Four Perspectives On Removing Confederate Monuments
1. Remove and Destroy Them All
One set of Americans believe that monuments dedicated to members of the Confederacy should no longer stand on public land. They see these monuments as an affront to the values for which the Union fought — the abolition of slavery being at or near the top of the list.
These people view the monuments as a tacit endorsement of Confederate values by state governments, or at the very least, an unwillingness on the part of state government officials to place the final nail in the Confederate coffin.
2. Sell Them to Private Collectors or Museums
3. Keep Your History Before You
A third set of Americans recognize the grievances of those who would like to have Confederate monuments removed, but believe that keeping them where they stand can serve as an important reminder of how far we've come as a nation.
Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice articulated this point during an interview with Cameron Smith of AL.com in May, 2017:
4. What Comes Next
1. Remove and Destroy Them All
One set of Americans believe that monuments dedicated to members of the Confederacy should no longer stand on public land. They see these monuments as an affront to the values for which the Union fought — the abolition of slavery being at or near the top of the list.
These people view the monuments as a tacit endorsement of Confederate values by state governments, or at the very least, an unwillingness on the part of state government officials to place the final nail in the Confederate coffin.
2. Sell Them to Private Collectors or Museums
3. Keep Your History Before You
A third set of Americans recognize the grievances of those who would like to have Confederate monuments removed, but believe that keeping them where they stand can serve as an important reminder of how far we've come as a nation.
Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice articulated this point during an interview with Cameron Smith of AL.com in May, 2017:
One of the things about statues and monuments and the like is that for those who weren't a part of that history, it can be a reminder. I have students who were not born when the Soviet Union collapsed, and they're maybe not going to remember that in the way that I did, that there was once this thing called the Soviet Union.
Nobody is alive today who remembers the Civil War, but by looking at that, you can trigger what it meant and what it was like. You don't have to honor the purposes of people whose history now shows that they were on the other side of history, but you better be able to remind people.
So, I myself and not much for whitewashing history. I don't like the renamings, I don't like the taking down [of] various monuments. I know that, for instance, the flag — the Confederate flag — I agree completely with Nikki Haley and others. That was a battle flag of the defeated Confederacy. That's a different matter. But these historical figures, we need to remember who they are, what they stood for, and why we've moved on.
Nobody is alive today who remembers the Civil War, but by looking at that, you can trigger what it meant and what it was like. You don't have to honor the purposes of people whose history now shows that they were on the other side of history, but you better be able to remind people.
So, I myself and not much for whitewashing history. I don't like the renamings, I don't like the taking down [of] various monuments. I know that, for instance, the flag — the Confederate flag — I agree completely with Nikki Haley and others. That was a battle flag of the defeated Confederacy. That's a different matter. But these historical figures, we need to remember who they are, what they stood for, and why we've moved on.
4. What Comes Next