Jeff Crouere: Louisiana Democrats abandon Jefferson and Jackson

A once proud political party has now been completely overtaken by the insidious forces of political correctness. For decades, Democrats celebrated two of their founders, Presidents Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson, with an annual banquet. This event was held across the country as a fundraiser for local and state Democratic Party organizations. Yet, in an era when historical revisionism and political correctness runs amok, state party organizations have begun to change the names of the annual event.

The Louisiana Democratic Party has become the latest state organization to join the bandwagon and disown Jefferson and Jackson. Their upcoming banquet, which will be held in New Orleans on August 26, will now be called the “True Blue Gala.” Presumably, no one will be offended by the word “blue,” but in this age of snowflakes and professional protesters, we can never be sure.

Louisiana Democratic Party Chairwoman Karen Carter Peterson said the name change reflects “the progress of the party and the changing times.”

Disavowing two presidents and American heroes is not “progress,” but pure idiocy. By the way, Democrats should be careful in highlighting Carter Peterson as their spokeswoman. She is not exactly an expert on proper language and behavior. For example, during one of the final days of the recently completed legislative session, Carter Peterson, a Louisiana state senator from New Orleans, was talking loudly in the back of the chamber and was asked by a Republican colleague to keep quiet. This incensed Carter Peterson and she yelled at her fellow lawmaker to “F.. off.”

While Louisiana Democrats don’t mind a chairwoman who uses foul language, they now have a major problem with Jefferson and Jackson. The reason for the banquet makeover is that Jefferson and Jackson owned slaves. Today, in our world of politically correct revisionism, it seems every historical figure is being judged by our present-day values. It is no surprise that so many of our Founding Fathers and Presidents do not survive such unfair scrutiny with their reputations intact.

Current Democratic Party leaders should not feel morally superior as future generations may view these leaders very negatively. An activity that is legal today, such as abortion, may be perceived by future generations as barbaric. Similarly, we justifiably view slavery as a horrific practice; although it was officially legal until the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified on December 6, 1865.

Thomas Jefferson was one of our greatest Presidents, a true genius, who wrote the Declaration of Independence, one of the most influential and consequential documents in world history. His contributions to our nation, including the major expansion of the United States with the signing of the Louisiana Purchase, are being overlooked because he owned slaves. Soon, Democrats may call for the Jefferson Memorial in Washington D.C. to be destroyed or for the American cities and the Louisiana parish, named after the former President to undergo a name change.

Andrew Jackson was a genuine war hero and President. He saved New Orleans and preserved the country by leading a rag tag army to victory against elite British troops. This monumental triumph at the Battle of New Orleans is memorialized at the Chalmette Battlefield, a site that may be targeted for destruction by the forces of political correctness because Jackson was a slave owner.

This banquet change was announced weeks after officials from the Mayor Mitch Landrieu administration removed four Confederate monuments in New Orleans.

The next step for politically correct activists in New Orleans is to remove the iconic statue of Andrew Jackson in the French Quarter. After the banquet announcement by Louisiana Democratic leaders, it is logical to assume the party supports the destruction of the most photographed spot in the Gulf South.

Where will this end? In New Orleans, liberal agitators were successful in 1997 in persuading the local school board to remove the name of George Washington, our nation’s first president, but a slave owner, from an elementary school.

The result of the name changes, revisionism and political correctness is more hatred for the history and Founding Fathers of this country.

Americans should thank God and feel quite fortunate that our nation was led by great heroes and Presidents such as Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson.

This is true whether the Democratic Party wants to acknowledge it or not.
Jeff Crouere is a native of New Orleans and is the host of a Louisiana based program, “Ringside Politics.”