VIDEO: Resident’s React to Representative Karl Oliver’s Facebook Post

WINONA, Miss. (WCBI)- Residents of Winona expressed both disappointment in Oliver’s post & some even spoke out in his defense.

Confederate monuments, like the one in front of the public library in Winona, are the exact ones that Representative Karl Oliver is standing behind. However, people are questioning his approach.

“Do you know what that really means? Hanging!,” says resident Mary Moore.

“Lynched probably not, but taking a cane and whooping their butts with it might be a good thing to do,” says resident Barbara Sheppard.

When New Orleans removed its final confederate monument on Friday, State Representative Karl Oliver took to Facebook.

Most residents we spoke with agreed with his stance but not how he executed it.

“Taking down the confederate monuments is wrong, but he probably spoke out of line,” says Teresa Fosse.

“I read it, I agree with it. I mean, you cannot change history. You know, he could’ve probably worded a little bit different, but I still agree with him,” says Cindy Blanton.

Many agree, the monuments are a part of history and shouldn’t be touched.

“The people who are doing that, I think are for attention, I think they are ignorant, I think they need to be educated and required to have some history classes undoubtedly- and if you stop and look at the people who are taking down our monuments down, they have no heritage here. They’re a conceived perception of the past, and they need to get over it,” says Sheppard.

Others feel like his apology isn’t enough.

“Just making a statement, as far as I’m concerned, he needs to be out of office,” says Leroy Nash.

“We need to get together in Montgomery County. We need to get together, because this is not right,” says Moore.

“It’s disappointing, it shouldn’t have been said, it shouldn’t have been wrote on his stuff. If he’s a state representative then he should represent himself as that way,” says Demetrus Elder.

There’s no word yet on whether or not they’ll be further repercussions for Representative Oliver but make sure to stay tuned to WCBI News for further updates.