He freed that slave. It is not possible to have them live in a single location at the same time. Or they go up because of T.J.s views on separation of church and state and other values that we hold dear. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Its also important to distinguish statues from records of history, because thats not what theyre about. Catherine Thorbecke, Walmart donates $100K to replace Arkansas' Confederate-linked statues at the US Capitol, abcnew.go.com, July 7, 2020, 32. They are also a reminder of the sacrifices made by those who fought for the Confederacy and a symbol of Southern heritage. On the one hand, some argue that they are historical landmarks and should be preserved. Consider how you felt about the issue before reading this article. And while it is true that many of the Virginian Founding Fathers - Washington, Jefferson, Madison - all owned slaves, we put up their statues not to commemorate their slave holding but for different reasons. The statues are a painful reminder of past and present institutionalized racism in the United States. Effective Ways to Save on your Mobile Data, The Law Enforcement Exception To The Use Of Deadly Force, Swearing At Police Officers Is Not Appropriate In Massachusetts, Everything You Need To Know About Car Insurance Companies And Police Reports, The Police In Nigeria Have The Authority To Arrest Without A Warrant Under Certain Circumstances. Why removing historical monuments is a bad idea | The Hill [25], Further, Americans pay to have Confederate statues and the associated values on display. [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [54], According to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), 59 Confederate statues and nine markers or plaques were removed from public land in 19 US states between June 17, 2015 and July 6, 2020. And I think most Civil War historians have been against Confederate statues - if not removal, at least with contextualization. Was there no other way to handle that situation? On July 13, 2022, Florida erected a statue of Mary McLeod Bethune to replace their confederate soldier statue. Argumentative Essay: Should Monuments Be Removed? | ipl.org Admittedly, the traditional consensus is not an infallible guide to deciding whom to commemorate. A similar scenario unfolded in 1918 in France, when the imperios took advantage of the French Revolution to gain power. I cannot see myself pulling down a statue in that way. Then youre asking museums to do a lot of work they dont want to do and maybe shouldnt be doing. Advocates of removing statutes of controversial figures suggest that these monuments represent individuals whose actions and legacies should not be celebrated or memorialised. Thus, George Washington is memorialized in statues and place names, although he held slaves. His explorations united a world previously divided by hemispheres. And that was simply not correct. Richard Allen Greene, King Leopold II Statues Are Being Removed in Belgium. There was the thought that these immigrants needed to be turned into productive workers, and that concern is where a lot of our public spaces come from. The Confederate statues have no redeeming qualities to them, but other statues certainly do. People on both sides vigorously defend their position, pointing out disturbingfacts about the Founding Fathers and the founding of America as reasons why the Confederate monuments arent so different from Revolutionary monuments. Consider appealing to the American Alliance of Museums for the use of the statues removed from public display. Caleb Parke, From George Washington to Ulysses S. Grant: Statues, Monuments Vandalized Extend beyond Confederates amid Black Lives Matter Protests, foxnews.com, June 22, 2020, 13. Starting with the Reconstruction, we see them being used as a way to control public spaces and maintain white supremacy alongside other things like lynching, controlling school curriculums, etc. Pros And Cons Of Removing Historical Statues - The Onion These loans are designed to help low and moderate-income borrowers obtain affordable financing. Though they may represent history, the history that they represent is done in . Juan De Anda, Why Representation Matters Now, mediapost.com, April 21, 2020, 28. In fact, even Robert E. Lee opposed Confederate statues . Symbolic annihilation can result in society valuing groups of people less and in internalized negativity among those groups. Mount Vernon, Slavery, mountvernon.org (accessed July 7, 2020), 40. SINHA: I think when you go down that slippery slope, maybe it might backfire. Nellie Peyton, As the Men of Stone Fall, Who Should Rise up and Take Their Place?, news.trust.org, July 2, 2020, 33. [4], Monuments are ultimately about which values we want to honor and put on public display. I got more interested in the U.S. history of monuments when I started to look around and wonder where all the neoclassical buildings came from. GAZETTE: