The Shepherd monument would not have been returned to the National Park Service if it did not provide interpretive signs and returned it to its rightful owner. When the statues are publicly owned, removing them by wanton destruction still usurps decision-making authority from the public. The people who hated having black classmates at their school didn't hate us because there were statues of Robert E. Lee or George Washington (our nation's first President and a slave owner) on. Since Black Lives Matter protests began in response to Columbuss legacy, a number of statues of him have been removed. What are your thoughts on a separate museum for such statues? [42], Jefferson is the author of two of our most dear principles as a country: equality and religious freedom. Following the white nationalist rally in Virginia on August 12, 2017, it was back in the news. After reading the pros and cons on this topic, has your thinking changed? The campaign to remove controversial monuments and memorials has attracted a lot of criticism - charges that we are "erasing" history or imposing our own values and perspectives on people . They must be removed, according to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). The statues do not cause racism and could be used to fight racism if put into historical context. Chvez was once an island with no borders and no land. They were on the wrong side of history. The history of the United States is multi-layered, complicated, and ever-evolving. Why the Christopher Columbus Statue Came Down in Chicago Neil Vigdor and Daniel Victor, "Over 160 Confederate Symbols Were Removed in 2020, Group Says," nytimes.com, Feb. 23, 2021, 56. A 2018 report from the Southern Poverty Law Center found there are more than 1,700 monuments to the Confederacy still in public spaces. He was also an abolitionist, though a hypocritical and pragmatic one who understood the country would not give up slavery so easily. Defunding the humanities, cutting history classes and departments. GREENE: Historian Manisha Sinha is the author of "The Slave's Cause: A History Of Abolition.". The plaques can not only detail the history of slavery and the Civil War, but also the white segregationist history that promoted the building of such statues to promote the revisionist Lost Cause history. A statue of Cecil Rhodes being removed from the University of Cape Town campus, South Africa, 2015. Robert Draper, Toppling Statues Is a First Step toward Ending Confederate Myths, nationalgeographic.com, July 2, 2020, 24. In a 5-4 vote, the court rejected the Trump administration's push to end an Obama-era program that gives nearly 700,000 Dreamers the ability to work in the United States and avoid deportation. Aishvarya Kavi, Activists Push for Removal of Statue of Freed Slave Kneeling Before Lincoln, nytimes.com, June 27, 2020, 20. Thats a lot of money for one city to pay for, and that money could be used for more important things. 1. Why are Confederate statues being removed? Jackson was a slave owner. This was before he became president or even commanded the Union Army. Among the items included in a new time capsule that will take its place is a copy of Diazs Pulitzer Prize-winning Postcolonial Love Poem., When my old basketball coach Wendy Larry texted me to tell me the Virginia governor's office was trying to reach me, I had no idea what they might want. However, preservationism remains the dominant outlook of the sector. They can be seen as a form of art. Chan School of Public Health celebrates opening of $25M Thich Nhat Hanh Center for research, approaches to mindfulness, Women who suppressed emotions had less diverse microbiomes in study that also found specific bacterial link to happiness, Tenn. lawmaker Justin Pearson, Parkland survivor David Hogg 23 talk about tighter gun control, GOP attempts to restrict voting rights, importance of local politics, Dangers involved in rise of neurotechnology that allows for tracking of thoughts, feelings examined at webinar, 2023 The President and Fellows of Harvard College. Q: What can you tell us about Americas history with monuments and memorials? It was a great energy to be a part of removing that statue and seeding something new in its place; a little piece of respect and love for the land, which is what I consider the poem to be.. This article was published on January 20, 2022, at Britannicas ProCon.org, a nonpartisan issue-information source. Juan De Anda, Why Representation Matters Now, mediapost.com, April 21, 2020, 28. What Are The Pros and Cons of FHA Loans For Buyers and Sellers The renewed division between the two civil rights groups followed the war. The debate over removing Confederate statues continues to rage. During this period, ethnicities we now consider to be white Irish and Italian, for example were not considered to be white. A statue of Josphine de Beauharnais, who married Napoleon and became his first wife, was ripped down in Martinique. [35]. Phil Davis, George Washington Monument in Druid Hill Park Spray-Painted with Destroy Racists, Anti-Police Sentiment, baltimoresun.com, June 21, 2020, 11. The ornaments do not represent the history of the world; rather, they represent what the past chose to celebrate and commemorate. [39] [40] [41], However, Washington led the Continental Army to victory over the British, held together the country as the first President over two terms, resisted calls to become King of the country, and, in his will, freed his slaves upon his wifes death. A statue of Lord Charles Colston was erected in Britain more than 60 years before slavery was abolished there. [37], Lawrence A. Kuznar, PhD, Professor of Anthropology at Indiana UniversityPurdue University Fort Wayne, states, removing Confederate statues amounts to whitewashing our history, turning our heads away from the inconvenient truths of our past. George Martin, Why Confederate Monuments