Stone Mountain Park Under Fire

[chittlins]

HFE better stay far far far away from it.  Even if it could be acquired at no or low cost it would be a legal and PR nightmare.  All future SDC roller coaster $s would be sucked away to this place on legal fees and/or PR.

I know of a little Arkansas company that should have kept their month closed recently on those types of issues and are now dealing with a PR nightmare of "but that offends me too....why do you still sell X, Y, and Z?". 

Just stay away from this conversation HFE...

Corporations like, mmmmm Walmart need to back out of the political advocacy field. Contrary to mainstream media belief , half this country believe opposite of most of their tilted Coverage. I find things somewhat amusing when one side holds a Supreme court ruling as an end all be all. Yet, in the case of segregation, it was SCOTUS in the late 1800's that paved the way for Jim Crow. Took them over a half century to right their wrong on that. Just remember, Lincoln issued the EP as an act of desperation. It only freed the slaves of the states of Confederacy.  In fact, I believe it took Delaware until after Lincoln's assassination to free their slaves as it wasn't one of those states. Heck, let's tear down every building in DC that was built with slave labor while we are cleansing our collective souls. Let us not forget that the second coming of the Klan in the 20s liked to wrap themselves up in Old Glory as much as the the Stars and Cross.You can call me ignorant till the cows come home but I have ancestors buried in the mass Confederate grave at Shiloh, whose relatives had homes looted by Northern troops thereafter until some retreating Confederate Calvary put a stop to it. 

Let's blast off Mt. Rushmore as well.  Two owned slaves, while one freed them but believed that the white and black race were the least compatable to coexist with each other and wanted to repatriate them to Africa or sent to Central America and Gulf Islands.. That one firmly believed in the settled science of the day that blacks were an inferiorior race to whites and the Reconstruction would have been a far less hardship on the South had he not been shot.

And... lastly I'll leave this nugget from one of the most maligned of Southern Generals. Remember now the forerunner of the NAACP invited him:

Ladies and Gentlemen I accept the flowers as a memento of reconciliation between the white and colored races of the southern states. I accept it more particularly as it comes from a colored lady, for if there is any one on God's earth who loves the ladies I believe it is myself. ( Immense applause and laughter.) I came here with the jeers of some white people, who think that I am doing wrong. I believe I can exert some influence, and do much to assist the people in strengthening fraternal relations, and shall do all in my power to elevate every man to depress none. (Applause.) I want to elevate you to take positions in law offices, in stores, on farms, and wherever you are capable of going. I have not said anything about politics today. I don't propose to say anything about politics. You have a right to elect whom you please; vote for the man you think best, and I think, when that is done, you and I are freemen. Do as you consider right and honest in electing men for office. I did not come here to make you a long speech, although invited to do so by you. I am not much of a speaker, and my business prevented me from preparing myself. I came to meet you as friends, and welcome you to the white people. I want you to come nearer to us. When I can serve you I will do so. We have but one flag, one country; let us stand together. We may differ in color, but not in sentiment Many things have been said about me which are wrong, and which white and black persons here, who stood by me through the war, can contradict. Go to work, be industrious, live honestly and act truly, and when you are oppressed I'll come to your relief. I thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for this opportunity you have afforded me to be with you, and to assure you that I am with you in heart and in hand. (Prolonged applause.)

[History Buff]

There were indeed good men fighting for the South.  They may have been misguided, but they were good men, stately, decent, and classy men.  Some were devout Christians who treated their slaves respectfully (for slaves).  They were guided (and some people still are) by hundreds of years of engrained mindset.  Did they really ride horses?  Yes.  Did they really hold their hats in their hands?  Yes.  General Grant had great respect for Robert E. Lee at his surrender.  Abraham Lincoln demanded that Northerners sing Dixie again following the war.  Southerners, no matter their political leanings during the war, were reestablished as citizens of the United States.  The facts include atrocities by each side, which could be discussed at sites like this one.

If anything else, Stone Mountain is a tremendous piece of art.  If the National Endowment for the Arts can promote crosses soaked in urine and Christian figures draped in human excrement, I think we can look upon a bas relief as historical art at the very least.  The same would be true of the pyramids in Egypt, built with slave labor over many years, but people at least can appreciate the engineering of the things.  Do I agree with the idea that any person should own another?  No.

By the way, Robert E. Lee's plantation is now known as Arlington National Cemetery.  He lost it all, gave it up for his part in the Civil War.  His house is still there, restored and furnished.

[chittlins]

There were indeed good men fighting for the South.  They may have been misguided, but they were good men, stately, decent, and classy men.  Some were devout Christians who treated their slaves respectfully (for slaves).  They were guided (and some people still are) by hundreds of years of engrained mindset.  Did they really ride horses?  Yes.  Did they really hold their hats in their hands?  Yes.  General Grant had great respect for Robert E. Lee at his surrender.  Abraham Lincoln demanded that Northerners sing Dixie again following the war.  Southerners, no matter their political leanings during the war, were reestablished as citizens of the United States.  The facts include atrocities by each side, which could be discussed at sites like this one.

