In Defense of Statues

"I have to admit, I'm a deplorable. I cling to my bible and I cling to guns,” said U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman (SC) on the statehouse steps on Saturday afternoon. Here with SC - We the People, the congressman addressed a group rallying against the removal of statues, many threatened during America’s modern reckoning with racism and colonialism.

“This is a spiritual battle and God is stronger than that group back there,” he tells the maskless audience about counter protestors, now disbanding after arriving on statehouse grounds 45 minutes before.

"You go away, we have a right to be here! We love god! We love our country - the military! You go away!” shouted a woman with a pink Trump flag who rushed to greet the the counter protestors on their arrival. Chanting, “No Trump, No KKK, No Fascist USA!” the counter-protestors were met by a handful of statue supporters.

“No! You’re the fascists!” shouted a man as others demanded police arrest counter protestors, one getting in the face of a state trooper during his demand. After a flurry of verbal punches they settled down, returning to their folding chairs and cast of speakers.

“People ask me all the time, Ralph - why can't you reach across the aisle? How do you reach across the aisle to those who believe in killing babies? How do you reach across the aisle to those that want to take our guns away? How do you reach across the aisle to those who wanna open up every border and let everybody in - and pay for everything?” Norma continnued.

The more than hour long program of speakers appeared to ignore President Donald Trump’s recent hospitalization because of Covid-19.

Rep. Ralph Norman