Should Be Preserved and Honored, charlotteobserver.com, July 6, 2017, 38. Alex Parsons, Replace All Confederate Statues in Tennessee with Dolly Parton, change.org (accessed July 8, 2020), 31. The views expressed by contributors are their own and not the view of The Hill, by Rob Natelson, opinion contributor - 09/20/17 7:40 AM ET, First Republic fallout: Democrats fume as regulators bail out yet another failed bank, Yellen says drop-dead date for debt ceiling is June 1, Hunter Biden appears in court for paternity case, Big birds are having fewer chicks as climate changes, AI chatbot outperforms human doctors in responding to patient questions, Bidens plan to address migrant surge may make it worse, Who will replace Tucker Carlson at Fox News? Should historic statues be taken down? They represent the establishments value system at any given time, regardless of the circumstances. Ive said it before: There is an important difference between helping to create the United States and trying to destroy it. There are valid arguments on both sides, and there is no easy answer. What purpose do they serve in society? The rally protested the proposed removal of statues of Confederate Army GeneralsRobert E. LeeandStonewall Jackson. His disreputable actions reflected attitudes and practices common to his society. Public Symbols of the Confederacy, splcenter.org, Feb. 1, 2019, 15. 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. The Confederate symbols and associated values that Americans hold in high regard are paid for by them. The main duty is not to hide the bitter parts. When were talking about the Lee statue, its a really good example of what can happen when there is disagreement in the community about what its values are. It started in the 1890s with the Worlds Columbian Exposition in Chicago. In the United States, Confederate monuments are erected as public displays to commemorate the Confederate States of America, its soldiers and leaders. [41]. PRO AND CON: Should Confederate monuments be removed? Advocates of removing statutes of controversial figures suggest that these monuments represent individuals whose actions and legacies should not be celebrated or memorialised. In several cities, these tributes have been vandalized or torn down by protestors or removed by public officials. Regardless of whether historic statues are removed or remain, what sort of statues, memorials, or other art would you like to see in public spaces? There are a number of reasons why Confederate monuments should be kept. Keep reading for all the pros and cons of removing Confederate statues. They didnt like having black classmates because they had racist hearts. Like, what do you see is at stake here if the number of statues being removed really broadens? The fact that pro-Confederate sentiments have become unpopular is. Here are some top contenders, Stupendous vision, energy, competence, and courage. Why removing historical monuments is a bad idea | The Hill When I found out they were taking the statue down, it was close to my birthday and felt like a lucky birthday present, Diaz said. ], [Editors Note: The MLA citation style requires double spacing within entries. ProCon.org. Statues elevate a person from a historical event rather than demystify it. [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. Annie Grayer and Clare Foran, "Statue Honoring Mary McLeod Bethune Unveiled in Statuary Hall in US Capitol,". 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. Perhaps that is precisely why the standard is flouted by those who want to politicize everything. [56], When 11 Southern states seceded from the Union in 1861, they were very clear that the reason was the impending abolition of slavery. It would be odd for me to condone other people doing something I would not do. Elliot Ackerman, The Confederate Monuments We Shouldnt Tear Down, nytimes.com, July 7, 2020, 49. Protesters next to a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in Richmond, Va. Manisha Sinha, a Civil War historian at the University of Connecticut, says when it comes to, say, Robert E. Lee, take it down. Who Frederick Douglass was. Pros And Cons Of The Removal Of Confederate Statues | Bartleby Hecho comn is a part of the Venezuelan Revolution that ended with Hugo Chvezs election as President of the Republic of Venezuela (Y). I have a complex relationship with monuments, said Diaz, now a world-renowned poet. GAZETTE: In recent years, many have called for the removal of monuments honoring Confederate officials and other controversial figures, such as Christopher Columbus, with mixed results. They harbored cultural bias. A: What we choose to memorialize speaks to our values as a society, and often, certain populations are excluded entirely from that. [14] [17]. Removing statues is a slippery slope that could lead to the brash removal of monuments to any slightly problematic person. How do we know if statues are supposed to tell the story of our ancestors? 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. [9] And a statue of black tennis star and Civil Rights activist Arthur Ashe was tagged with white lives matter graffiti in Richmond, Virginia. Should Statues Be Removed and Destroyed? | Guest Contributor - Politics Red 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. The monument divided the African American community, exposing various political philosophies on how to deal with white supremacy. Statues play a critical role in society. 