WATCH: ‘Cowards’ Remove Confederate Statues, Says Black Fmr. Dallas Councilwoman

A black former Dallas city councilwoman joined with Confederate history organizations to oppose the tearing down of statues honoring the historical figures from the past.

Former Dallas city councilwoman Sandra Crenshaw told a local CBS reporter, “I’m not intimidated by Robert E. Lee’s statue. I’m not intimidated by it. It doesn’t scare me.”

“We don’t want America to think that all African Americans are supportive of this,” Crenshaw said. She expressed that she believes the thoughts of those wanting to tear down these statues are “misguided.”

“Some people think that by taking a statue down, that’s going to erase racism,” she explained.

She is now joining with Buffalo Soldier historians and Sons of Confederate Veterans groups to protect the statues that many seek to tear down.

A current member of the Dallas City Council disagrees. “What we don’t do is leave up a monument that celebrates the very idea that some of us are not equal to the others,” Councilman Philip Kingston told CBSDFW. “These monuments distort history, they don’t teach history.”

Skylar Craig, an Austin, Texas, resident, told CBSDFW he believes Confederate statues must remain in place. “It’s a part of history. And even if it’s a bad part of history, it’s something you have to remember,” he expressed.

Crenshaw has a personal link to these historical markers. We found out that we are the children of the sons and daughters of the Confederacy,” she explained.  “I call the people out here fighting to remove statues … I call them cowards.”

Dallas historian, Dr. Michael Philips, disagrees with Crenshaw.

“I find Ms. Crenshaw’s comments peculiar, particular after what happened to Charlottesville,” Philips explained. “The man who ran over the counter-demonstrators was shaped by this.” He is calling for the removal of Confederate statues in the Dallas area and the renaming of Dallas schools named after Confederate leaders.

Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings has yet to weigh in on the issue, saying he will hold a press conference later this week.