The National Park Service’s policy is that these works and their inscriptions will not be altered, relocated, obscured, or removed, even when they are deemed inaccurate or incompatible with prevailing present-day values. As the nation grapples with its racist history, legislation calling for the removal of Confederate commemorative works from national parkland is likely to be passed. A House appropriations bill for the Department of the Interior, HR-7608, would require the National Park Service to remove all physical Confederate commemorative works, such as statues, from display.
In Washington, D.C., the House of Representatives voted to remove all Confederate statues from public display at the U.S. Capitol. Virginia, the state with the George Floyd police killing, has also been involved in efforts to remove Confederate and other statues viewed as symbols of slavery and racism. Congress is considering legislation that would require the National Park Service to remove Confederate monuments, plaques, and other memorials to the losing Confederate soldiers.
The House of Representatives approved legislation Wednesday to remove statues honoring figures who were part of the Confederacy during the Civil War from the U.S. Capitol. The Interior Department does not want to remove Confederate statues, but the House of Representatives does. Congress rejected Democrats’ effort to ban Confederate symbols from national parks in the fiscal 2021 spending package.
According to The Washington Post, five Confederate monuments were removed after the Civil War, eight in the two years after the Charleston shooting, and 48 in the Gettysburg cemetery. A House spending bill would cut Confederate monuments at Gettysburg from 40 to zero as the nation grapples with its history of racism.
📹 You’re Probably Wrong About Confederate Monuments
Misinformation abounds about the removal of Confederate monuments in across the Southern United States. In this video, I …
What should we do with confederate statues?
Communities should be involved in deciding the future of monuments, aiming for reconciliation and acknowledgment. However, this may not be possible if the removal poses a risk to public safety. Options include storage, relocation to private land, or recontextualizing them in an honest and inclusive way. Each community should decide whether or how to replace them, but the process should be thoughtful and inclusive to promote healing and reconciliation.
The removal of monuments becomes part of the ongoing history of the communities they once stood in, creating an opportunity to “tell the full story” about their erection and removal. The National Trust does not support the removal of Confederate monuments on Civil War battlefields.
What is the most controversial Confederate monument?
The Reconciliation Monument at Arlington National Cemetery, which promotes a nostalgic, mythologized view of the Confederacy, has been removed or altered, causing legal threats and challenges from Confederate heritage groups. Critics argue these monuments distort history and glorify the Confederate fight for slavery. SPLC historian Rivka Maizlish believes these memorials serve the purpose of rewriting history, telling a different story of the war and remaking Confederate heroes as American heroes. The psychological impact of these monuments, particularly on African Americans, is significant.
Is removing statues not erasing history?
History is the academic discipline that studies past events, using a variety of sources, including written texts, archival materials, and visual sources. Memorials to historical figures are frequently erected subsequent to the occurrence of the events in question, with the objective of extolling the individuals in question. Nevertheless, the removal of these monuments does not result in the erasure or alteration of historical events themselves. The objective is to mitigate distressing recollections for some individuals.
Are there any Confederate soldiers buried in Gettysburg national cemetery?
The committee selected landscape architect William Saunders to design the Soldiers’ National Cemetery, which was intended to be a well-maintained park with neatly cut grass and winding walkways. The cemetery was arranged in a semi-circle around a soldiers’ monument, with each section containing soldiers of the same state. The cemetery only contained Union dead, as Gettysburg was on Northern soil.
As Saunders and his crew continued reinterment, David Wills organized a ceremony to dedicate the new cemetery. Edward Everett, a Massachusetts politician and gifted orator, delivered the keynote address at the dedication on November 19, 1863. Wills also invited President Abraham Lincoln to provide remarks during the ceremony. Lincoln arrived in Gettysburg on November 18, 1863, with a small entourage including his personal secretaries John Hay and John Nicolay, three cabinet members, a contingent of foreign ministers, and a military escort. As the president stepped off the train, a cluster of citizens and reporters followed him down from the station to the David Wills house where he spent the night.
Are Confederate statues removed from West Point?
The US military academy at West Point is removing Confederate monuments from its Hudson Valley campus in New York state, following a congressional review and Pentagon orders. The removal, which includes a portrait of Gen Robert E Lee in Confederate uniform, began on 18 December. The academy, America’s oldest, said the operation would be a “multi-phased process”. Lee was a graduate and superintendent of West Point and was appointed commander of the Confederate army. The academy has a stone bust, bronze plaques, a gate, road, and academic facilities bearing his name. This move is part of a wider societal reckoning with slavery and its enduring legacy.
What happens to Confederate statues after removal?
About 35 monuments were damaged or awaiting relocation, with most being delivered to Confederate cemeteries or museums. Some were sent to private properties or local historical societies. At least three vandalized statues, one of an early 1900s politician in Nashville, Tennessee, and two at the state Capitol in Madison, Wisconsin, were expected to be repaired and returned to their original sites. Sarah Beetham, the chair of liberal arts and assistant professor of art history at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, said some communities must weigh whether a statue is worth preserving if it is only going to be relegated to storage or is already damaged or weather-worn.
Which state has the most Confederate statues?
Virginia, known for its large number of Confederate memorials, has been a target for racial justice protests since 2020. The state’s General Assembly, controlled by Democrats, allowed localities to consider removing Confederate statues. This move was triggered by the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Since then, many localities in the South have eliminated Confederate statues as symbols of enslavement and oppression, with Virginia being one of the most affected. Some monuments have been removed or remain standing, highlighting the ongoing struggle for racial justice.
Will Confederate monuments be removed from Gettysburg?
The speaker posits that the removal of Confederate monuments from Gettysburg would be an injustice, given that the national park honors the men of both sides who fought in the battle.
What statues should be removed?
The Virginia statues of George Floyd, who died in May 2020, remain on public land despite being tagged with graffiti. During the Black Lives Matter protests, citizens actively damaged or removed statues of Confederate figures, slave-holding Founding Fathers, Abraham Lincoln, and abolitionists like Frederick Douglass. The Southern Poverty Law Center reported that 59 Confederate statues and nine markers were removed from public land in 19 US states between June 17, 2015, and July 6, 2020.
At least 160 monuments were removed in 2020 after Floyd’s death, more than the previous four years combined. The statues are seen as a reminder of past and present institutionalized racism in the United States, and there are many other people who could be represented by statues that better represent the historical progress and diversity of the country.