If anything else, Stone Mountain is a tremendous piece of art.  If the National Endowment for the Arts can promote crosses soaked in urine and Christian figures draped in human excrement, I think we can look upon a bas relief as historical art at the very least.  The same would be true of the pyramids in Egypt, built with slave labor over many years, but people at least can appreciate the engineering of the things.  Do I agree with the idea that any person should own another?  No.

By the way, Robert E. Lee's plantation is now known as Arlington National Cemetery.  He lost it all, gave it up for his part in the Civil War.  His house is still there, restored and furnished.

Hear hear,

Confederate Memorial at Arlington

[chittlins]

Guess what is about 100 ft. Behind the camera taking this picture of the this Confederate Memorial

[Sheriff]

The Walton 5&10?

[shavethewhales]

At least we can probably all agree that HFEC better keep their heads down throughout all this, as they are surely already doing. The controversy will probably never die, but HFEC doesn't necessarily have to have its name thrown in with it. They are simply there to manage. I'll have to dig it up later, but there have been some articles trying to point out HFEC's connection to Stone Mountain and the controversy, as if they are responsible.

[chittlins]

The Walton 5&10?

Winner winner chicken dinner

[History Buff]

It's funny (peculiar) that the previous controversy was that HFE was turning a "sacred" memorial into a circus with all the added attractions.

[runner1960]

One interesting thing I learned in Germany last summer was the way the Germans seemed to utilize things from their history as a positive. As a example the first concentration camp was established outside of Munich in the small town of Dachau. We toured this place and while we were there I was surprised at the number of school groups that were visiting. It then occurred to me that the German government was not trying to hide their history but using it as a teaching tool. The entire camp was set up in a way that told the story of the rise of Naziism and how the people were led to follow a very charismatic person. You could tell it was done so that future generations would not fall for the same tactics. After I got home I delved into the history of Dachau and quickly learned that the picture they presented was not incorrect but a very realistic protrayel of how this place actually evolved.

I said all that to say this. Our history should never be compromised because it may not be what some want to hear. We can use it as a teaching tool to avoid mistakes in the future. I applaud the German people for not hiding their past from future generations.

[chittlins]

One interesting thing I learned in Germany last summer was the way the Germans seemed to utilize things from their history as a positive. As a example the first concentration camp was established outside of Munich in the small town of Dachau. We toured this place and while we were there I was surprised at the number of school groups that were visiting. It then occurred to me that the German government was not trying to hide their history but using it as a teaching tool. The entire camp was set up in a way that told the story of the rise of Naziism and how the people were led to follow a very charismatic person. You could tell it was done so that future generations would not fall for the same tactics. After I got home I delved into the history of Dachau and quickly learned that the picture they presented was not incorrect but a very realistic protrayel of how this place actually evolved.

I said all that to say this. Our history should never be compromised because it may not be what some want to hear. We can use it as a teaching tool to avoid mistakes in the future. I applaud the German people for not hiding their past from future generations.

By most accounts the Japanese do a good job of glossing over there doings in WW2 to show the other side of that coin.

I've seen several articles on modern day slavery, from Thai fishing boat captains using people from Burma as slaves and throwing them overboard when hurt to indentured  servants building the World Cup palaces for Quatar to Boko Haram and ISIS and the sex and human trafficking happening right here, right now.

[clancomyn]

Post deleted. I guess I wasn't supposed to talk about the topic.

[chittlins]

Hey, let's talk about the park....

I know that Dollywood and the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area depends heavily on the Atlanta Metroplex. I have assumed that Stone Mountain made Adventure Mountain more expendable because a like attraction is at Stone Mountain and actually remove a bit of intercompany competion. It's also interesting that foam ball shooting play area was axed as well Dreamland became Owen's Farm. Stone Mountain has the Giant Barn that fills that void. Just an observation.

[runner1960]

Hey, let's talk about the park....

I know that Dollywood and the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area depends heavily on the Atlanta Metroplex. I have assumed that Stone Mountain made Adventure Mountain more expendable because a like attraction is at Stone Mountain and actually remove a bit of intercompany competion. It's also interesting that foam ball shooting play area was axed as well Dreamland became Owen's Farm. Stone Mountain has the Giant Barn that fills that void. Just an observation.

I have never been to Stone Mountain and really have no desire to go. Looking at the website it is just kind of a Meh ok attraction. Looks like Herschend leases the rights from the state.

[shavethewhales]

Post deleted. I guess I wasn't supposed to talk about the topic.

There wasn't anything wrong with what you posted (not that I agreed) - not really sure what led you to that conclusion.



Stone Mountain was supposed to become a much bigger attraction at one point. HFEC had planned a water park addition and even already had a number of water slides ordered and delivered when those plans fell through for some reason. It seems like a lot of their other events/additions over the years have disappeared as well. It's like the state wants to keep it quieter instead of generating more tourism.

[Hollwood]

^ Big Rock Water Park was the name, and the SMMA changed their mind after the slides were purchased...Spalsh Island at Wild Adventures and Splash Country had big additions in the years following its demise....