Should we take down confederate monuments?

Discussion in 'Politics' started by bodhesatva, Aug 15, 2017.

  1. bodhesatva

    bodhesatva Well-Known Member

    I'm surprised, given the recent news and controversy, that we don't have a topic on this. What do you guys think?

    My personal answer: have absolutely no problem with the history of the confederacy being taught in educational contexts like a history class -- in fact, I would strongly oppose any attempt to remove descriptions of the confederacy or of slavery in general from classrooms. History class is there to impartially teach us about what has happened in human history, and those things are important part of that. Can't be ignored.

    But statues aren't history classes: unlike a class, statues exalt and venerate the things they represent. There aren't statues to Hitler in Germany, but they do teach about the Third Reich in German history class. The great evils of history need to be understood, but they should not be admired, and statues sort of do that, to me.

    Anyone else disagree or have an opinion?
     
  2. darkcurry

    darkcurry Well-Known Member

    Agreed, besides those statues were put their in their "honor". That is very unsettling that they stayed up even this long.
     
  3. bodhesatva

    bodhesatva Well-Known Member

    I agree! On the one hand, someone might say, "the confederacy should be wiped from our memory!" which would be a statement I would strongly disagree with, because it's important to remember the lesson of history. History class isn't learning just about the nice bits of history -- in fact, the awful bits of history might be more important, because that's how we learn from mistakes.

    But it's quite another thing to say "We should honor and revere these confederate heroes with statues!" That goes way beyond teaching people about past horrors in to praising those past horrors.
     
  4. Bliss

    Bliss Well-Known Member

    We have had a dozen regarding this topic..the one l think is most interesting is this one that General Lee himself wanted the flag removed...

    http://whitewomenblackmen.com/forum...nst-the-confederate-flag-after-the-war.26535/

    My opinion; I think there should be a museum to explain the Civil War, with artifacts and whatever statues. Statues sometimes tell a story, such as the plethora of Stalin ones in Eastern Europe, whereby it's not necessarily to honor them. I think however, statues in the U.S should be housed in an appropriate place.
     
  5. bodhesatva

    bodhesatva Well-Known Member

    Thanks for the heads up! And Bliss, I agree with you definitely. I used history class as my example, but museums would be another great one. Museums, like history class, look to explain history and tell you what happened, not necessarily to tell you that the history was good. Statues feel different, to me.
     
  6. Bliss

    Bliss Well-Known Member

    I have never been to the South except Atlanta so l can't speak on statues there, but here in Philly as you know, the history of America is laid open and bare.
    What about Civil War re-enactments...should they be stopped. Should veterans of the South bodies be uprooted and removed from Veteran cemeteries? All things that will likely come up. (no pun)
     
  7. darkcurry

    darkcurry Well-Known Member

    Yeah doing that is how they were able to erase and change history about black and native american history.
     
  8. Soulthinker

    Soulthinker Well-Known Member

    I live in Raleigh and in Durham,NC which is a 50 min drive the protesters took down the Confederate mounument there. Sadly there is a state law that forbids the taking down of those hideous monuments passed by the GOP Leglslature. The person who did it is charged with a felony. The law is after the other protesters.
     
  9. Soulthinker

    Soulthinker Well-Known Member

    You live in Pennsylvania which is the site of Gettysburg. There are a lot of those Confederate mounuments in almost every Southern town and city. Wished they can be taken down in put in a museum or land where they will stand in peace.
     
  10. Soulthinker

    Soulthinker Well-Known Member

     
  11. Soulthinker

    Soulthinker Well-Known Member

    In Eastern Europe the people took down the statues of Lenin,Marx,and other Communist leaders.
     
  12. RicardoCooper

    RicardoCooper Well-Known Member

    Vanquished people have to take on the values and mores of the victors. So yes, we should take down rebel monuments.They always cry "heritage not hate," but look at Charlottesville.
     
  13. Ra

    Ra Well-Known Member

    It's not just Confederate monuments. There are 8 prominent military bases in the South all named after Confederate officers. Not even going to mention any of the various "Confederate Holidays" that get celebrated in certain Southern states.
     
  14. Since1980

    Since1980 Well-Known Member

    Tear 'em all down. They're traitors who took up arms against their own country to defend white supremacy, and they lost.

    The confederacy (and everything associated with it) belongs in a museum. It's time for this revisionist history bullshit to end.
     

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