How many statues have been removed in the US?
Over 160 Confederate monuments and memorials to the Confederate States of America (CSA) and associated figures have been removed from public spaces in the United States, with all but five removed since 2015. Over 700 monuments and memorials have been created on public land, with the majority in the South during the era of Jim Crow laws from 1877 to 1964. Efforts to remove them increased after the Charleston church shooting, the Unite the Right rally, and the murder of George Floyd.
Proponents of their removal argue that the monuments were built to intimidate African Americans and reaffirm white supremacy after the Civil War, and to memorialize an unrecognized, treasonous government, the Confederacy, whose founding principle was the perpetuation and expansion of slavery. They also argue that the presence of these memorials continues to disenfranchise and alienate African Americans over a hundred years after the Confederacy’s defeat.
How many Confederate statues have been taken down?
Over 160 Confederate monuments and memorials to the Confederate States of America (CSA) and associated figures have been removed from public spaces in the United States, with all but five removed since 2015. Over 700 monuments and memorials have been created on public land, with the majority in the South during the era of Jim Crow laws from 1877 to 1964. Efforts to remove them increased after the Charleston church shooting, the Unite the Right rally, and the murder of George Floyd.
Proponents of their removal argue that the monuments were built to intimidate African Americans and reaffirm white supremacy after the Civil War, and to memorialize an unrecognized, treasonous government, the Confederacy, whose founding principle was the perpetuation and expansion of slavery. They also argue that the presence of these memorials continues to disenfranchise and alienate African Americans over a hundred years after the Confederacy’s defeat.
📹 Erasing history?: The debate over Confederate monuments
ABC News’ Martha Raddatz sits down with Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, co-CEO of the American Civil War Museum Christy …
Hello everyone! It’s been one year since I made this article, and what a year it’s been. Ironically, just a couple of short weeks after filming this, statues once again popped up in the American news cycle as worldwide protests intensified following the murder of George Floyd. But it wasn’t just Confederate monuments in the crosshairs – it was just about any statue deemed problematic. So unfortunately, certain aspects of the article quickly became dated, in particular the information regarding public opinion in 2017 at 6:21. At the time, I posted a correction/update in a pinned comment. Now that enough time has passed to view the events more soberly and objectively, I’d like to share my (probably unasked and unwanted) thoughts about the 2020 monuments controversy. Last summer, when protestors started toppling non-Confederate statues – including likenesses of Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Christopher Columbus, and others – those who had opposed the removal of Confederate symbols loudly gloated that the “slippery slope” argument had been vindicated. As they saw it, these malevolent anti-American protestors were never going to stop with Confederates, oh no! They would not rest until history was completely rewritten to fit their woke agenda. Have events since last summer borne that theory out? No, of course not. To be sure, protestors did destroy a few statues of slaveowning Founding Fathers (whose legacies are far more morally ambiguous than Confederates, in my opinion). They even took aim at a bust of Ulysses S.
I’m surprised you didn’t bring up the fact that many of the statues and monuments in question were erected closer to present time than to the Civil War. While arguments could be made about original period monuments erected by veterans of the Civil War are historic, that argument cannot be made about Confederate statues erected in the 1960s and 70s in response to the Civil Rights Movement.
The US really needs a national museum for removed statuary. Maintenence is far easier for a place dedicated to it. Just look at the Neon Museum in Las Vegas. They essentially have the same upkeep problems, but by keeping it all in one place, they can significantly reduce the costs, and dedidicate a museum to that particular type of oversized and defunct artifact. yes, this kind of museum would attract bigots – but just as the holocaust memorials effectively deal with them, so too would this. It would in fact be perfect for what the University of Texas’s museum calls their exhibit of an old Jeff Davis statue, “From Commemoration to Education.” Bigots will do their thing. The best we can do is exclude and ridicule them, instead focusing on the people who are capable of learning
My biggest problem during this whole thing was every time someone asked my opinion on the matter, they always wanted a straight yes or no answer as to whether they should stay or be removed, as a whole. But it should be a case by case basis! As a history teacher, remembering context is incredibly important! For example many of the statues and monuments were erected in the late 20th century, and I think most everyone can agree these are not historically important and should be removed (Barring perhaps one or two, which should be moved to a civil rights museum to highlight the dirty practice of the time period, building political monuments to stifle social progress). Some statues are much older and weren’t created in such bad taste, and should probably remain or perhaps relocated to a museum. There is more than enough information regarding the construction of pretty much all of these monuments to discern whether a monument was built in good faith or solely to push some kind of agenda, and these things should be considered when discussing the topic. That said, yeah probably 95% of them or more should go as it was such a common political tool for suppression. And I don’t know that any of them should be displayed anywhere outside of a museum where a greater context can be conveyed.
I like what some former Warsaw Pact countries have done with their statues. Hungary and a few of the Baltic nations have created ‘statue graveyards. Basically, they took former communist statues and place them in less public areas and let them sit there. People can come and see them along with tours being provided to give context. The statues themselves have either basic maintenance or none at all, so over time, they weather away. I think something akin to that would be nice to see. Maybe not in every state in the south, but at least have one for the more infamous ones.
Disagreeing with you on the Concentration Camps thing: I’ve visited three of them, one with my sisters, one with my school and one with my university. I’ve never seen a Nazi there, mostly school classes and normal people. It’s a great way of remembering history, the atrocities and the suffering. Not just putting up the “war heroes”. Most of the people walk out of there, being shattered and saying “never again”.
He looks…almost as if he is holding back tears, reciting the Gettysburg Address. And he nearly brought me to tears. The country’s ideals have never been truly attained, but still the People fight for this country, they bleed for this country, they speak for this country. And they seek to form the more perfect Union by which our father’s so hopefully sought. It is, therefore, fitting; that our flag is one that should represent the ideals of a country that speaks of freedom and equality, yet cannot attain it due to works of the divisive and the hateful. We hold our hands to our hearts, we the People of the United States, to pledge allegiance to these ideals. May our ideals, not our actions, succeed in the end. For liberty, and justice for all. Atun-Shei, I pray you see this. You are a true patriot of our country. And I respect every endeavor and labor you dedicate yourself to, for the sake of teaching lost, confused, deceived people about our country. Faults and all.
