TEXANS, YOUR VOICE IS NEEDED TO SAVE THE ALAMO CENOTAPH

Controversy has dogged the Reimagine The Alamo Plan ever since it started. After reviewing the Master Plan by team “Reimagine the Alamo” to significantly improve the visitor experience at Texas’ most historic and cherished site, it’s became clear that the state of Texas and the city of San Antonio are demonstrating to the nation and the world why you should never entrust an historic site to politicians and bureaucrats.
Since 2017 when the plan was made public Texans have been largely skeptical and unreceptive to the proposals. Instead of fostering enthusiasm and pride, the public is expressing shock and angst. The Texas Legislature provided funds for upgrading the plaza after viewing the concepts of the creators of the Alamo Plaza Project. The money was intended to repair and preserve the Alamo Church, to reclaim (as much as possible) the “footprint” of the Alamo, and restore certain structures and walls such as the Low Barracks/Main Gate, Crockett’s Palisade, and much of the west wall, including Travis’ headquarters. But the spirit and intent expressed by the Texas legislature was set aside for a different direction — an alternate vision as laid out in the “Reimagine the Alamo” Master Plan.
After evaluation of the master plan, it made Texans wonder if it was designed by a landscaping team from Better Homes and Gardens instead of Texas Historians. Of course that blame solely falls on the shoulders of George P Bush and the City of San Antonio. Instead of focusing on and presenting the most compelling moment in Texas history, the master planners opt for a presentation that diminishes the sacrifice made by those who perished in the famous battle in preference for a memorial park where people can gather, lounge in the shade, cool their toes, and take pictures. This is not how we interpret and present our nation’s historic battlefields.

This Is Texas Freedom Force has been fighting the Reimagine the Alamo Plan since mid 2017. Since the beginning our primary objective is to ensure the #AlamoCenotaph stays in its original location. Our commitment and determination to save the 60 ft. high 40 ft. long #AlamoCenotaph located in front of the Alamo has inspired thousands of Texans from all across the state, to keep the memorial from being moved/removed. Texans should question whether or not the perceived benefits of moving the Cenotaph some 500 feet South to a new location in front of the Menger Hotel are worth the costs and very real possibility that this priceless work of art by renowned sculptor Pompeo Coppini might be destroyed in the process of being dismantled and moved. 

Then there is question WHY? Why is it so important for the City of San Antonio and George P Bush to move the Alamo Cenotaph? Most of yall know that the Cenotaph's sculpture Pompeo Coppini picked this location out for several reasons. One, the cenotaph sits in the exact center of the entire Alamo Footprint. Two, Coppini wanted the sun to rise and set on the figures (Davy Crockett, William B Travis, J Bowie, etc.) on the side of the cenotaph. Last but not least the Alamo Cenotaph sits on the Alamo Footprint. If George P Bush and the City of San Antonio get their way the cenotaph will sit off of the Alamo Footprint. 

When This Is Texas Freedom Force attended a private meeting with District 1 City Councilman Roberto Trevino and Reimagine The Alamo Engineers, the question was brought up "Why does the Cenotaph have to be moved". Immediately the meeting was shut down and no answer was given. Trevino's response was, "We can schedule another meeting to answer that question". After several attempts by TITFF directors to set up that meeting, it was made clear that no meeting will take place to answer that question. What is the City of San Antonio hiding? Why can't they answer this question? 

There is much speculation that the plan is to start work on the cenotaph and have a "Ooops moment" where they damage the cenotaph. Then the city will claim they don't have the money to repair it, and it will sit in a dark, damp warehouse indefinitely, just like they did with the Travis Park Monument. Some believe this is an attempt to rewrite history, others believe this about money. Whatever the case, we cannot give them an inch ( #NotOneInch), if we do, they are likely to dishonor the empty tomb of the Alamo Defenders. 

There is renewed hope to save the cenotaph since Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick spoke up and criticized George P Bush's handling of the Reimagine the Alamo Project. 

184 years ago tomorrow, brave men fought and died to save the Alamo. It was a battle that changed the course of history for Texas, the United States and the world. Now it is time for Texans to come together to fight for it again.
“In 2015, the Texas Legislature provided funding to preserve the Alamo and begin the process of rebuilding Alamo Plaza so Texans and the world can see the battlefield as it was on March 6, 1836.
“I have asked people from all across this great state about their vision for this effort. The job of oversight for this project is the responsibility of the General Land Office headed by Commissioner George P. Bush. It is evident to me that both the design, planning and execution of the project is badly off track.
“Nothing defines the independent and the courageous spirit of Texas more than our iconic Alamo and, like most Texans, I treasure it. The history of the Alamo is a personal passion of mine. I do not intend to sit quietly and see this project fail.
“Millions of state dollars have already been spent to begin the initial process of restoring the current buildings at the Alamo and buying the adjacent property to reclaim much of the entire battlefield. Significant additional funding will be necessary to complete this project.
“Texans from across the state are quite clear about what they expect to see upon the completion of the Alamo restoration project:
“The primary focus of the Alamo conservation and restoration must focus on the battle itself, not the 200-year history of early Spanish settlement in Texas. That story is already impressively depicted through San Antonio’s Mission Trail.

