Is it wrong to remove Confederate statues?

Removing these monuments and statues seems like white washing the past to me. There have even been significant calls to tear down the statue of Christopher Columbus in New York because of the way he treated natives. Forgetting your past, no matter how dark it is, is not the way to deal with issues today. What do you think?

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ravenwind43 · 51-55, F

I focus less on right or wrong and more on the fact that it is costly and a waste of time. A statue cannot be "racist" as it's an inanimate object made of organic materials. As you said, erasing history solves nothing. Once they finish with the statues they will start burning books they deem "bad." Things are going bad wrong with people in general.

Pherick · 41-45, M

@ravenwind43 Thats not even close to being true. If a statue cannot "be" something because its an inanimate object, why would you care if they come down?

Its about what a statue represents, that is and always has been what they are about. These statues represent traitors and slavery. You know what I don't want any more of? Slavery and traitors, lets just get rid of them.

ravenwind43 · 51-55, F

@Pherick This isn't something that is true or false.Only a few understand that once you start "banning" things (such as the removal of offensive statues) that a slippery slope soon forms and then nothing is off the table.:)

Pherick · 41-45, M

@ravenwind43 Actually its not. That's a fallacy. We can certainly step back, see that these statues represent glorifying slavery and traitors, remove them and stop there.

Its like saying allowing gay marriage is going to lead to people marrying animals. Its ridiculous.

ravenwind43 · 51-55, F

@Pherick 👍 time will tell.

Pherick · 41-45, M

@ravenwind43 Just a question, have they started banning books about WWII in Germany? They removed all the Nazi statues and anything that glorified them, and haven't slipped down that slope of banning anything...

If they can do, I am sure we can as well.

ravenwind43 · 51-55, F

@Pherick Well I'm not in England so have no idea. I don't speak on things I have no knowledge of. I will choose to believe as I will, as you will. There's nothing to debate:)

Burnley123 · 41-45, M

@ravenwind43 [quote]A statue cannot be "racist" as it's an inanimate object made of organic materials.[/quote]

In the same way that a flag cannot be racist, represent a people be a symbol of something.

Symbols have power based on what is given to them by people. Unite the Right are not protecting the statues because they want to learn from history but because they want to repeat the history. For them these statues are not rock; they are Jim Crow era monuments representing white power a rebel slave owning Confederacy.

If there was no racism in Southern USA then it would not matter and you could leave them to the birds. Unfortunately, it's not the case and keeping them up now would be a huge symbolic victory for white supremacists.

ravenwind43 · 51-55, F

@Burnley123 The freedom I find in being a Libertarian is that I can listen to your opinion, chose to agree or not agree and move on from it without a qualm or a bitter word. The two party system is about constant squabbling that I want no part of. I can share my opinion and have that be it...I won't waste time arguing with people who are firm in their own beliefs:)

Burnley123 · 41-45, M

@ravenwind43 I don't see removing the statues an infringement on freedom of speech but as a political choice by elected officials.

Nobody is banning the teaching of the Confederacy or debate about the topic. Statues displayed in public represent who is celebrated.

Fernie · F

@ravenwind43 that is ridiculous...what they symbolize is dispicable