The best case scenario was what happened to the gold bust of Nathan Bedford Forrest in Tennessee. It was in the Tennessee state capital building and the people of Tennessee voted upon it to have it removed. It was removed and placed in the Tennessee State Museum in the section of how people from Tennessee were involved in the Civil War. It wasn’t destroyed like certain other monuments, and it was taken from one public space to a space where more people can view the bust and learn about who the person is and what they did instead of the bust existing for seemingly no reason.
You know I’ve seen a lot of your articles and I have to say – this article, and your Gods and Generals article…this is when I’ve actually seen you ANGRY. Not just educational, not just understanding, but ANGRY. Especially when you were discussing the pro-violence and pro-lynching southern leaders. Hell, you practically spat Benjamin Tillman’s name…which is understandable, the man was a one-eyed snake. Kudos, man.
In Liverpool, England there was a controversy years ago on what to do about a street called “Penny Lane,” that was named after a local slave trader in the 18th century. Yes, that “Penny Lane” that The Beatles wrote a great song about. Now, street names are not statues but the city council decided to keep the street name but set up an amazing museum on Liverpool’s role in the slave trade that pulls no punches. As a history teacher, I enjoyed the museum and thought it was a good response to the issue.
“Get up out of that armchair, stop obsessing about Hannibal’s crescent formations for a second and take a good, hard look at the world around you. Don’t wanna repeat history? Actually learn from it.” Holy shit. Guys, these words need to be heard by everyone, need to go down in history themselves. Remember that in archeology, the relics and artifacts of Native Americans and others were handled horribly, casually broken and forgotten about, and that it’s still happening. Remember that so many of the historical figures you like weren’t flawless, they were always problematic in some (many) way(s)- yes, even that one. Remember that people still believe in these insane, absurd myths. We all sit around, always moaning that the world’s not fair. Are you going to keep sitting around, or do something to make it fair?
This is a thoughtful article. I had 7 ancestors who fought for the Confederacy, 2 of them at Gettysburg in the 13th and 47th Alabama. My family’s oral history fully celebrates their service. At the same time, I am completely against anything that rings of racism. It is a very difficult position to be put in to work out those conflicting points. The truth is that it is impossible to separate the Confederate cause from slavery. Thanks for posting this.
As someone who has had a love of history, I believed it was wrong to remove Confederate monuments, but after listening to your well reasoned arguments I now realized I was wrong. While I will no longer support and urge the removal of those monuments that honor the Confederate cause or there leaders, I continue to believe it still proper to keep those monuments at such places such as cemeteries. Here in my home state of New Jersey there is a single marker at the cemetery were over 2,000 CSA POWs are interned. It is important to show respect for the dead, without trying to glorify the cause they fought for.
I’ll never understand the “destroying history” argument regarding the removal of Confederate monuments. The battlefield parks are still here. The plantation-museums are still here. The ink spilled on over thousands upon thousands of pages written on Civil War history are still here. What history is being destroyed exactly?
I had originally wrote a long speech about how much I’ve enjoyed your civil war articles which I’ve been binging and how they’re enlightened me about the nature of the lost cause, but I’ll keep it shorter. Thank you so much for these articles, they’re both entertaining and informative and I deeply enjoy them.
I remember perusal a Documentary on the statues in 9th Grade. I can’t remember where it was from or who was in it, but a Black Historian raised a very valid point. “If you take a young Black kid growing up in the South, and show him a Confederate statue endorsed and constructed by the state, what is that kid going to think?”
Another irony of lost causers saying “you can’t erase history because it’s offensive” is that, whenever you calmly tell the truth that the Confederates fought for slavery, a ton of lost causers seem to get all steamy and go “GoD sAvE tHe SoUtH” and “TyRaNnY!” They’re only second to Skyrim players who always pick the Stormcloaks (despite the game outright telling you that Ulfric is a puppet and destroying the empire means possibly damning the world) in responding to calm criticism with screaming buzzwords, chanting out of nowhere and generally acting like someone from a gamer rage compilation, over something that’s just irrelevant to most of us in the real world. (Seriously, why do so many Stormcloak players act like they’re in a real civil war?)
I was in KY when that monument moved. I had a small disagreement with my friend who I was staying with – my perspective was in such a narrow place because I was visiting from England and didn’t KNOW about American history and its budding culture. This article, yourself and the words of union vets changed my mind. Thank you.
My great-great-great-grandfather fought for the Union at Gettysburg in the Michigan 24th “Iron Brigade” regiment. God I wonder what he would think seeing the rebels glorified by so many, not even just in the South. I see the Confederate battle flag flown in rural northern Michigan, in the heart of Yankee country. How’d we let this be their legacy?
God I love maps and that one with all of the confederate monuments is amazing… was surprised to see one all the up in Washington state. Also thanks for the shout out to the Pittsburgh Dispatch from my hometown. Though no longer around, it was one of the country’s most respected newspapers in the early 1900s until it was taken over by the Pittsburgh Press. Looking forward to the next one!
I, a german student of History am actually crying when hearing the Gettysburg Address. And as a german, who is proud of his country’s way to democracy with tow dictatorships and the crime of a genocide in the last century, which shall nerver be forgotten, can, no, must encourage the people, my brothers and sisters, in the United States: remember your dark history and remember it well, but also remember the light of the words of your 16th president and they shall shine on your way to a better future.
I’ve spent the last few months studying the civil war in depth, starting with Shelby Foote’s excellent three volume series “The Civil War: A Narrative”. I grew up with the “Lost Cause” myth and it was even taught to me in school. I came to about the same opinion that you have regarding Confederate motivations before I found your website, and it’s been a blast. You do an excellent job of making these articles, as someone who has spent years crawling through dusty academic websites it is refreshing to see an honest, unapologetic presentation of the truth. And the way that you call out your own biases, or at least don’t attempt to hide them, is extremely refreshing. How does this website only have 100k subs?
I agree with most of your reasoning in this article. As a Brit I don’t have an emotional connection to your civil war, and to me the removal of Confederate statues isn’t inherently more objectionable than former USSR removing Communist monuments. But looking at the current campaigns against historical statues in my country, I don’t find your first point very convincing. I see groups demanding the removal of monuments to important figures like Churchill, Nelson, and Robert Peel, not just slave traders. This isn’t a tiny fringe and their demands are being taken seriously by local authorities. I know for a fact that Leicester City Council are currently discussing whether to remove a statue of Gandhi after receiving a 10,000 signature petition labeling him a fascist and demanding they pull it down. Pretty much any historical figure has done or said things that are problematic in 2020 so where would they stop? In my opinion that can’t simply be dismissed as a slippery slope argument when things have already slid so far in such a short time…
I believe in removing confederate monuments but keeping confederate memorials. to me these two structures are very different. one is too celebrate something, and one is too remember something. the confederacy was treasonous and should not be celebrated. but the tens of thousands of men who died in the war on both sides were still Americans. they deserve to be remembered, as they were our people, but not be celebrated.
