SAN ANTONIO – A Houston-area state senator has proposed legislation in response to two San Antonio councilmen’s attempt to remove a Confederate statue from Travis Park.
Earlier this week, District 1 Councilman Roberto Treviño and District 2 Councilman William "Cruz" Shaw jointly filed a Council Consideration Request to move the controversial monument.
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According to the request, the monument of a Confederate soldier would be moved to a location where it can be used in an educational context.
Rep. Sen. Brandon Creighton, of Conroe, however, disagrees.
"These statutes and monuments are important to Texans," Creighton said in a statement. "Texas should not erase our history -- we should learn from it."
RELATED: Councilmen request new location for Confederate monument in downtown park
Senate Bill 112 would prevent the removal, altering or renaming of any historical statue of structure that has been on public ground for more than 40 years.
Creighton cited the city’s attempt to remove the Confederate statue in his statement.
"Relocating the statue will be a major step forward in working to ensure our public spaces are inclusive for all, as San Antonio is a city for and by the people,” Shaw said on Monday. “Context is key when it comes to our history, so relocating this statue to a space more fitting to educate the community is a step in the right direction."
Below is Roberto Trevino’s statement:
SB 112 is yet another attempt by officials at the State level to weaken local government entities across Texas. It is a shame that some of our state elected officials have made the choice to waste taxpayers’ time and money with such an intrusive and unnecessary policy. The bill does not represent who we are as a city or a modern democracy. Furthermore, each city/town in Texas is not only unique demographically, but historically as well. It is foolish to think that this callous and heavy-handed approach is in the best interest of our diverse and growing population. It is not by accident that the language protects monuments and memorials that were erected during a time when the few held so much power and others were still regarded as second-class citizens. This is just a feeble attempt to pander to the vitriolic and archaic values of a few under the guise of education and preservation. It is my sincerest hope that the State government will refocus on policies that would improve our schools and grow our Texas economy. The time has come to stop micro-managing trees, bathrooms, and monuments policies at the local level.
Below is William “Cruz” Shaw’s statement:
State Senator Brandon Creighton’s bill, SB 112, is similar to many of the bills we have seen in the state legislature this session working to undermine local government. Our job here at the city level is to respond to the unique needs of our constituents, and with San Antonio being such a diverse and culturally rich city, the needs of our community are very unique. One size does not fit all in situations such as this. San Antonio’s municipal government should not be undermined by State officials, especially those that do not have the fortune of living in our great, inclusive city. SB 112 is not seeking to preserve history, but rather to strip municipalities of their voices in how history is displayed. As I have mentioned before – a city like San Antonio should have symbolism that is representative of our diverse community. This bill is clearly a distraction from the more pressing issues at hand. Our State government should be focused on smart economic development and investing in our children by improving access to quality education, rather than focusing on policing the actions of city government.
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