What about the slippery slope argument? Kelly Grovier, Black Lives Matter Protests: Why Are Statues So Powerful?, bbc.com, June 12, 2020, 26. Do we protect Confederate graves and battlefields? A: Theres certainly a school of thought that says so, that maybe they could be taken out of civic spaces and put into a museum where they can be recontextualized. Claudette Colvin was a member of the Womens Missionary Union before Rosa Parks was born. The statues represent the countrys history, no matter how complicated. Plaques can describe the history of slavery and the Civil War, as well as the white supremacist legacy that led to the creation of such monuments. FHA loans have more relaxed credit score requirements than traditional mortgages. John Daniel Davidson, Why We Should Keep The Confederate Monuments Right Where They Are, thefederalist.com, Aug. 18, 2017, 37. Source: Abdazizar. GAZETTE: What do you say to those who argue that the removal of such statues in prominent public settings dishonors the memory of those who died fighting for the Confederacy? Statues Commemorating Slave Traders Should Be Removed But Not Disposed Do the statues represent or misrepresent the countrys history? Erecting statues to the lost heroes of the Lost Cause was part of the campaign to revise history. [31], In Louisville, a statue of Confederate soldier John Breckinridge Castleman was removed. Who Abraham Lincoln was. Arguments for why Confederate statues should not be removed include pointing out the dark sides of other celebratedAmerican heroes, like Washington and Jefferson, as well as the politicization of the statues when there are more important problems. Here are some top contenders, Stupendous vision, energy, competence, and courage. Go toProCon.orgto learn more. The police killing of George Floyd sparked widespread protests and reignited efforts across the U.S. to remove Confederate and other statues viewed as symbols of slavery and racism. The Globe | Pro / Con: Historical Monuments No logr derribarla. 2. In illuminating how vulnerable Americans have long been to ugly racial appeals, and how willfully blind we have been to racial injustice, those statues could remind us of the catastrophic consequences of not putting bigotry aside. [51], Some jurisdictions have chosen to put explanatory plaques beside Confederate monuments to teach a more complete history. Statues could be built to honor George Washington Carver, Madame CJ Walker, Shirley Chisholm, Jesse Owens, Gwendolyn Brooks, Ruby Bridges, Mae Jemison, Charles Richard Drew, Mary Jackson, and countless others. "Historic Statue Removal Top 3 Pros & Cons." Since the statues and properties are not intrinsically bad, we do not remove and destroy them. Lets argue about the facts, lets put them down on paper or on a marker and have a conversation about them. [24], Geoff Palmer, Scotlands first black professor, who disagrees with taking down the statues, warned against being distracted by the simple, concrete action of taking down statues: We dont want to leave this so that people looking back in 50 years will say: you know, they took the statues down, why didnt they do something about racism? [53]. The Day of the Race has been condemned by social science as a result of its extreme racism, including the Nazism of World War II. [23] For example, the Confederate statues in the Capitol building should embody our highest ideals as Americans, expressing who we are and who we aspire to be as a nation. What purpose do they serve in society? I think what you see with the Lee monument and this new time capsule is a good example of how we can handle that. It is no surprise that he is not fondly remembered by his descendants, who consider themselves natives. They did, though, own slaves. We disregard or discount those faults common to the individuals time and place. The state's governor introduced legislation in April 2020 to allow cities to remove statues, paving the way for a US$10 million (7.2 million) plan to transform Richmond Virginia's famous . For one thing, it can be a close question whether a persons extraordinary feats made the world a better place: Franklin D. Roosevelt is widely commemorated, even though scholarsstill argueover whether his leadership during the Great Depression actually improved American life. Thats a lot of money for one city to pay for, and that money could be used for more important things. Confederate Monuments: Should They Stay or Should They Go? Henry Louis Gates, Jr., PhD, Director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard University, notes that enduringly charged symbols of the former Confederacy [add] to our fears that, instead of embracing the promise of democracy in a diverse society, some want to return us to a far more restrictive time, when freedom was circumscribed by race. [22], We cant get to learning from our history if we keep accepting that racism should be celebrated in American history, according