BROWEIRD
Statue of Napoleon Broward The Governor in the flesh
greets all visitors to Circuit Criminal Courts
Everyone has seen the statue of Napoleon Broward in the Central Courthouse. People of all walks of life and ethnicity pass the benign likeness of the former Governor of Florida on their way to felony court (i.e., "drug war" court).
Most folks don't know much about the Governor except he was the namesake for our county.
Would it surprise you to learn he was an overt racist?
From Florida's Gubernatorial Politics in the Twentieth Century, by David R. Colburn and Richard K. Scher (University Presses of Florida: 1980):
"Florida's turn-of-the century progressive governors were one with their white constituents in the view that blacks were an inferior race and should be segregated... Napoleon Broward shared (the) view of black inferiority. However, Broward disagreed with (his predecessor, Governor) Jennings and other white Floridians in their proposal for alleviating the state's racial problems. Rather than enact more encompassing segregation laws, Broward, echoing the aim of the American Colonization Society in the early nineteenth century, recommended that Congress purchase territory either foreign or domestic and transport blacks to this land where they could live amongst themselves and govern themselves. No blacks would be permitted to migrate back to the United States. It was Broward's view that educating blacks would result in acute racial problems because blacks would feel frustrated by their secondary status in white society. The result, as he foresaw it, would be racial violence unless something was done soon to prevent it... (he) thought education would cause blacks to forget their "correct" social position." (p.220-221, p.289)
Does this idea sound familiar?
From Governor Broward's speech to the legislature, Tallahassee, 1907:
(recommending a resolution for) "Congress of the United States to purchase territory, either domestic or foreign, and provide means to purchase the property of the Negroes, at reasonable prices, and to transport them to the territory purchased by the United States. The United States to organize a government for them of the Negro race; to protect them from foreign invasion; to prevent white people from living among them on the territory; and to prevent Negroes from migrating back to the United States." Napoleon Bonaparte Broward, by Samuel Proctor (University of Florida Press: 1950 [p.252]; "[Broward was] a loyal and consistent supporter of the white supremacy theory" [p.272]).
There you have it. Not only does Broward County send non-violent black offenders to prison at twice the rate, per capita, of Miami-Dade and Palm Beach Counties, they erect a statue of a famous racist in the place where minorities are prosecuted, judged, and imprisoned at rates that wildly outstrip their representation in the general population.
What's that you say? It's unrealistic to change the name of the County at this point in time?
Well, you're right.
But why do our minority citizens, particularly African-Americans, have to stare down the life-sized likeness of a man who deemed them less than human, in a Courthouse where many feel they are mistreated, ignored, lied to, abused, and cheated?
It's 2008. Times were supposed to have a-changed a long time ago. If erecting this statue in the Courthouse was not a planned, overt affront, it certainly is another in a long history of thoughtless and perverse oversights.
Remove this statue now, or move it away from the criminal justice wing of the Courthouse. It's the only decent thing to do.
Broward hasn't changed very much, has it? We've still got judges that think the same way.
gee...i wonder who had the bright idea to put the statue of a racist in the rotunda of the courthouse????
I remember when the statute was not there. It was several months before I looked at the name and made the connection. He has worn plenty of goofy outfits when I used to walk be him. Always meant I was out the door. Miller time!
As far as it goes, some PDs with intestinal fortitude, if there is such a thing left, out to pull him down Saddam Style!
It was Seidman's idea to put it up. what a shock...and he was appointed gm by dale...all makes sense after what he did in hollywood
This is an excellent post and should garner some critical thinking. Perhaps someone with gravitas in our legal community could bring this to the attention of the county commission and begin a movement to change the name of this county - and at a minimum, remove this shrine.
Sounds like Howard has found a new target to critisize and complain about. Hey Howard, think your Sun Sentinel's do-girl Tonya Alanez can write a story about this courageous stance of yours?
Sounds like he won a partial victory. Only problem is that there are a few whites living among the blacks. The statue has to go.
grow a sack.
come on people. I ran a reelection campaign for a sitting judge. Nobody challenged me. I am supreme.
Bring it on Bill, Conway, Marshall. I am THE man in Broward politics and you know it.
Tear it down - how about a Thurgood Marshall or a Great Society era LBJ or some twisted metal a la modern art?
ughhhh
Will somebody knock that cocky smirk off his face or at least tell him off already. He knows no one will do it. He is just a bully if someone would get in his face he would run away
sadly he walks around the courthouse with that smirk that he really believes that and everyone walks by stopping to chat with him and/or smiles to say hello. sadly he is right no one on here has to nerve to tell him off or more. because of this more people then i like to believe really think your dumb comments are true
How about a popcorn machine?
Fresh, hot popcorn for your trip down the river?
BROWEIRD
Longtime and careful readers of the blog know our deep and abiding affection if not outright love for the courthouse and its denizens north of the border. Not.
Check out the post on the Broward Blog entitled "Broweird."
A statue of Florida Governor Napoleon Bonaparte Broward stands in the hallway to the entrance to the new wing of the courthouse. Against this bronze behemoth we have often banged our head in frustration having once again been "browarded" by a judge up there- be it having our client's bond revoked for getting a speeding ticket, or some other Broward nonsense.
Now, posted on the Broward blog, comes word that ol' Napoleon Broward was....(steady now) an avowed racist.
Broward judges want to send every client who comes before them to state prison. Napoleon Broward just wanted to send all African Americans to a colony purchased for them for the purposes of keeping the races pure and separate. Since most defendants Broward Judges send to prison are African American, perhaps the statue is a good thing, as it appears Napoleon Bonaparte Broward is getting his wish, albeit a hundred or so years later than he wanted.