I used to support the confederate flag, even had a letter published in the Washington Post. But then I saw the made for tv movie on George Wallace. There was a crowd in front of the state house in Montgomery. Every one was waving a Confederate flag. It was like a wet flag slapped across my face. Now I saw what it means to Black Americans. But we should keep monuments to men such as Matthew Fontaine Maurey, father of oceanography. Great article. Thanks. If the South had won, balkanization would have been the rule not the exception. Texas would have left (see McKinley Kantor’s book from the early 60s “If the South Won the Civil War”). Maybe New England. The upper Mississippi. the trans Mississippi. And the positive influence of America on the rest of the world would have been lost.
Since you mentioned Pittsburgh you just triggered my Western Pennsylvanian pride so here are some Western PA facts for ya. In late 1860 the Secretary of War under Buchanan wanted to move 300 peices of artillery from Pittsburgh to Tennessee hoping that Tennessee would secede and then they would end up with the guns. The residents of Pittsburgh and Allegheny city physically stopped these guns from being sent south saving untold numbers of Union casualties as a result. The largest civilian disaster of the war took place in Pittsburgh when the Allegheny arsenal blew up killing over 70 men and women working there. The Gettysburg national military park was originally supposed to be a park dedicated to Union Veterans and only their monuments were present there for most of the parks history. Only recently have Confederate monuments began to pop up. It wasn’t until the 75th anniversary of the battle that Confederate veterans were allowed to cross over the stone wall during the reenactment of Picketts charge. This concludes my Ted talk.
Atun-Shei, I wanted to say thank you for making these articles, and helping me to better understand Civil War history. You’ve helped me to separate better understand the Civil War as a conflict. Also, it made me happy to hear you mention my hometown of Winston-Salem, NC, and their Confederate Monument. I was once against the tearing down of Confederate Statues too, until I learned the truth of why they were erected. So, I agree with your statement here, 100%. Thank you, and I’m looking forward to future articles from you.
I’ve unsubscribed from history websites that were “getting preachy” not because of that. But because they rarely backed themselves up with solid evdidince or at least evidence that wasn’t still to this day very decisive amount historians. I will not do the same here, because you back yourself up with objective facts that, if you in believe in American ideals and values, you cannot argue with.
You eluded to it before, and some folks have posted here, but would you do a article on Confederates who became Republicans or advocated for Reconstruction post war? Longstreet, PGTB, Mosbey you’ve mentioned, but maybe Kemper in VA? Amon Akerman from Georgia? It’d be interesting! Oh, and more Witchfinder General. Always more Witchfinder General.
Again, thank you for your thoughtful response. I suspect we could go round and round about this. I was just reading an anecdote the other day on this issue by historian Shelby Foote. A confederate soldier, captured at Vicksburg I think, was asked: “why are you guys fighting so long and hard when you know you are going to lose?” He replied (forgive my murder of the accent): “because you’uns is heah.” I think that simple statement may hold a lot of insight.
I’ve been a soldier for 20 years now. I’m deeply conservative, and a massive history nerd. I definitely disagree with a few of your points on some of your articles, and occasionally I can see your liberal bias, but overall, sir you do a fantastic job of discussing the Civil War, I think. And for years I’ve found it hugely ironic and annoying how many bases and streets America after the names of men who by definition, DID betray and wage war upon the US and its Constitution.
As a descendant of Union veterans, I’d like to see most of the monuments removed because they are celebrating traitors. It drove me crazy to see a Confederate flag flying over Fort Sumter in ANY fashion; the US flag is the ONLY flag that should fly over it. It is of great satisfaction to me that Arlington National Cemetery was built on General Lee’s home after he betrayed his nation. Conflating the issue of the statues with the current issues of police department/black community relations is the only part that makes me reluctant to support it fully. Pulling them down at the behest of a mob is troubling to me. I say take them down gradually and give them to any Confederate history organization willing to put them on their own private land, otherwise melt them down. Put monuments to the dead of both sides in their place.
11:02…Holy shit. I already knew of Tillman from the ludicrous battleship designs he compelled the Navy to draw up (if you haven’t already, go watch Drachinifel’s article on the Tillman Battleships, he covers it in much better detail than I could), but from that I just got the impression that he was kind of a crotchety old asshole. I didn’t realize til now that he was actually a thoroughly repulsive human being as well.
Actually a beautiful and moving article. I’m doing some rethinking about Confederate statues. The irony that removing them is “revisionism” when they were erected to promote Lost Cause revisionism is a very good point that I never considered. I’m undecided about removing them from battlefields, since most of them do serve the purpose of marking unit positions and to commemorate the nameless, faceless infantrymen who were killed. Removing monuments to prominent Confederates in public places, however, particularly places of city government, is not something I have a problem with.
Dark history should be remembered, but never honored. Statues honor the people and ideas they represent. By hosting statues of Confederate generals, we honor people who fought to preserve the enslavement of people, and that cannot be abided. When we make statues of our founding fathers, we honor the accomplishments of founding this country. We do not honor their participation in, defense of, or enabling of slavery with their statues, as we do with confederate statues, and that is what makes the difference.
I can understand the removal of Confederate monuments from cities or in front courthouses, but what’s wrong with having them on Civil War battlefields. In a way battlefields are museums. I know where there are monuments to the British on Revolutionary War battlefields. I don’t ever hear anyone complain about us honoring the British, so what’s wrong with doing the same for Confederates?
I was scratching my head, wondering ‘Why’s there a Confederate monument in South Dakota?’ Turns out, the town of Gettysburg, South Dakota, Yes-Gettysburg, the local police wear a patch bearing the crossed flags of the USA and the Confederacy with a cannon with ‘Gettysburg’ as a reference to the town’s namesake.
