Mortmain traditionally translated as "dead hand" was the practice of allowing perpetual ownership of property by certain religious institutions. It came into disfavor, generating various acts of Parliament against it, with the idea being that perpetual control of property shouldn't be allowed.
But in Texas, as well as other states, the monuments to the various slave-driving secessionists of 150 years ago, seem to be protected by the dead hand of atavistic racism. Yesterday it was announced that the oft-vandalized ("Black Lives Matter. Dump All Chumps") statue of the arch traitor, Jefferson Davis, was going to be removed to a museum.
This apparently violated somebody's rights because God or something, and a lawsuit was filed by the Sons of Bitches ... uh oh, my bad, that is ... Sons of Confederate Veterans.
Thus spake their mouthpiece:
"This is not ISIS. This is not the Taliban. This is Texas, by God," Lyons said of the need to involve the court in a decision made by university leaders. "What President Fenves is doing affects the liberty of every Texan." Jeff Davis, slaveholder, and leader of a rebellion to preserve slavery, stands for liberty, you see.