Texas Gov. Greg Abbott pooh-poohed the removal of Confederate monuments across the country because it "won't erase our nation's past and it doesn't advance our nation's future."
"Racist and hate-filled violence — in any form — is never acceptable, and as governor, I have acted to quell it," Abbott said in the statement obtained by The Texas Tribune.
"My goal as governor is to eliminate the racist and hate-filled environment we are seeing in our country today. But we must remember that our history isn't perfect. If we do not learn from our history, we are doomed to repeat it.
"Instead of trying to bury our past, we must learn from it and ensure it doesn't happen again. Tearing down monuments won't erase our nation's past, and it doesn't advance our nation's future."
In recent days, municipalities across the nation have been removing Confederate monuments because of their links to slavery. The removals come in the wake of a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia that left one dead.
"Abbott added: As governor, I will advance that future through peace, not violence, and I will do all I can to keep our citizens safe."
On Thursday, President Donald Trump weighed in on the Confederate purge, calling the artifacts "beautiful statues" and saying their removal is "foolish."
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