Today's Topic Is Taking Down Statues!

So there's been a lot of hoo hah about taking down statues in America of Columbus and confederate generals and such because of the inherent symbolism those statues represent. And honestly I completely agree that taking down statues of humans is right, but I wouldn't stop with just the obvious candidates like a bunch of southern generals and Columbus, I say take down every statue of every human being that ever lived and don't erect anymore. People talk about "Well you know, things were different back then" as an excuse for keeping up a statue of a slave trading genocidal scumbag like Columbus up. But that's my point, times change and as a society the west has advanced in areas such as a keeping other humans as slaves, or saying that the Spanish discovered America even though there were already a bunch of humans living there. If our vain, insecure species feels the need to put up monuments to our greatness!!! We should put up monuments celebrating virtues such as tolerance, love and getting along. Hell have a statue of a black guy and a white guy shaking hands, or have some monuments to some really terrible things that humans have done. As a "THIS WAS HORRIBLE WHAT WE DID, DON'T DO IT AGAIN!!!". People are not perfect, they're flawed, corrupt animals and times change but virtues like tolerance, kindness and such are subjects which our species should hold onto. I mean Mt Rushmore? Two of the heads on Rushmore were slave owners, and while Lincoln worked toward freeing the slaves in America he was very racist by modern standards. And Teddy Roosevelt? That war mongering, bloodthirsty maniac!!!! The thing is, while each of the heads on Rushmore had their good bits they were each of them flawed in ways that on their own are not worthy of being a monument for us all to live up to. You got two slave owners, a racist bigot and a bloodthirsty maniac. See what I'm getting at? Even Dolly Parton I'm sure has done something crabby at some point in her life and Dolly Parton is AWESOME!!! So to sum up, we should erect monuments to virtues, sharing, tolerance and so on and even bravery I mean being brave is scary!!! But bung a monument to overcoming fear to help others, but a statue for an entire person? People are too flawed and you cant put up a statue to somebody and just cherry pick the bits you like about their life, people are like the bible, we're full of all sorts of crap and you can be like "Oh yeah I love Larry, but he needs to knock off his crap, I mean what does he care if somebody wants to be a cross dresser". And Larry may go on to save a busload of kids one day but he's still an intolerant tool.

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Adogslife · 61-69, M

So, what about the Statue of Liberty?

What about Christ the Redeemer?

Venus De Milo?

The Thinker?

The Great Sphinx of Giza?

Atlas (in Rockefeller Center NYC)?

Just to name a few…

Allelse · 36-40, M

@Adogslife Let's see who on that list was a human being, Jesus? Maybe he existed but who knows, random cult leader wandering around the place but that means he was a human being so nope, no statues of him, it's time to rip him down. The rest are alright because they're not statues of human beings. One's a titan, statue of liberty is a symbol of liberty so that's alright, Venus isn't human so that's alright, she's a Roman goddess, but the Sphinx!!! Now we're not sure if it was based after somebody, but I reckon that one falls into the category of archeological relic since it's so old, so that's all good. The guy on the toilet was inspired by the divine comedy, again, not human beings since it's all make believe. So other than taking down Jesus it's all good. But you're on the right track!!! We need to review all statues.

Kowabunga · 51-55, M

If we were to destroy everything that represented things like slavery, or was built with the proceeds of slavery, there would be hardly anything left standing. Slavery was clearly hideous but if we don’t recognise and remember history, we are condemned to relive it. I think it is better to leave these things standing but add text to the plaques indicating the true stories. Otherwise, are we to destroy all roman artefacts or Egyptian pyramids?

Allelse · 36-40, M

@Kowabunga So you're saying instead of just taking it out and smashing the statues that we put them all in museums? With a plaque telling the whole story? Yeah I like that.

Spoiledbrat · F

Oh yeah. Let's tears down America and make it yours.

View 4 more replies »

Spoiledbrat · F

@Allelse and yeah I edited

Allelse · 36-40, M

@Spoiledbrat That's the point of what I was saying, 200 years and things change it's alright because we decided it's alright to tear em down when they no longer have any meaning. It's just a bit of masonry, bit of rock and your little bang bang toys?

Spoiledbrat · F

But they did then. That's the point. Everyone acts like we're still racist or treasure slavery. Some people just aren't happy unless they virtue signal. They just don't see it. @Allelse

Bruja · F

Watch it Richard, your Calabrese is showing.

DDonde · 31-35, M

For every statue that is taken down I will erect a new one in my backyard

Allelse · 36-40, M

@DDonde I got no problem with folk putting up dumb shit in their own backyard, but not when it's public works.

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