Feds to Philly on President's House suit: Focus on city's jobless rate, 'reckless' cashless bail policy instead

[Healt]

Philadelphia and the federal government are locked in a bitter dispute over the removal of historical exhibits from Independence National Historical Park, specifically those commemorating slavery at President's House. The Trump administration's decision to strip these signs has sparked a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of the Interior, with city officials claiming the move was arbitrary and capricious.

The controversy centers on the city's right to approve the final design of the exhibit, as outlined in a 2006 cooperative agreement between Philadelphia and the National Parks Service. The Trump administration's decision to unilaterally rewrite history without consulting the city has led Mayor Cherelle Parker to back the lawsuit, arguing that the removal of these signs undermines the authority granted to local officials.

The federal government, however, is taking a hardline stance, telling Philadelphia to focus on addressing its jobless rate and ending its cashless bail policy rather than pursuing what it sees as a frivolous lawsuit. The Interior Department has characterized the city's actions as an attempt to "demean" the country's founding history.

The signs in question told the personal stories of enslaved people who lived at President's House, which was once George Washington's home in Philadelphia. Washington owned nine slaves during his time there, and one slave escaped from the site. The removal of these signs has been met with criticism from historians and civil rights groups, who see it as an attempt to erase a painful chapter in American history.

The lawsuit seeks to have the signs reinstated and prevents the federal agencies from damaging or removing them again without following relevant agreements and laws. As one official noted, "defendants have provided no explanation for their removal of historical, educational displays at the President's House site... there is no dispute that slaves resided at President's House or that one of President Washington's slaves escaped from that site."

 

[Relentless]

I'm really disappointed in what's going down with those exhibits at Independence National Historical Park. Like, can't we just learn from our past and be honest about it? The signs are there to help us understand the harsh realities of slavery and its impact on our country. Removing them is like, erasing a part of our history, you know? I don't think it's right that the federal government is telling Philly what to do with their own park. It's like, they're trying to impose their own agenda on us. Mayor Parker is totally in the right here - we need to stand up for our city's voice and make sure we're representing our history accurately. I'm not surprised that some historians and civil rights groups are speaking out against this move, either. It's just common sense to preserve our shared history and learn from it.

 

[Fant]

omg u guys this is like such a huge deal!!! I mean i get it both sides have valid points but come on who does the fed think they are erasing history like that?! those signs told stories of ppl's lives and struggles and it's not just about jobless rates or cashless bail no way!!! we gotta preserve our past so we don't repeat mistakes ok? I'm lowkey hoping Philly wins this lawsuit btw

 

[Fragile Flatworm]

Ugh, can't believe this ! They're trying to erase our dark history and it's just not right. I mean, what's the point of even having museums and historical parks if we're just gonna cover up the truth? The fact that they're making a big deal about Philly's jobless rate and cashless bail policy is just ridiculous... who cares about those issues when our history is being messed with? I'm so sick of politicians trying to rewrite history to suit their own agendas. Just leave it alone and let the people decide what's important!

 

[Cha]

I'm totally freaking out about this ! The idea that our government would even consider messing with history like this is just wild . I mean, come on, the Trump administration is basically trying to erase a part of America's dark past and it's so not cool . As someone who loves learning about history, I think it's super important for us to acknowledge our mistakes and work towards becoming a better country .

I'm all for local officials having a say in the design of exhibits in their parks , and it sounds like Philly had a solid agreement with the National Parks Service. It's not about "dissing" America's founding history, it's about preserving our collective memory and learning from our past .

Let's hope this lawsuit makes its way to court and those signs get reinstated . We need more transparency and accountability when it comes to historical preservation, especially in public spaces where we can all learn from each other .

 

[Dep]

This whole situation just feels like a case of historical revisionism gone wrong. I mean, come on, we're talking about erasing the painful history of slavery and its impact on America. The Trump administration's decision to remove those signs was a huge mistake. It's like they think they can just rewrite history willy-nilly without anyone questioning it.

The city's right to approve exhibit designs is clearly outlined in that 2006 agreement, so why are the feds trying to override that? It's not like this is a new development; they've been pushing their agenda for years. And now they're trying to silence Philadelphia and undermine local authority? No way.

It's also pretty sad that the government is trying to deflect from the real issue by bringing up unrelated topics like jobless rates and cashless bail policies. I mean, those are important issues, but this is about preserving our shared history, not solving economic problems.

 

[Mystic Mountain Climber]

I mean, I'm all for preserving history and being honest about America's past, but this whole thing feels like a total mess . The city has every right to have a say in what goes on at their park, and it's not fair that the feds are basically dictating what can and can't be displayed there. I get that the Trump admin wanted to make some changes, but doing it without consulting Philly? That just seems like a power move . And yeah, the signs were telling an important story about slavery and its impact on America - erasing that from history wouldn't help anything. It's all just so frustrating .

 

[Papal Insect Hell]

Ugh man, this is so messed up . I mean, come on, we gotta keep the history real, you know? These signs are important, they're not just some random exhibits, they're about telling the truth about what went down at President's House. It's not like we're erasing the past or anything (but honestly who wants to remember that stuff? ). The fact that Philly gets a say in the design of these exhibits is pretty cool too, it's all about community and making sure our history reflects who we are as a city. And can we talk about how tone-deaf the feds are on this one? "Focus on jobless rates"?? Like what does that have to do with anything? The Interior Department needs to chill out and listen to the people, you know? This lawsuit is totally justified, it's not like Philly is being unreasonable or anything.

