Jimbo Fisher has a saying, “Your actions speak so loud I can’t hear what you’re saying.”
Lawrence Sullivan Ross’s actions have become the center of a movement to remove his statue from Texas A&M’s Academic Plaza, and quarterback Kellen Mond has placed himself at the forefront of that movement.
In a tweet on Tuesday night, Mond shared a statement titled, “Let’s Not Forget Sully,” in which he urged action from the university regarding Ross’s controversial past as a Confederate General and Texas Ranger.
Mond opened his statement by addressing the supporters of Ross and the statue.
“For the people who say ‘Let’s forget that Sully enslaved and killed Indians (Massacre at Pease River). Let’s forget that he sent The Houston Light Guards (First state militia unit) into a predominantly black community in Texas to dismantle, kill and wound the people (Jaybird-Woodpecker – Fort Bend County). Let’s forget that he was a Brigadier General in the Confederate States Army. Let’s forget that he was responsible for the deaths of thousands of people as he fought for a government dedicated to the preservation of slavery. Let’s forget that he stated ‘I would not recognize negroes as soldiers.’ Texas A&M University would not be here without Sully. Why can’t we forgive him and look at all of the good he has done?”
Mond goes on to liken forgiving Ross and honoring him with a statue to praising a generous murderer.
“That is like saying someone who murders half of a family, but gives the other half of the family millions of dollars and resources to be successful for the rest of their lives, should be forgiven by the family. Based on your ideology, people should forgive the murderer because he made up for his horrific actions by giving half of the family an opportunity to succeed. Based on your ideology, not only should you forgive the murderer, but you should also glorify the murderer.”
In his statement, Mond also included two quotes providing background information on the Confederate States of America and Ross’s time as a general.
The first came from the Declaration of Clauses, dated Feb. 2, 1861. This document is the declaration of Texas’ secession from the United States of America to join the Confederacy.
“We hold as undeniable truths that the governments of various States, and of the confederacy itself, were established exclusively by the white race, for themselves and their posterity; that the African race had no agency in their establishment; that they were rightfully held and regarded as an inferior and dependent race, and in that condition only could their existence in the country be rendered beneficial or tolerable.”
The second is pulled from an April 20, 1864, issue of the Memphis Daily Appeal.
“Gen. Ross, the gallant Texas ‘Negro killer,’ made a descent upon two brigades of black Yankees, at Snyder’s bluff, on Wednesday, the 30th ultimo, kiled and captured quite a number of them.”
Mond ended his statement with Fisher’s aforementioned quote and a call to the university to remove the statue.
“The values of Texas A&M University do not align with RACISM, VIOLENCE, SLAVERY & SEGREGATION, but Jimbo Fisher’s most prominent saying will always stick with me: ‘Your ACTIONS speak so loud I can’t hear what you’re saying,’” Mond said. “The Lawrence Sullivan Ross statue NEEDS to be removed. Texas A&M University I NEED to see ACTION.”
Many of Mond’s teammates and others in the sports world shared his statement on Twitter along with messages of support.
Shannon Sharpe and Skip Bayless also discussed Mond’s statement on “Undisputed” Wednesday morning.
This isn’t the first time Mond has been vocal about his political views. As a 2017 article in The Dallas Morning News details, Mond has previously used his Twitter account to speak out about racism.