobleintention,thestatueclearlycausesanunintendeddivide
betweenthestudentbodyandtheuniversity;and,
BEITFURTHERRESOLVED,ItisobviousthatJeffersonDaviswasracistagainstAfricanAmericans;
andtherefore,
BEITFURTHERRESOLVED,TheUniversityofTexasatAustinStudentGovernmentfullyendorses
theremovaloftheJeffersonDavisstatuefromcampus;andtherefore,
BEITFURTHERRESOLVED,ThatacopyofthisresolutionbesenttotheOfficeofthePresident,the
OfficeoftheVicePresidentofStudentAffairs,theVicePresidentofDivisionof
DiversityandCommunityEngagement,theDirectorofMediaRelations,theOfficeof
Admissions,theDeanofStudents,andTheDailyTexan

STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSEMBLY

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN

1 University Station, A6210 Austin, TX 78712-0810
(512) 471 3166 Fax: (512) 471-3408 http://www.utsg.org

APPENDIX A
SOURCE:Davis,Jefferson.TheRiseandFalloftheConfederateGovernment.Whitefish,MT:Kessinger,2005.
Print.

LINKtosource:http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/riseandfalloftheconfederategovernment
jeffersondavis/1101114539?ean=2940000739488

Quotes:
Asamerehistoricalfact,wehaveseenthatAfricanservitudeamongusconfessedlythemildestandmost
humaneofallinstitutionstowhichthenameslaveryhaseverbeenappliedexistedinalltheoriginalstates,and
thatitwasrecognizedandprotectedinthefourtharticleoftheConstitution(VolumeI,page71).
Apassingremarkmayherebeappropriateastotheanswerthusaffordedtotheclamoraboutthehorrorsof
slavery.HadtheseAfricansbeenacruellyoppressedpeople,restlesslystrugglingtobefreedfromtheirbonds,
wouldtheirmastershavedaredtoleavethem,aswasdone,andwouldtheyhavetheyremainedastheydid,
continuingtheirusualduties,orcouldtheproclamationofemancipationhavebeenputonthepleaofamilitary
necessity,ifthefacthadbeenthatthenegroeswereforcedtoserve,anddesiredonlyanopportunitytoriseagainst
theirmasters?(VolumeI,pages28687).
[QuotingaspeechhedeliveredasaUSSenatorfromMississippiin1850]:seethem[i.e.slaves]inuseful
employment,restrainedfromtheviciousindulgencestowhichtheirinferiornatureinclinedthem(VolumeI,p.
497).
[CommentingontheEmancipationProclamation]:Wemaywellleaveittotheinstinctofthatcommonhumanity,
whichabeneficentCreatorhasimplantedinthebreastsofourfellowmenofallcountries,topassjudgmentona
measurebywhichseveralmillionsofhumanbeingsofaninferiorracepeaceful,contentedlaborersintheirsphere
aredoomedtoextermination(VolumeII,page600).