Quint Studer opened the 2020 Entrecon with a talk on the importance of consistent situational character.
“When you hit a crossroads, what do you do? Do you choose character over comfort?†Studer asked the 500-plus registered participants.
He talked about the city of Pensacola’s debate to remove the Confederate Monument for Lee Square. Three years ago, when Southern cities were removing Confederate statues and monuments in the wake the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, then-Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward said he wanted the city’s “Our Confederate Dead†removed from city property. However, he never presented the proposal to the city council.
This summer, Pensacola City Councilwoman Sherri Myers started the clock on the monument’s removal. All but one council member voted in favor of her recommendation to do away with the statue. Mayor Grover Robinson supported the removal. The city had to battle a lawsuit and prevailed in court, and the statue has been removed.
Inweekly supported the removal in 2017 and voiced disappointment that city officials didn’t follow through on Hayward’s initial statement. We repeated our stance after Mayor Robinson was elected in 2019 and joined the local Dream Defenders in calling for its removal. Read Outtakes – Move It and Outtakes – No Longer Frozen.
In June 2020, Studer came out in support of removing the statue. At Entrecon, he talked about trying to get other community leaders to join him.
“People even have told me that they wanted it down, and I asked them to come out,†he said. “Some of them didn’t come out—and that’s their complete individual choice, but I wonder why not?â€
He suggested leaders were reluctant because “sometimes it’s going to create discomfort, and sometimes it’s going to create unpopularity, and sometimes it’s even going to hurt our business.â€
The Confederate monument debate put leaders in a situation of whether to choose character or comfort.
Studer offered several examples of situations in business when that decision is being made on a daily basis. He advised the audience to “anchor†their values, standards, integrity, and character and “anchor them deep.†He said, “Then all of a sudden there’s really no situation that we have to deal with that we don’t have a clear answer.â€
He added that inaction can be still be an action because it may send a message that behavior not consistent with one’s values or an organization’s culture is permissible.
“When it came to the 1890-something statue in Pensacola, my issue is if I didn’t come out and say something, I don’t think I could ever drive downtown without feeling like I should have done something,†said Studer. “Wrong or right, I felt I did something that I believed in.â€
He added, “Great companies and communities are made of character builders, not comfort seekers. So my message is, let’s continue to choose character, let’s make a difference in the world, and you won’t regret it.â€
I was wondering when one of you would show up. You still missed the point. Who wrote the lyrics.
Your understanding is misplaced as usual. I actually did fact check it. It illustrates a point.
It went over your head. Read between the lines.
You fall for the other false narratives now being spun around the original purposes for these monuments for the south to reconcile with the north after a civil war.
But we know what happened. Studer wanted it down. It’s down.
He may have money and influence but a misunderstanding of deeper historical truths about reconciliation and war.
False historical narratives like the one employed by Joan above are one of the main reasons removing this statue was a necessity to begin with.
Fact check : FALSE
“‘Taps’ was composed in July 1862 at Harrison’s Landing in Virginia, but aside from that basic fact, the fanciful piece quoted above in no way reflects the reality of that melody’s origins.
There was no dead son, Confederate or otherwise; no lone bugler sounding out the dead boy’s last composition. How the call came into being was never anything more than one influential soldier’s deciding his unit could use a bugle call for particular occasions and setting about to come up with one.
If anyone can be said to have composed ‘Taps,’ it was Brig. Gen. Daniel Butterfield, Commander of the 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, V Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, during the American Civil War. Dissatisfied with the customary firing of three rifle volleys at the conclusion of burials during battle and also wanting a less harsh bugle call for ceremonially signaling the end of a soldier’s day, he likely altered an older piece known as “Tattoo,†a French bugle call used to signal “lights out,†into the call we now know as ‘Taps.’
Summoning his brigade’s bugler, Private Oliver Willcox Norton, to his tent one evening in July 1862, Butterfield (whether he wrote ‘Taps’ straight from the cuff or improvised something new by rearranging an older work) worked with the bugler to transform the melody into its present form. As Private Norton later wrote of that occasion:”
More fun facts
“‘Taps’ was quickly taken up by both sides of the conflict, and within months was being sounded by buglers in both Union and Confederate forces.
Then as now, ‘Taps’ serves as a vital component in ceremonies honoring military dead. It is also understood by American servicemen as an end-of-day ‘lights out’ signal.
When “Taps†is played at a military funeral, protocol calls for military members to salute if in uniform, or place one’s hand over one’s heart if not.”
Easy enough to get all of this on Snopes for those who like the truth.
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/tapping-the-admirable/
Many missed the point of the Confederate veterans’ monument:
“If any of you have ever been to a military funeral in which taps was played; this brings out a new meaning of it.
But, do you know the story behind the song? If not, I think you will be interested to find out about its humble beginnings.
Reportedly, it all began in 1862 during the Civil War, when Union Army Captain Robert Elli was with his men near Harrison’s Landing in Virginia . The Confederate Army was on the other side of the narrow strip of land.
During the night, Captain Elli heard the moans of a soldier who lay severely wounded on the field. Not knowing if it was a Union or Confederate soldier, the Captain decided to risk his life and bring the stricken man back for medical attention. Crawling on his stomach through the gunfire, the Captain reached the stricken soldier and began pulling him toward his encampment..
When the Captain finally reached his own lines, he discovered it was actually a Confederate soldier, but the soldier was dead.
The Captain lit a lantern and suddenly caught his breath and went numb with shock. In the dim light, he saw the face of the soldier. It was his own son. The boy had been studying music in the South when the war broke out.. Without telling his father, the boy enlisted in the Confederate Army.
The following morning, heartbroken, the father asked permission of his superiors to give his son a full military burial, despite his enemy status. His request was only partially granted.
The Captain had asked if he could have a group of Army band members play a funeral dirge for his son at the funeral.
The request was turned down since the soldier was a Confederate.
But, out of respect for the father, they did say they could give him only one musician.
The Captain chose a bugler. He asked the bugler to play a series of musical notes he had found on a piece of paper in the pocket of the dead youth’s uniform.
This wish was granted.
The haunting melody, we now know as ‘Taps’ used at military funerals was born.
The words are:
Day is done.
Gone the sun.
From the lakes
From the hills.
From the sky.
All is well..
Safely rest.
God is nigh.
Fading light.
Dims the sight.
And a star.
Gems the sky.
Gleaming bright.
From afar.
Drawing nigh.
Falls the night.
Thanks and praise.
For our days.
Neath the sun
Neath the stars.
Neath the sky
As we go..
This we know.
God is nigh
I too have felt the chills while listening to ‘Taps’ but I have never seen all the words to the song until now. I didn’t even know there was more than one verse . I also never knew the story behind the song and I didn’t know if you had either so I thought I’d pass it along.
I now have an even deeper respect for the song than I did before.
Remember Those Lost and Harmed While Serving Their Country.
Also Remember Those Who Have Served And Returned; and for those presently serving in the Armed Forces. “