The biggest thing that has always driven me crazy is that the lost cause is often taught in our schools. Our children need to understand that the men who led the Confederacy were the greatest traitors this country has ever scene. There is nothing about what they did that was noble. The fought to split this nation into two because they didn’t like the results of an election, and feared that they would no longer be allowed to owned human beings. My Father’s side is from Arkansas, and I do have some ancestors who fault in the rebel army. I am not defending what my ansestors did. They were poor white farmhands who were protecting their homes from invasive. I think that makes the whole rebellion look worse. Not only were they doing the things I mentioned about fighting for the right to own people, but they forced future generations to look at any private family southern man who felt obligated to pick up a gun and protect his family and remember them as foot shoulders in the slave owners army. I will also tell you that I have no ideas what my ansestors thought of slavery, but odds are they knew they were fighting to proserve it. Most lower class southerners wanted slaves among them, so they could feel like there was someone below them in society. The whole dam rebellion was about slavery, nothing else. In the North it was a little more complicated.
Man, I need to thank you. I’m a Canadian but I love American history and I’m obsessed with lincoln and the Civil War. I was on the side of the monuments are history, but I’ve spend the last few days going through your articles and youve completely changed my mind on the matter. I’ve been a reading and perusal docs on the civil war since I saw Ken burns doc when I was 6. That 9 part series kicked off a live long love of learning new things about it and traveling to the battlegrounds and museums. Will you ever doing a article or articles about the Ken burns doc, going through the narratives and maybe what it got right and what it got wrong ?
That Gettysburg Address always hits me in the feels. Social media today is so filled with hollow words, it is easy to make the mistake of thinking those words spoken in the past were also hollow. They were not. I love America, I love our democracy, even if that sometimes means different things to different people. Our history is not pure, nor is it unadulterated. It is mixed, with much good met by much bad, but I think the most important thing is that our forebears made mistakes and we can recognize them as such in order to make tomorrow better than yesterday.
I was in support for confederate monuments and flags until right before i started this article and thought how i would feel if nazi monuments and flags were erected over here in europe. While the german people were not evil, or most of the great men of germany at that time, it’s a hard sell to have monuments of objectively bad things. And the confederate war effort is and always will be a failed rebellion. The people of south america were not bad but the cause they fought under probably shouldn’t have monuments in public places just like how great nazi leaders shouldn’t have monuments outside museums and graveyards. It’s not erasing history but making sure that the right message is at display, and supporting rebellion is not something a sovereign nation should do.
Thing is, a public statue (that is, a statue in a street or square rather than a museum) isn’t simply a neutral record of history—it is specifically intended to honour the person or institution it represents. I would be perfectly happy if Confederate and other racist monuments were moved to museums where they could be given proper expository context, although the fact is that most of them aren’t really interesting enough for that to be worthwhile.
Thank you for your articles. As a born and bred Southerner, I recognized at some point that the “history” I had been taught was a revisionist version, especially as it pertained to the Civil War….or as we tended to call it “The War of Northern Aggression”. It is ironic to me that the people who now days loudly spout their love of the Constitution are the same people who don’t know what the document says and the same ones who advocate unconstitutional infringements of others rights. Bottom line, the South was involved in an insurrection against the lawful government of the United States. The Confederate officers, especially those that graduated from West Point and were sworn officers in the United States Army before they switched allegiance, were literally traitors. And if the US government weren’t so lenient on them at the end of the war, maybe we wouldn’t be in this predicament today…where a large number of disgruntled losers want another civil war.
It bothers me people still get mad about Confederate statues getting taken down, like you don’t see other countries erecting statues for traitors or evils of their country, and you also see those other countries actually teach their students, “Hey our ancestors did really shitty things, let’s not be like that” you can easily do that without have a statue dedicated to them.
It’s kinda messed up to be destroying memorials honoring not individual political figures, but the war dead themselves, particularly those on private land. There are memorials to German soldiers killed in Normandy, just as there are memorials to Soviet soldiers killed in Berlin. Vandals shouldn’t be allowed to use the excuse of “iconoclastic crusade” to destroy war memorials honoring the dead.
I just found your website today, though maybe I saw before and decided never to touch til today, but I have so far binged about 7 of your articles thus far, and they are an eye opener. I had mixed feelings for a while on the removal of statues, with my original thoughts being against it. But now I overall agree with you, and the Cynical historians post in comments the comments as well, to remove them and put them in a dedicated museum, a museum that while their there actively does everything they can to show why they were brought there by bringing up such historical facts. I will be honest, this is mostly for ones such as the generals and leaders of the CSA in my belief, and still hold some opinion that ones of military units should remain, just for the fact of saying all the men that died here were American, just some of them were Americans who went astray. This isn’t the only thing you opened my eye too, there were some Lost Cause Myths that even I believed, and I will admit, my Southern relatives may had had a hand in it, there were some things I’ve watched so far that were debunked things I thought were right, that are taught as history. For example, one of the comments mentioned in another article insulted you for college education and it being “Leftist”, in which I was going, that is a false statement, as I had a college class and High School history classes that taught some of the things y’all debunked as fact. As someone who has been doing their absolute best to learn history as unbiased and factually as possible, I thank you for doing what you are doing and keep up the good work!
At my grade school, a big part of fifth grade social studies was reciting the Gettysburg address. A few years ago my youngest sister told us that when her friend group in college discovered she could recite it, it became a thing for them to convince her to give impassioned recitations after a night at a bar or a darty. I am from Illinois, so it might have been an actual requirement from the state board of education at some point that my school maintained as a tradition. People would get so into it that there would be a competition to be the first one to go on the day we individually recited it. They would have to randomly draw names to avoid people being upset. As a teacher I know that now you’re not supposed to make people recite to a class, but no one was dreading it in any way. I guess my teacher really just hyped it perfectly and made sure that everyone knew it before she officially “tested” us to build confidence for the future?
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate — we can not consecrate — we can not hallow — this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. Abraham Lincoln November 19, 1863 “Fron the Bliss copy”
I personally agree with James Beaver, that monuments marking Confederate positions on Battlefields is appropriate, but that statues glorifying the Confederacy is not. Also Confederate statues/memorial should also only be in appropriate places such as battlefield where there is context for them being there. Being placed in parks and in front of government buildings etc is not.
