Rep. Chellie Pingree Challenges Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's Comments on National Monuments and Robert E. Lee

Pingree counters Greene's claims on historical figures and monument removal, highlighting that Robert E. Lee was a Confederacy general, not a Founding Father, and the removal of his statue was a local decision, not part of a federal initiative.

• Rep. Chellie Pingree challenged Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene during a debate on an amendment aimed at halting the removal of national monuments. Greene argued that monument removal efforts, including that of Confederate General Robert E. Lee's statue, is an attempt by Democrats to 'erase our history.'
• Pingree pointed out that Robert E. Lee was not a Founding Father, but a Confederate general. She clarified that the removal of Lee's statue was a decision taken by the city of Charlottesville, and not a federal initiative as suggested by Greene.
• Pingree criticised those who support banning books and altering curriculum while also advocating the preservation of 'painful monuments' which potentially damage and interfere with the enjoyment of public spaces.
• The statue of Robert E. Lee in Charlottesville, which was a focal point of the 2017 'Unite the Right' rally, was removed in 2021 and was later melted down to create a more 'inclusive' monument.
• Greene, who has previously supported Confederate monuments, responded to Pingree's comments by insisting that no funds should be allocated to removing any monuments. She voiced that such efforts to remove monuments was an 'outrage' and likened it to actions taken in communist countries.

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