to Khalil Gibran Muhammad, PhD, Professor of History, Race and Public Policy at Harvard University [1]. Memorials serve as a permanent reminder of our values, as well as a place to honor and display them in public. [9] And a statue of black tennis star and Civil Rights activist Arthur Ashe was tagged with white lives matter graffiti in Richmond, Virginia. How will Mr. DeSantiss wild Disney ride end? Arguments For And Against Removing Confederate Statues - Ranker Should the US remove Confederate memorials, flags, and Heres a List., nytimes.com, Aug. 28, 2017, 6. ProCon/Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. Confederate statues depict anti-abolitionists as heroes and very honorable men, therefore they should be removed. From a religious/Christian. There is a plaque next to the Peace Monument in Atlanta, Georgia, that states, This monument should no longer serve as a memorial for white Brotherhood. Remove Confederate statues from public places based on the pros and cons. By writing to US national senators and representatives, you can advocate for the position and policies you believe in. The rally protested the proposed removal of statues of Confederate Army GeneralsRobert E. LeeandStonewall Jackson. Jackson was a slave owner. Confederate monuments, in particular, hold religious, cultural, economic, and political values. The fact that pro-Confederate sentiments have become unpopular is. Take away these men who seem to be inferior to Roosevelt, but leave him. UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTER: When do we want it? A 2018 investigation published in the Smithsonian Magazine found that over the prior ten years at least $40 million in taxpayer dollars were allocated for Confederate statues, other monuments, and heritage organizations. As James Grossman, PhD, Executive Director of the American Historical Association, notes, Its not just that the statues represent white supremacy, but the purpose of building the statues was the perpetuation of white supremacy. Aishvarya Kavi, Activists Push for Removal of Statue of Freed Slave Kneeling Before Lincoln, nytimes.com, June 27, 2020, 20. 4. May 16, 2017 0 The statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee and his mount, Traveler, face the setting sun on Monument Ave. in Richmond,. John Daniel Davidson, Political Editor at The Federalist, explained, That they were wrong about slavery does not excuse us today from the burden of trying to understand what motivated them to fightand what motivated them and their families to undertake a flurry of monument-building decades later as the surviving veterans began to die off A more mature society would recognize that the past is always with you and must always be kept in mind. The campaigns demise was both sad and pathetic. I have a complex relationship with monuments, said Diaz, now a world-renowned poet. Pros And Cons Of Removing Confederate Statues | ipl.org Lawrence A. Kuznar, I Detest Our Confederate Monuments. Why are Confederate statues being removed? Sarah Fling, The Formerly Enslaved Household of the Grant Family, whitehousehistory.org, Apr. Arguments for why Confederate statues should be removed include the Confederacy's shameful history of treason and white supremacy, as well as the original purpose of these statues, which was to intimidate Black Americans while celebrating white power. Other examples are the decisions to name towns in New York State, Illinois, and Indiana after the Roman consul,Marcus Tullius Cicero. Copyright 2020 NPR. Despite being recognized around the world as a hero, Columbus statues have long been criticized as a result of his colonization and genocide of Indigenous cultures. Poli Sci prof (IR) at U. Illinois. Does removing statues of Columbus or Confederate officials pave the way for action against monuments honoring those who helped create the United States? Cicero was a great orator, an outstanding lawyer, a spokesman for balanced government, and the single person most responsible for transmitting the Greek philosophical tradition to Western Europe. It has also been suggested that statues shouldn't be removed but new plaques could be added which explain why the person is controversial, for example reflecting both the good and bad things. On October 12, 2006, a bust of Almirante was smashed in Mrida, Mexico, in the aftermath of the Columbus statues being torn down. They are a part of our cultural heritage. GORDON-REED: I suppose, if people want to, everything can pave the way to some other point. What does that say to black citizens of the state, or other citizens, or to younger generations? [4], Of about 5,193 public statues of people in the United States, only 394 are of women, and far fewer are of black Americans or other people of color. Theres one school of thought that says communities should be the ones to decide. The debate over removing Confederate statues continues to rage. Lee was distinguished from his