Hey man, I’m not sure if you’ll see this comment, but I’ll say something nonetheless. I am an aspring student of history myself, and over the course of my self-education of history, particuarly the American Civil War (one of the time periods I find the most fascinating and interesting to learn about and study), you have really helped learn more about the truth of the conflict and the politics behind it. And when you qouted the Gettysburg Address, I honestly got some chills from that. It’s something that all Americans should remember. I am going to celebrate preserving the Union more then used to from now on, because it truly is something to celebrate.
The Kingdom of Denmark had slaves in The Danish West Indies (now U. S. Virgin Islands) until 1848. In 1905 there was a Great Exhibition in Copenhagen named “The Colonial Exhibition – and Exhibition from Iceland and Faroe Islands). We and the Icelanders were white, so we had a higher status then the Africans in The Danish West Indies and the Inuits in Greenland. Even small Nations have done wrongdoings in History.
I’m from Britain, I have no skin in the game so its none of my business but for what its worth I think the statues do need to be taken down and they do belong in museums. Statues honouring the war dead, however need to remain. Regardless of what we think now, a lot of the men that died on both sides were neither politically motivated or slave owners, just following their own view of loyalty, right or wrong. These men deserve a marker to say they lived and they died.
Very very impressed with your recitation of President Lincoln s finest composition. I am a strong resilient man and have not teared up in years but even my wife caught the wet spots in the corners as That’s the best recitation of it I have ever ever heard❤. Both sides of our Congress should hear this and take head as it os a heart felt message to every modern American froman era which knew division so painfully well. Hope I may call you friend, redbaron Chattanooga TN
I feel another good point to bring up would be how most Confederate dedicated statues were erected during the times when the country was fighting for giving Black people the right to vote, or ending segregation. Which shows a clear intent of trying to put defense into the hearts of Black Americans who just wanted to be treated equally. Those statues were memorials, they were unspoken threats from their white neighbors
So considering that the mayor of Albany is ordering the removal of the statue of Philip Schuyler, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier of the Revolutionary War has been desecrated, the statue of Thomas Jefferson in Portland’s been torn down and statues of Christopher Columbus are being taken down either violently or by cities, think it might be time to double back on your claim that it’s just about Confederate Statues or are you gonna go ahead and ignore the rest of that? I don’t even necessarily disagree that Confederate Statues should come down but, at this point, you’ve got to recognize that for the people who want the Confederate Statue’s down it really isn’t going to stop there.
the third point is silly. Statues aren’t how we remember, they’re how we glorify. They proclaim shared values. We remember horrible things through books and museums. Maybe even a simple obelisk on a battlefield recounting the facts of that battle, who fought and who died. But not a statue of a dude looking triumphant.
As a professional historic preservationist, I disagree strongly with your position. . Allow me to introduce you to the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places Standards for the Evaluation of Historic Sites. These standards go all the way back to the 1930s, but were formally adopted in 1965. They provide a standard for evaluating if a historic site is indeed worth protecting- be that site a pre-Columbian burial ground or a more modern-day artifact like, say, a Confederate Monument- as objectively, consistently, and deliberately as possible. . law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/36/60.4 . They are not mandatory, but they form the basis for every historic preservation program in the United States . I’m not saying that all Confederate monuments should remain. I’m only saying that we should use these Standards when evaluating if these monuments have any historic importance beyond “the feels” – because if you let “the feels” dictate what you hold to be historically and culturally important, then you don’t have any sort of consistent interpretation of history at all . And I don’t know how anyone can claim to be a historian if they let emotion determine what is of value and what isn’t. If these Standards were applied to all these monuments, I think we would find that neither side will get their way all the time- some of these monuments may be historically significant based on these criteria, many if not most will likely not. There’s a huge difference between a statue of Robert E.
13:55 – Excatly!!! 👏👏👏 Now I’m a big Civil War buff, studied to teach university level US History until I got a better paying job. (Teachers need raises) I ask you: When did it become normal to erect statues of leaders that rose up and fought AGAINST the US in a war and call it “heritage”? Even the Germans know better then to believe that. You won’t find the Daughters of the Gestapo calling Nazism heritage. People be pissing in a jar and calling it Granny’s Peach Tea. 🤦🏻♂️
“Taking an honest look at darker aspects of our past can inform us about things that we’re dealing with today.” 🙌 Another great article. Thoroughly researched, deftly humorous, incredibly insightful, & instantly quotable. Anyone perusal with an open mind & who values logical argument will no doubt be convinced. Thanks and looking forward to more articles!
One of the saddest things I saw happen, personally, was in a small cemetery near where I lived in Georgia. In this cemetery (not doxing myself, due to youtube policy and haters) there were some hundred plus graves in their own little section, which memorialized Confederate soldiers who had fallen in The Battle of Chickamauga. A simple monument was erected to these dead men, telling where they fought, what company they had served with, and where they had originated from. The monument was respectful, didn’t make claims about the Confederacy being right, or what not, and instead served as a marker for the many graves there. In the height of the ‘monument fever’ that happened where Confederate monuments were being pulled down, someone entered the cemetery and not only destroyed that monument, but removed every last grave marker, or destroyed them, for the young men buried there. Now, I understand when public monuments with problematic histories are removed; but something telling the story of young men who died in one of the bloodiest battles of the war, and above and beyond that, destroying the markers of their graves? That’s taking things too damn far.
Any man who faces death on the battlefield deserves the respect for their bravery as soldiers. But you are right, we cannot ignore what those men fought for and that was to preserve the chains of slavery. They have my respect for their bravery, for such courage and dedication alone deserves a better cause. But I will always remember that they fought for an immoral sin and I thank god that equally brave men stood up to them and truly turned this nation into the land of the Free.
A simmilar thing happened recently in latvia. Motivated by the war in ukraine and the outcry of the people, Our government toppled the russian Victory monument of those russians that died occupying russia. Its worth noting that the monument was a common congregation ground of pro russian latvians (russain speaking usually) and sometimes protests would happen there. After an anti russia protest happened they closed the area off untill the monument was gone a month or so later. You can find articles about it online probably or more information-“russian Victory monument, latvia”
A great article. Thanks for the Gettysburg Address. The grandest and shortest political-philosophical speech that was, or will be, ever given. It is most remarkable that the United States had such a president as Lincoln just when a giant was needed. Perhaps this is one defining feature of a great nation.
There are plenty of WW1 and ww2 monuments and monumental cemeteries commemorating the fallen German soldiers, even outside of Germany itself. No one takes an issue with that. Glorifying Erwin Rommel by giving him a statue would be very inappropriate, though, and rightly so. Why not do the same for the American Civil War? Commemorating without glorifying.
