Rachel Maddow
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Let me give you a little bit more from it.
The President's House, meaning that site in Philadelphia, represents the city of Philadelphia fulfilling an obligation to tell the truth, the whole complicated truth, removal of the crucial interpretive materials there,
strips that site of that truth and deprives the public of educational opportunities designed to be free and accessible.
The abrupt elimination of historically significant educational material at the site is like pulling pages out of a history book with a razor.
Each person who visits the president's house in Philadelphia and does not learn of the realities of founding-era slavery receives a false account of this country's history.
Worse yet, the judge says, worse yet, the potential of having the exhibits replaced by an alternative script, a plausible assumption at this time, would be an even more permanent rejection of the site's historical integrity.
It would be, quote, irreparable.
The city has met its burden to establish irreparable harm.
The defendants, the Trump administration, for their part, raise only one argument for why an injunction in this case would be inequitable.
They argue that there's a public interest in upholding the federal government's right to convey its preferred speech.
Restoration of the president's house in Philadelphia does not infringe upon the government's free speech.
nor is the government prevented from conveying whatever message it wants to send by wiping away the history of the greatest founding father's management of persons he held in bondage.
President Washington's House would not merit designation as a historic site if Washington had not commanded the army that won the Revolutionary War.
His presence presiding over the Constitutional Convention graced it with the gravitas and spirit necessary to the creation of our government's foundational document.
Washington's restraint and modesty radiated strength and wisdom that defines the ideal chief executive to this day.
The government can convey a different message without restraint elsewhere if it so pleases, but it cannot do so to the president's house.
Not until it follows the law and consults with the city.
The motion for preliminary injunction will be granted.
Happy Presidents Day, Philadelphia.
You are getting your history put back up by court order at the President's House.