 

[Little Coo]

I think it's super unfair that Philly's getting pushed around like this. I mean, come on, we're talkin' about slavery history here! Those signs are crucial to understand the real story behind Independence National Historical Park. It's not just about some arbitrary decision from the Trump admin; it's about erasin' a dark part of American history. The city's got every right to have a say in how the exhibits are designed and presented. And let's be real, the gov't is tryin' to avoid dealin' with this sensitive topic by tellin' Philly to focus on other issues... it's just not gonna work that way . I'm all for transparency and education; we gotta face our past if we wanna move forward!

 

[Exuberant Eel]

OMG, this is so frustrating ! Can't believe the Trump admin is trying to pull a fast one on Philly like this. I mean, what's next? Removing all the historical markers in DC? The city has every right to have a say in how their own history is represented - it's not like they're asking for a free ride . And the fact that they're trying to shame the city into focusing on other issues is just ridiculous . I mean, yeah, jobless rate and cashless bail are important, but can't we have a national conversation about our past too? It's not like these signs are gonna break the bank . The idea that historians and civil rights groups are speaking out against this is because it's an attempt to erase a painful chapter in American history - let's own up to our mistakes and learn from them, you know?

 

[Silly Sloth]

I mean, come on, can't they just let history speak for itself? Removing signs that tell the story of slavery and its impact on America seems like a step backward to me. It's not about politicking or focusing on local issues, it's about preserving our nation's dark past so we don't repeat the same mistakes. The city should be able to have a say in how their own history is presented – it's only fair.

 

[The Secret Weap]

Wow , this is so messed up. The government is basically erasing a part of American history and it's just ridiculous. I mean, who decides what gets erased and what doesn't? It seems like they're trying to control the narrative about the country's founding, but that's not how it works. History is complex and multifaceted, and you can't just choose which parts to remember and which to forget.

 

[Orbital]

"Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it ." The fact that these historical exhibits are being removed is a perfect example of this quote. It's like the government is trying to rewrite history and we're all going to be left with a incomplete picture of our country's past. This whole thing just shows how much the federal government values its own power over the people's right to know and learn from their heritage ."

 

[Poised Po]

omg u guys i cant even believe what's going down in philly theyre literally fighting over historical exhibits and its getting so out of hand the city is saying they need to have a say in the final design and the gov is all like "focus on ur jobless rate" lol like what even is that & btw theres actually a pretty good article about this on wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President's_House_(Philadelphia)

 

[Rural Cha]

this whole thing just feels like a big misstep to me. I mean, come on, we're talking about historical exhibits here, not some contentious issue that sparks controversy. The Trump admin's move is basically rewriting history without even consulting the city - it's like they think they can just erase a painful chapter in American history willy-nilly?

And let's be real, the federal government's response to the lawsuit is basically saying 'mind your own business' when it comes to local officials having a say in their park. It's not about jobless rates or cashless bail policy, it's about preserving our collective history and respecting the voices of those who lived through slavery.

I think this whole thing has become a slippery slope - if we start erasing historical exhibits, where do we draw the line? The signs in question are basically a reminder of the country's ugly past, but that doesn't mean they should be removed. They're an important part of our history and we should be preserving them, not trying to sweep them under the rug.

 

[Poor Piran]

man this whole thing got me thinking about how we gotta preserve our history, you know? like, we can't just erase the hard stuff and expect everyone to be okay with it. these exhibits were put up to educate people, to make them think about what went down in america's past. now that they're gone, we're just gonna forget about it? i don't think so...

i mean, the city's right to have a say in how their own history is presented. it's not like they're trying to rewrite the entire story of america or anything. they just want to make sure that the truth is told, and that we learn from our mistakes. the feds are being super uptight about this, but come on... can't they see the importance of preserving our history?

 

[Downtown Limbo]

I'm not totally sure about this one. On one hand, I get why Philly wants to keep these signs up - it's a part of the city's history and important for understanding the past. But on the other hand, I think the feds have a point that the city can't just unilaterally decide how the exhibits are designed. It feels like they're trying to exert too much control over what gets presented as 'facts' about our founding history. And honestly, some of these signs do feel a bit heavy-handed - I mean, we get it, slavery was bad, but do we really need the government telling us that? It's like they're trying to rewrite history instead of just adding context. Still, I guess it's better than just erasing the whole thing...

 

[Black Buf]

I'm so done with this. Can't believe the Trump admin is trying to erase history like this! The fact that they just stripped out these signs without even consulting Philly and now they're playing it like we can't handle our own local issues... please. What about accountability? These signs aren't some trivial thing, they tell a painful story that's still relevant today. And the government is trying to silence us by saying we need to focus on more "pressing" issues... give me a break! The city knows what it's doing and we should stand with Mayor Parker here. This isn't about being petty or being a pain in the butt, it's about preserving our history and respecting the people who came before us. So yeah, let's get behind this lawsuit and make sure these signs come back up!

 

[Awesome Wagon Chase]

idk why ppl are making such a fuss about this . it seems like philly just wants to have control over their own history park and the gov is all like "nope, we do". i get why they're upset tho, those signs were telling an important story that needs to be told. but at the same time, shouldn't they let ppl in philly decide how they want to present that story? it feels like a big power struggle .

 

[Homely Hedgehog]

u know i think its kinda funny how ppl get all bent outta shape over a few signs . like, yes we gotta acknowledge our dark pasts & stuff, but we cant just erase it either . im all for makin the exhibit better & more informative, but not by completly takin away the history that already exists!

also i think its kinda cool that philadelphia is standin up for itself & fightin back against the fed gov like mayor cherelle parker said, we gotta have local control over our own history, right?