We dont record history with statues, thats what books are for. Statues celebrate things and are a show of power. Alot of them were not even build in that time period. Thats a horrible sign to Black people in modern society. Taking these monuments of opression and suffering down is progress and not erasing anything. Here in germany we took all the nazi monuments down and we still remember this horrible time. The only thing we preserve is the evidence for the crimes to prevent something like that from happening again. And to shut down anyone who denies these crimes. We dont want places for nazis to celebrate, wich is what we see often in the US. For example Kkk loves these monuments alot of racist demonstrations are held at these statues. Wich is exactly the reason they need to be taken down. It doesnt remember the time, because it doesnt depict the reality. Its celebrating an ideology. My Suggestion would be to swap them out for the actual heroes of the time, the people that fought for their freedom and the freedom of others.
I’m from Illinois, and have traveled through a 6 state area, above the Mason-Dixon Line. I’ve seen lot if Civil War monuments. What strikes me us that the statues represent the soldiers in their uniforms and kits, local heroes such as Underground Railroad operators, farmers who fed soldiers and families. The statues of Grant, Sherman aren’t mounted on giant pedestals. The Confederacy buffs need to take the same advice given to African Americans: “That history was a ling time ago. Get over it.”
These sons of confederates seem to forget that their grandpappy and other predecessors were traitors, they committed an actual crime by seceding from the Union. They were racist and traitorous scumbags that tried to ruin the few honorable things the founding father had created. At no point should people like this be honored and revered, people that stood for the very opposite of what even American conservatives stand for today.
Anyone who is questioning this article should just go do research on what happened in Germany after World War II they don’t have statues of fucking Hitler or any Nazi fucking leaders. Do you know why? they can simply remember the evil that they did without a statue of it man, statues are used to glorify people PERIOD. Removing the statues is not an effort to erase history. It is simply a relocation to a more appropriate place. Where the correct context can be with it. No one is trying to remove museums, education or any of the lake however, there were multiple instances of Republican confederate supporters( and /some north ppl) twisting and shaping history to fit their own narrative
An important issue is that the importance of historic statues change as society changes. It used to be that people didn’t care about the confederate statues, however since the civil rights act ( and likely before ) African Americans have seen the memorials to the confederacy as negative stain on society, a negative reminder of slavery. I agree, get rid of them or put clear signage on those statues that are deemed worth keeping.
I enjoyed the map showing the Confederate monuments and then the map with the ones renewed. I saw the Helena, MT monument disappear. At one time we had, I believe, the most northern Confederate memorial in the USA. The Montana gold fields were a destination for Southerners during and after the Civil War. The gold strike that founded Helena was by the Four Georgians (though the Four Georgians were not all from Georgia and the term probably applied to their method of placer mining, the Georgia vs the California method). A prominent gold strike nearby was named Confederate Gulch. The Confederate monument in Helena was established in 1916 and was removed by the city commission 101 years later. It was a nice monument (stonework with a bas-relief depictions of soldiers and a fountain. I supported a proposal to keep the monument and install a plaque near it explaining the monument and the Civil War. But the monument was removed and an Equity Fountain replaced it about four years ago.
About 15 or so years ago, I read a book on Newton Knight of Jones County, Mississippi. After the Exemption Act of 1862, desertion became a major issue in the Confederate army and, at least Jones County, the Confederate government had quite the time trying to round up “deserters” and force them back into service. Apparently, the poor farmers who were drafted into compulsory service figured out that they were lied to and decided to go home. Knowing this, I wonder how the various territories of the South faired in rounding up deserters? I don’t personally like lumping people, even misled and misinformed people, together because we’re all human with different reasons why we do the things we do unless they simply refuse to hear truth. Another thing I learned from this book was that Knight, in his letters, had noticed that in the years leading up to the War the new preachers from back east had changed the tone of what they preached on Sunday, notably that of going from the truth of the Gospel to more racist tones and that quite a few men in his county shared his perspective. I haven’t seen it as of right now but they made a movie about Knight in 2016 starring Matthew McConaughey. I have to say that book about his life definitely changed my outlook on this moment in history. Here the South and prior to the internet, oral tradition was about all we had since the only other perspective was from the public school system so I’m glad to run across a website such as this.
Anyone arguing for maintaining Confederate monuments should first understand the history they are supporting. For instance, take a moment to read Confederate Vice President Alexander Stephens’ Cornerstone Speech, given in March 1861, explaining in detail why slavery was the decisive issue justifying Southern succession. In reference to the aspirational assertion in the U.S. Constitution that all men are created equal, Stephens proclaimed: “Our new government is founded upon exactly the opposite idea ; its foundations are laid, its corner-stone rests upon the great truth, that the negro is not equal to the white man, that slavery—subordination to the superior race—is his natural and normal condition. This, our new government, is the first, in the history of the world, based upon this great physical, philosophical, and moral truth.”
I’m currently taking history 201 (a college level course) which is a course heavily focused on American politics from its creation leading up to the Civil War. I once had some old man explain to me the civil war was about states rights. My history instructors harped many time on the fact that anyone who says the Civil War was not completely about slavery is wrong. It amazes me to learn the details of what led up to ot and it makes me think more and more that if conservatives actually practiced what they preached about learning history they would not be conservatives. Anyone who thinks what happened then does not directly influence the suppression of black people and benefit of white supremacy is misinformed and if not that, then delusional
I used to be pro monument for the sake of preserving history, until I learned the context and circumstances under which these monuments were erected. Most if not all of them were commissioned long after the war by grudge-holding pro confederate groups for the purposes of propagating misinformation and half-truths to shine these people in a more flattering light, or in many cases to outright intimidate and further marginalize the black citizens in their communities. They say history is written by the victors, but the Lost Cause Myth has shown that history can also be written and altered by sore losers.
Why would anyone want to wave the flag of losers? Besides the Confederacy was only around for 4 years. You know what’s been around longer than that? Peter Griffin. A stupid cartoon character has had more of an impact on American culture then someone’s great great great granddaddy. Why don’t we build statues for people who couldn’t get the job done too! I vote we make a statue of Jimmy Carter next since that’s what we’re doing.