“Alamo Plaza should resemble, as closely as possible, the actual fort as it was in 1836. While some space limitations exist, there is room to re-create the barricade adjacent to the Alamo mission that Crockett defended, the front gate, the room where Bowie was killed, the west wall, the Trevino House inside the fort where Travis resided and likely wrote his letters, and to rebuild the long barracks where many of the defenders made their final stand.

“To educate our children, Texans want a world-class visitor center that is interactive and tells the story of the Battle of the Alamo. The visitor center must complement the Alamo in design and not overwhelm it.
“There is no disagreement that the Cenotaph needs repair, but there has been substantial disagreement on its final location. I have yet to hear a good explanation of why the Cenotaph must be moved. In the Republican Primary on Tuesday, nearly 98% of voters supported Proposition 7, which would prohibit the removal of historic monuments in Texas, including the Cenotaph. This issue now seems to be settled.
“I have seen two architectural renderings so far, including the latest one a few weeks ago, and neither are anything close to what the people of Texas are expecting. The latest looks like a massive urban park with hundreds of trees – more like Central Park in New York City than Alamo Plaza. We have wasted significant public dollars on designs which most Texans would immediately reject. Today, I’m asking for transparency to finally be injected into the process and for the Land Commissioner to release all designs.
“We simply must get the Alamo preservation project right, because what we do now will be with us forever. The Texas Historical Commission is holding a meeting later this month where I trust several Alamo issues will be addressed.
“If the General Land Office cannot handle this important job, and to date it does not appear it can, I will recommend we identify another entity to provide oversite"

​Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick

How can I help to save the Alamo Cenotaph?

There are a few ways, you as Texans, can help us save the Alamo Cenotaph. First, please take a few minutes out your life to call or write Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and ask him to ask Governor Greg Abbott to call a special session so that a #MonumentProtectionBill can be passed. This will stop the City of San Antonio and George P Bush from ram rodding their Alamo Master Plan down the throats of Texans. This Is Texas Freedom Force has been visiting Senators, House Members and Legislators, gaining their support, and we are prepared to hit the ground running with a Monument Protection Bill. We fully believe we have enough support from both Republicans and Democrats to get this bill passed. 

LT. GOV. DAN PATRICK
1-512-463-0001
PO BOX 12068 AUSTIN, TX 78711
( you can be linked directly to his email by clicking on the box below)


Secondly, there is a Texas Historical Commission Meeting in Houston, TX on March 24, 2020. At the first meeting, there were only about 10 people who showed up to speak on behalf of the Alamo Cenotaph. Despite the low turnout, the Commission kicked the can down the road to be decided in March. If we can pack the meeting with hundreds of Texans, it is likely that we will be able to convince  the Texas Historical Commission to stop them from moving the Alamo Cenotaph. The address and other information about the meeting is posted on both our This Is Texas Freedom Force Facebook event and on our web site colander. This will likely be the last meeting where the public can speak out against the moving/removing of the Alamo Cenotaph. Please come out and take a stand for Texas History!

TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION MEETING
MARCH 24, 2020
2900 SAGE ROAD
HOUSTON, TEXAS
9:00AM

Last but not least contact your representative and ask them to join our Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick in demanding a special session be called. The more push Patrick gets, the better our chances to stop the City of San Antonio and George P Bush from moving/removing the Alamo Cenotaph. 


These are our best options at this time. Yes, there are lawsuits out there, but these lawsuits will have little effect, if any at all. Remember, the lawsuits filed on other monuments haven't ended well (except for one). When Trevino was provided the deed to the Alamo Cenotaph, which said that the space could not be used for anything but the cenotaph, Trevino laughed and said," Our lawyers will find a way around it". We have to remember that the City of San Antonio has a lot of money, to pay top lawyers, and eventually get the lawsuits dismissed. Not to mention Texans have no clue where the bulk of the $450 million dollars allotted to the Reimagine The Alamo Project has gone. So please make a call or email our Lt. Gov. and attend the March 24th Texas Historical Commission Meeting. 

CLICK HERE TO CONTACT LT GOV DAN PATRICK

TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION MEETING