The Importance Of Confederate Monuments

Another issue with the statues are the actual subjects monumentalized. Notable people that are commemorated with having models of themselves publicly displayed are usually figures that the people of America are proud of, like Abraham Lincoln or Harriet Tubman. Confederate statues, however, are the exception; for they are monuments that represent the institutionalization of racism. “Our public spaces should not glorify historical policies of hatred and racism,” argues Kevin Kamenetz, executive and president of the Maryland Association of Counties (Eversley 2017). That single phrase perfectly sums up what people across the country are attempting to convey, and expresses the main issue that many have with these statues. No person who fought for the right to keep humans as property is deserving of modern honor.

Due to the timeless virtues of the men they portray whether its Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, or any other confederate war heroes, the Confederate Monuments should remain in public places. Their image is typically tarnished because they fought for the South, it’s hard for people

Confederate statues depict anti-abolitionists as heroes and very honorable men, therefore they should be removed. These men who are depicted as heroes fought for the institution of slavery. These statues not only glorify anti-abolitionists but they remind people of the strong racism of the time. Many people fight for the removal of these statues for the sole reason that they “serve as constant reminders of institutional racism, segregation and

Attention Grabber: Due to the recent events that took place in Charlottesville, North Carolina, the discussion on whether or not the Confederate monuments and symbolism should be removed has come about. In this speech, I will give you some more information on the benefits and disadvantages to both removing and keeping the statues and flags.

The removal of Confederate monuments has been a controversial topic over the past few years. Many want to tear them down, others want to keep them up and some want them to be moved to museums. Although controversial, many still do not know why exactly people want these statues to tear down or be kept up. After reading and analyzing both Michele Bogart’s and The Guardian’s view on Confederate statues, I would say that Michele Bogart’s “In Defense of ‘Racist’ Monuments” article was the most persuasive. Right off the bat, Michele Bogart starts off with how the rise of white nationalism is causing officials around the country to remove memorials of Confederate soldiers, military leaders, and symbols of “the Lost Cause”. Bogart clearly states that not all civic statues represent white supremacy or racism, but that they are “the culmination of complex social and artistic engagement at the community level” (Bogart). She further explains how eliminating these statues is not going to help solve the problem of racism in the United States. Her purpose in this essay is to persuade the reader that civic monuments should be kept up as pieces of art, not as “symbols of hate”.

However most of the confederate monuments were created after the war during the era of the Jim Crow laws (Parks, NPR), and well as during the civil rights movement during the 1950’s and 1960 (Parks, NPR). Those were times where African Americans were trying to gain rights to vote, or stop segregation. Those statues to the confederates were built during times when African Americans rights were being challenge and suppressed. Therefore these statues were built to honor the Jim Crow Era, as a sign against the rights of black Americans. If the statues had been to honer southern pride they would of be constructed during the war or after, and there are other ways for the south to show

A recent hot-button subject in the media has been what to do with Confederate monuments in the South. After the removal of a statue honoring Robert E. Lee, a general in the Confederate Army considered by many to be a hero for the part he played in the American Civil War, a clear divide has formed over whether it was the right thing to do. Some agree with this choice, calling the statues remnants from a time of racial oppression in the United States. Others are outraged, considering it desecration of their proud history. Still others don't understand either side of the issue, and see it as a pointless feud. It is imperative to understand that to many people, these are more than just statues. Whether their impression is positive or negative, this issue goes beyond physical monuments.

First, removing all these statues and monuments cost a lot of money and take a long time. For example, The cost to remove all the monuments and statues in New Orleans could cost $600,000. Thats a lot of money for one city to pay for, and that money could be used for more important things. Another reason I feel that we should keep these statues and monuments because it’s a part of our history. Yes, the Confederacy did believe in slavery, but it isn’t about honoring slavery. It’s about understanding that this is what we once were as a nation. Keeping this symbolizes how far we’ve come as a country and how much we’ve progressed. Taking these monuments down would be in a way an attempt to erase our

President Trump took to Twitter back in August to proclaim his dissatisfaction with the country. The topic was the removal of Confederate statues. He claimed that they are “beautiful monuments to our history and culture.” Well, it wouldn’t be the first time that he was wrong. The fact that president trump is blatantly endorsing a horribly racist part of our nation's history shows a lot about him as not only a person but as a president. Confederate statues and monuments need to be removed all throughout the USA because they are strongly linked to racism. People may argue that the flag and monuments aren’t about racism because “that isn’t what the war was about”

The Confederate Monuments that are standing are a symbol of our great nations life. These monuments being taken down is solving nothing and doing nothing but causing madness between the American people. These monuments should stay to give people knowledge and teach them of what our state once was and still is. The Monuments of the Confederate soldiers that are scattered across the United States are symbols of freedom in our country. People are declaring that the monuments be taken down or moved because they are “racist.” Simply removing monuments and moving them so they are out of sight is not new. The Inca Empire of South America removed icons of conquered peoples’ gods and held them hostage in a temple in the Incan capital of Cuzco. In our time, the post-Soviet Russian government removed many statues of Lenin and others, which are now in Muzeon Arts Park in Moscow.The thoughts of most American people today are mostly racist thoughts when the conversation of Confederate monuments start up. 70% of the American people think that the Confederate monuments are racist and should be taken down. The people that know it is not racism, should take a stand and fight for our freedom once more.

The confederate era monuments in New Orleans have been a hot topic of debate. People on both sides feel passionately about whether these local historic landmarks should remain standing or be torn down because of the atrocities the men they honor committed well over one hundred years ago. Whether over racial or personal beliefs there are strong motives on either side. As of now the future of the cityscape lays in limbo. Will history prevail over emotion?

Statues, monuments and historical markers across the United States were settled to memorize the confederacy around 150 years after the  Civil War ended. They are interpreted as history and honor heritage markers, but on the contrary, some think they are racist symbols of America’s dark legacy of slavery.

I need help trying to understand this event in Virginia that has been replicated in other cities where citizens have protested the removal of Confederate monuments. I'm not aware of any other country that has monuments that celebrate the loser of a conflict or war and on top of that to celebrate the absolute WORST part of American history. Are there monuments to celebrate Hitler and the Nazi reign in Germany? Are there monuments to celebrate apartheid in South Africa? What reason do Confederate monuments serve when the majority of the atrocities that occurred during that time are either ignored or minimized in the history books?

The people who are on the side “leave them up”, believe that the monuments represent only love and heritage, not hate. Sara Lane, an author for the Bowling Green Daily News believes that, “these are not monuments of hate. These are not monuments to slavery. Not one of the monuments suggest slavery was a good thing.” Although it may be true that there were some memorials built to remember those who fought with the Confederacy because they were forced to, most of them were not, and it is evident because they were built a long time after the Civil War ended.

Of all the things in this world for people to fiercely debate today, 100-year-old statues of dead generals have somehow made their way into public discourse. In America, we face an interesting issue that has been ignored for quite some time: what to do with our monuments to Confederate soldiers. There are many reasons why I chose this topic, partly because I am already somewhat knowledgeable on the issue, but I still have much to learn about this topic. Confederate monuments are an important debate being held in our country right now and I intend to help explain why that is and help people to form their own opinions based on strong arguments.