I enjoy your analysis and agree wholeheartedly with your stance here. Have had some very heated conversations with family about the changing of military base names, which for much of my life now I found offensive and deeply ironic. Seeing the arms in the background, I would like to know your thoughts on the how the ‘lost cause’ mythology may have been informed from the overwhelmingly successful romanticization of the ’45’s.
Sir, even though I may be a year late, I do condone, and am gratified to hear, your stalwart defense against the so called ” lost cause” myth that has been perpetuated for quite some time. I must say that even I have been diverted from the truth for it’s insidious lies, yet like you, I find that it is but a thin varnish over rotting wood.
There shouldnt be any statues commemorating traitors. The Confederate states were fighting to keep slavery. See the “The Cornerstone Speech”. The only reason there are monuments to the Confederates was “The Lost Cause” book and The Daughters of the Confederates movement in the early 20th century. There are no statues of Benedict Arnold or Judas, why should there be any of Robert E Lee?!
I know this event was a hot minute ago and I remember hearing about it on the news. I was strongly in favor that they should stay up for “historic value.” (I like old things to the point I collect old confederate bank notes) Over the years and the more I learn about all this (thanks to your articles) I kinda turned neutral on the topic. Now I wonder if there’s a way to change the meanings of some of the monuments. Whether its to show the bad of slavery in America in a museum or some statues like General Lee or General Beauregard could have a different meaning. As it was there origins that originally made them bad, couldn’t we work to change that view? Thats just something I was thinking on atleast. 😅 Great article btw! Its good to look at both sides of a scenario rather than push one side without caring of the other. It reminds me of my old Civics teacher. My old school is strongly Republican and mt teacher made us all research the Democratic party to see both sides. It was very educational even if everyone complained about it. 😂 EDIT: I would like to quickly clarify that I am in no way supportive of the Confederacy, what they stood for, or think that in anyway those rebels were heroes.
I held the historical preservation stance for a long while and the concept of honoring the dead for some time. I felt sorrow that so much human life was extinguished and that recalling these awful events in they’re brutal unwashed totality was a noble thing to aspire to. It was noble but not just. When given further thought to these things and more compassion to those that weren’t given any. It gives way to a lot of these arguments (the green label text arguments). I kept thinking that my stance was that of respect and that my respect and understanding of these things would be the standard most others would hold but I am not everyone nor is every person deserving of remembrance. History can be a pedestal for others to preach from and I think we can learn a lot from the educational direction that Germany pathed after WWII’s end. Germany completely expelled all Nazi iconology from the streets save for the museums, grave sites, concentration camps, and other pieces of literature and footage to teach the new generations that not only is aspiring to such things unacceptable but illegal. I do see that I was wrong and that tolerance shouldn’t extend to everyone. Especially when that tolerance extends to people that want to perpetuate the underhanded nature their forefathers dealt to the indentured and spurned. And while the North had it’s flaws and even today we still do I no longer believe that preserving these statues or momentums to these people is acceptable. They were not our brothers and sisters when they took up arms against us and brutalized an uncountable number of people.
I think the Gettysburg National Military Park is one of the few places the statues should stay. But, I don’t think others should be moved to museums–they should be destroyed. You don’t need statues to study history in a museum. Most museums don’t have statues other than of the person who sponsored the museum, such as Franklin’s statue at the Franklin Institute.
I’m pro monumnet. If it weren’t for the large statues of Hitler everywhere, nobody would have ever heard of WW2. And I heard someone call someone a “benedict arnold” once, and thought The character from Hey! Arnold must have been Benedict Arnold, or something like that. Then I ran across a statue of Benedict Arnold and suddenly realized Benedict Arnold was a US war hero who became a traitor, so “benedict arnold” means “traitor”. If not for the statues in Benedict Arnold’s name, I never would have known. Statues are the only way to preserve history, for people like me who can’t read and don’t listen to anyone who tries to educate me on history.
I feel any statue, of any person, whether it should stay up should be based on three basic factors: 1. Who is the person being honored 2. Why are they being honored 3. Are they still worthy of that honor Should be more of a case by case basis, not “they should all come down” or “they should all stay up.” Statues and monuments aren’t just mementos of history; they are themselves history. I’m not one of those people that insist all history is sacred and worthy of honor (most of it isn’t, to be honest) but it should at least be remembered. You can go to Germany and see Adolf Hitler’s bunker… they’re not honoring him by keeping it up. Should it be destroyed? Some things, even bad things, heck ESPECIALLY bad things, should not be forgotten.
Honestly this article changed my perspective. I never knew they were erected by southern sympathizers and intended to wash away the sins of the confederacy. I just kept hearing “their racist” which has been blanketed over so many things which aren’t racist that I feel the word has lost its power to condemn true hatred of another for their skin color instead to a half baked insult for anything someone doesn’t like. I really appreciate you took the time to explain it and give it proper context. While I don’t really feel they ought to be destroyed because I feel that this after civil war proper lighting you’ve given needs to be shared and understood since no one really talks about it. Most just talk about the war, the North won and slavery was gone and then skip to world war 2 and then the civil rights movement after. At least that’s how history was taught to me at least and on my own I have to find out what really happened in world war 1, what happened after the civil war in America, all these other important things that have occurred. If somehow a museum could be erected or even somehow an extension to museums showing some of these monuments with the context and proper explanation that they try to cover up the evils they committed and wash it away.
Against the slipperly slope argument on the statutes, actually we should say “fuck it” if the time comes when people decide to look back on how the US should honour people of historical significance and decided that yeah maybe the statutes of george washington should not be standing in public, then I am all for it. The beauty of the US is that on paper it is not beholden to a small group of people for it’s legitimacy. People should not be held hostage to this argument by Lost Causers because right here and right now people know the history and background of those statutes and boy do they suck.
It’s crazy how I can point out that these are statue of a confederate soldiers who only did horribly violent things to black people. That’s why the statues exist and they say that’s my heritage hold on to it, then I point out the man was a p word who…. to a 6 yr old child in public in Charleston SC because she was black and they say oh that’s awful get rid of the statue….. Like tell me you don’t see black people as human without saying it….
I mean, I guess it’s not exactly the same as having statues of Nazis, Taliban, redcoats or NVA soldiers. They fought on American soil. But it’s not that different is it? They seceded from America. They fought the American army. Am I wrong? It feels like it’s a hyperbolic and over the top argument but I’m not seeing the flaw in the logic. What do you think?