contemporaries by an exemplary career, both in the U.S. and Confederate armies, of competence and honor. Confederate Monuments: What Should Replace Them? | Time This is the first statue of a black person to be installed in Statuary Hall, and it was commissioned by the state. What you got in the interim before that happened was a kind of a battle over community values. Removing Statues Means 'Our Society Is Evolving,' Say Historians, Activists The line is subjective, difficult to draw, and easy to reinterpret, leaving no memorial protected. Explain your answers. If so, how? A petition in Tennessee gained 22,736 signatures (and counting as of July 8, 2020) to replace all Confederate statues in the state, including the statue of Confederate Army General and KKK Grand Wizard Nathan Bedford Forrest that stands in the states capitol building, with statues of Dolly Parton. The monuments go up because, without Washington, there likely would not have been an American nation. I dont think theres any value there. 1. Ashlie D. Stevens, As Confederate Monuments Come down, What Should Replace Them?, salon.com, June 17, 2020, 27. Pros And Cons Of Removing Confederate Statues. For many years people have been arguing whether certain controversial monuments, such as statues, should be destroyed or removed. In the United States, Confederate monuments are erected as public displays to commemorate the Confederate States of America, its soldiers and leaders. ], ProCon.org, "Historic Statue Removal Top 3 Pros & Cons,", ProCon.org, "Historic Statue Removal Top 3 Pros & Cons. There are a number of reasons why Confederate monuments should be kept. Should Statues Be Removed and Destroyed? | Guest Contributor - Politics Red They teach us, and it depends on us whether we practice what we learn. The states declared they had not been fighting to preserve slavery and, instead, fashioned a set of ideas and arguments that they were fighting to hold back the massive industrialization of America, they were trying to preserve rural agrarian civilization, according to David W. Blight, PhD, American History Professor at Yale University. The definition of a statue includes a work of art that represents something as well. Stephen E. Ambrose, Founding Fathers and Slaveholders, smithsonianmag.com, Nov. 2002, 43. And I also grew up hearing stories from my family or reading in archives the terrible things those men did to my people.. Ellis Cose, Keep Confederate Monuments, but Put Their Horrific History on Center Stage, usatoday, Aug. 21, 2017, 52. The ornaments do not represent the history of the world; rather, they represent what the past chose to celebrate and commemorate. Statues and monuments of historical figures are commonplace in almost every city in the world. The video of the officer with his knee on George Floyds neck was so extreme. Are you. [32]. Despite Nicole Douglas' team-leading 14th goal of the season, the Sun Devil soccer team was unable to claim its first Pac-12 victory of the season after falling to the Oregon State Beavers, 2-1 on Thursday night. GAZETTE: In the past, people have suggested the monuments should stay, but that additional plaques or other information should be incorporated to add context. The 12th of October 2004 marks the beginning of a new era in Venezuela. Opinion: Don't Take Down Confederate Monuments. Here's Why. Over the last few years, we have seen an increase in the demolition of statues of heroes who, from one day to the next, appear to follow the exploits of the Egyptian Pharaohs. Glenn Foster, founder of The Freedom Neighborhood, stated of the Emancipation Memorial, which depicts Lincoln over a kneeling freed slave, When I look at that statue, Im reminded my freedom and my liberation is only dictated by white peoples terms. 5. Perhaps that is precisely why the standard is flouted by those who want to politicize everything. [49], Author Sophia A. Nelson, JD, who notes she is the granddaughter of a slave, states that she does not fear 150-year-old statues of old dead white men. Nelson argues that her classmates at Washington & Lee University didnt hate [black students] because there were statues of Robert E. Lee or George Washington (our nations first President and a slave owner) on campus. Why the Christopher Columbus Statue Came Down in Chicago Dreamers and DACA supporters rally outside of the U.S. Supreme Court. Pros. Ive been studying the impact of Black Lives Matter on statues and memorials around the world for the past few months. The US National Trust for Historic Preservation offers a point of contrast, having stated: 'We should always remember the past, but do not necessarily need to revere it'. 4. The removal in recent years of several monuments depicting Confederate leaders and other controversial historical figures by both politicians and unsanctioned activists have generated debate over whether their removal is justified.
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