Why are we not surprised that of all the possible persons significant in the history of Florida and this nation, that the powers that be north of the border put a statute of a racist in their courthouse?
Of course they named the whole damn county after this racist, so why would anyone be surprised at anything that happens up there?
See you in court, just not in certain courts, and now you know why.
http://www.justicebuilding.blogspot.com/
Wexler is in a bit of trouble.
You see, the longtime Democratic rep says he lives in Delray Beach. The Constitution demands that he be an inhabitant in the state of Florida, after all. But he really lives in Potomac MD. The house in Delray that calls his offiical residence? It's owned by Lawrence and Roslyn Cohen, the parents of Wexler's wife. And it's in a restricted over-55 community, which makes it impossible for Wexler and and his three children to reside there.
DAILY PULP
http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/pulp/
ive been thinking about this for a while: that slave owner George Washington.
Oh man.. we should change the name of Washington, D.C. immediately! I mean, blacks that live there are constantly reminded of slavery every day!
And what about that state of Washington! Change the name!
The Washington Monument: please, an attempt by the whites to act like they have the endowment of the other race. Please. Remove this monument now!
Maybe N.B.B. was just following Thomas "The racist" Jefferson's point of view: "Nothing is more certainly written in the book of fate than that these people are to be free. [But] the two races...cannot live in the same government. Nature, habit, opinion has drawn indelible lines of distinction between them." Tear down that Jefferson Memorial.
Now everything ive written was stated sarcastically. I agree that racism in every form is a shame, and comes from ignorance. I also agree that alot needs to be done immediately to stop the going rate of non-violent blacks to prison in Broward. Its a gigantic shame. But i find it hard to critize a statute created for the namesake of our county. He lived in a different time, folks. People and Thoughts evolve. Thankfully, we have progressed as people, a govt (3/5ths in the Constitution), and individually. There is Way more to go. But im pretty sure this statute wasnt created to disrespect blacks. And im confident Mr. Broward would feel differently today. Lets fault those at, well, fault for this predicament...not a statue of a man dead for 98 years.
Okay, who knows about the rumor that that schmiel Arreaza is going to sue or has filed suit against Finkelstein for some BS about the 119 requests?
Why am I always kept out of the loop?
maybe jesse jackson can cut his nuts off, while he is at it cut ross and his crew's nuts off---add satz to the list
we all relize how insulting this statue is to everyone--or should be---take it down----look at the reputation of broward---this is just crazy
why don't they arrest his ass and make him pay back what he has been paid. why do they get away with this kind of crap
Areazza can sue anyone he wants, just like Sprinkles. They'll both get just about as far...
Relax everyone.. The statute is actually of Assistant State Attorney, Ken Tinkham..
Not quite sure how the whole Broward thing got on there.
Hope this post clears everything up.
Sorry for the confusion
What better statue to sit in the Broward Courthouse. This place is about as backward as you can get. Take yourself back to the 50's and look around. That's about as far as we've progressed.
You make a good point BUT I think that statue would have been gone a long time ago if the man was a known anti-semite, don't you?
Equating the achievemnets of Broward to Jefferson and Washington is a bit of a stretch.
They were from different centuries too. Slavery was the law, while Broward, if he was like his Southern contemporaries, fought to turn the clocks back against the tide of existing laws. By the by, there are no statues of these slave owners in the courthouse.
If the Ten Commandments can be removed under Church/State as offensive, why not move this hater?
Or maybe the county name should be changed. Just kidding, but don't rule it out on a cost basis. It would be cheaper to take the name Broward off of everything than it was to remove the name Jenne from saddles, pens, buildings, cars, etc.
Take it down and you need to spend money to replace it. No way. Not with the cuts. The solution? Cut him in half and spray paint his face red. Now spend 20 bucks on a new plaque that says Dale Ross the longest serving CJ ever.
Take down the statue of the racist governor and replace with a composite of JIM CROW,ESQUIRE...... A melding of michael hamaway and ex-judge jay spechler..... hugging rhonda hollander.
Put up a Booher statue
Satz may not be doing God's work but he sure is doing Nap Broward's work!
MLK
just leave it there and make a statue of ross on his knees giving a blow
Another disappearing act by Howard today. BECON was to interview both candidates and Howard didn't show.
What a phuykin loser! Start packing your bags Howie... and Kathy... and oh yes, Frankie, too.
Heard some bad things were going on with howie? please let us know. You know alonez isn't going to put it out there, public records? Please...the public has a right to know????
Insane Anti-Howard guy better enjoy it while it lasts. August 26 is when reality comes crashing down.
They're coming to take me away!
To Rumplepole-small-dick:
Stay the f-ck out of Broward County you lame excuse for a human being and a lawyer. No one wants you here and no one wants you commenting to us about anything, especially the goings-on in Broward.
Your comment that "Broward judges want to send every client who comes before them to state prison." is disgraceful, disrespectful to all the people of Broward, ignorant, and idiotic, but then again what would you expect from someone who's from that corrupt third world banana republic cesspool known as miami and whose nom de plume is rump pole.
Governor Broward was as impoverished as anyone could be by the end of the civil war. He was 12 years old, orphaned and spent his life championing for the poor. A bigot would have spent his life making himself wealthy off the backs of the poor like many Floridians I could name. Please reflect on history before slandering someone who helped blacks and all poor. Slam the real bigots and crooks.
maybe we are worse now ..... at least in hypocrisy ............ THE BAR has an OATH OF ADMISSION that is broken by most lawyers and judges , routinely . THE BENCH AND BAR COMMITTEE honors buttheads like BEAVIS HAMAWAY , TED BUNDY MOMBACH , TIM McVEIGH HORKY and petunia hollander luyster .