13.8K Followers. Removing Statues Means 'Our Society Is Evolving,' Say Historians, Activists Rebecca Klar, Arthur Ashe Statue on Richmond's Monument Avenue Tagged with White Lives Matter Graffiti, thehill.com, June 17, 2020, 50. Eventually, police descended on the. Push for the position and policies you support by writing US national senators and representatives. These are various statues across the US which honor Confederate leaders or "heroes". First, removing all these statues and monuments cost a lot of money and take a long time. Michelangelos David is not only a statue of a man, but also a statue of God. It is no surprise that he is not fondly remembered by his descendants, who consider themselves natives. The video of the officer with his knee on George Floyds neck was so extreme. GREENE: Professor, thank you so much for your time. 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. Petition Pushes for Parton Statues, arkansasonline.com, June 23, 2020, 30. Confederate monuments are more likely to be removed in cities with large African-American and Democratic populations, as well as chapters of the NAACP, and where state legislatures have the authority to approve their removal. A statue must be erected on land that is yours and have the authority to do so. There are pros and cons to removing statues. [47] Do we exclude the achievements of these figures from public display because they displayed controversial behavior? As goes the South, so goes the nation: Tennessees HIV cuts are a warning for marginalized populations, Florida, Oklahoma double down on the death penalty we need nationwide abolition now, Supreme Court to consider overruling Chevron doctrine, Tucker Carlson, on leaked video, derides Fox streaming service, Al Franken blasts Supreme Court: Its illegitimate, Senate rankings: Here are the 5 seats most likely to flip, Human brains show larger-than-life activity at moment of death. [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. Confederate monuments, in particular, hold religious, cultural, economic, and political values. Natalie Huet, Sir Geoff Palmer, Dont Take down Statues - Take down Racism, euronews.com, June 11, 2020, 54. Southern Poverty Law Center, Whose Heritage? There is no path to a peaceful and prosperous country without challenging and rejecting that as a basis for our society. Why every single statue should come down - The Guardian The architect Daniel Burnham was a leader in the movement; he went on to do the McMillan Plan for the National Mall in D.C. Many of the men with whom George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Ulysses S. Grant were associated at the time were slaves. The Confederates lost the war, the rebellion. If so, how? The Straka is spelled with a T. Monument in Madrid, Spain. Disputation in the political sphere is difficult to come by. Conocie una fugacidad de las personas y conocie una inscripcin hablada de un poder. And thats so important, because future generations will see those images of self-representation of groups that have traditionally been excluded from these monuments making a statement about how colonization has affected them, or how they have survived and are resilient. I was really dismayed to see the statue of Grant, especially, come down because Grant was never. When it was founded, there was a lot of discussion about how it was important to have representations of leaders of civic virtue in the space where our current leaders are, so they have an example to strive for. A meaningful debate about statues is happening - The Conversation Several years have passed since the debate over the removal of Confederate statues began. 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. Robert E. Lee has become a target among those seeking to obviate history allegedly because he held slaves and fought for his home state rather than the nation. Other examples are the decisions to name towns in New York State, Illinois, and Indiana after the Roman consul,Marcus Tullius Cicero. Many celebrities have asked that their names be added to the list over the years, including David Beckham, Bill Morris, Mary Seacole, Benny Hill, and Paul Gascoigne. Ive been studying the impact of Black Lives Matter on statues and memorials around the world for the past few months. There are now more than 30 statues and monumental pieces in his honor in the United States. Taking them down is to censor, whitewash, and potentially forget that history. [27] [28] Statues celebrating the diversity of the country could help remedy symbolic annihilation of black Americans, women, and other groups. Moving such monuments to museums or other places where they can be contextualized and interpreted is a goal of the National Trust. 2. They are also a reminder of the sacrifices made by those who fought for the Confederacy and a symbol of Southern heritage. Annette Gordon-Reed, a historian of U.S. slavery, legal scholar, and member of the Presidential Initiative on Harvard and the Legacy of Slavery, spoke with the Gazette about the issue. History is almost never the sole motivator for the construction of schools. The Mdia Exterior de Chvez highlights how the country responds to its problems: through its actions, the country seeks to advance human rights, including the rights of foreigners, as a result of the decreto de 1817. To access extended pro and con arguments, sources, discussion questions, and ways to take action on the issue of whether historic statues should be taken down in the United States, go to ProCon.org. Instructions for Pros / Cons Paper; Five (5) page essay (2) pages of "pro" and (2) pages of "cons . They are a part of our cultural heritage. The Avalon Project, Confederate States of America - A Declaration of the Causes which Impel the State of Texas to Secede from the Federal Union, avalon.law.yale.edu (accessed July 8, 2020), 16. There is one major distraction when it comes to removing statues that detracts from the larger issue at hand: the notion that removing a statue is an act of historical cleansing. We do not erect monuments to people who performed extraordinary feats that were unquestionably evil, even if their characters included some virtuous traits. Was there no other way to handle that situation? 5. Your Arguments Against Removing The Statues Are Bad