The statues of people such as General Lee are a representation of our history. Let’s not forget that he was part of the reunification effort and without him, we probably don’t unify as quickly. With that said, yes, a confederate flag has no business flying from a government building. If you want to paint one on your truck, free speech applies. Governments should be flying the state flag and US flag only. Of course, I’m kind of a jerk because I don’t want them flying a BLM flag, Gay Pride flag or a Trump 2020 flag.
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Some, who weren’t alive when they were erected, who have no connection to that war other than family ties, or who just happen to be born in the same region as the fallen dead. And they erect statues and memorials to the generals who DIDN’T die, but who also stated that they didn’t think memorials like that would allow the wounds of war to heal. That makes even less sense when you type it out.
I mean, I’ve sat through local, rural community meetings when community leaders considered what to do about local confederate symbology. It was astonishing listening to moms who were former cheerleaders, or angry dads who were once 2nd string high school football players, going on an on about how they “fought and shed their blood, sweat, and tears for that flag” when they were in school. I don’t think we really see that same zeal from people who were “The Bobcats” or “The Pirates” or “The Bulldogs” in school.
I mentioned the impassioned vigor that comes out of some people every time this national discussion about confederate memorials comes up. The backward logic that “we’re erasing history if those memorials from the exact spot they are in right now” comes up every time. It demands that only one piece of the story be told in important public squares-and it DEMANDS reverence to one, specific, set of “fallen heroes”-confederate ones. Not “American” ones. Not just any local heroes who fought in any war and lost their lives…it MUST be the tribute to the confederate ones in THAT spot, or “you are erasing history like Nazis and terrorists.” That argument gets made along side “history and heritage” every single time.
It’s much like the Kaepernick situation. People could have disagreed with his means of protest, but agreed that he’s trying to address a real problem and taken him seriously, but instead he was insulted, mocked, and ignored.
There’s reasonable compromise when it comes to these memorials, as I mentioned earlier in the thread. But there are some who knee-jerk against it, and refuse to even listen to suggestions to move that monument from town square to the confederate cemetery a few blocks away, and allowing it to be done professionally (or similar such compromises).
I’ve always held firm that I think it’s better to let the local community decide. A person who lives hundreds/thousands of miles away from me doesn’t seem to have the same strength of argument as one who has to walk or drive by it regularly.
I think that’s indicative of a problem many are not willing to recognize.
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Hell, my grandparents came here in the early 1900’s and I was born in a state that wasn’t even a state at the time so I’m double innocent. 
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I don’t disagree with the historical value of these monuments. I simply don’t understand the refusal of SOME people to even consider their relocation. It’s quite selfish, and in my opinion, it indicates a motive beyond “history.”
Agree wholly. I think the same applies to monuments such as statues. Put them in a civil war musem, or a confederate cemetery, or let a private buyer take ownership and put them on private property.
I don’t wince every time I drive by one of those giant crosses along a highway. I find it odd that one would want to put up a GIANT remembrance of the gruesome suffering and death of Jesus, but I as long as it’s on someone’s personal property…“whatevs” as the kids say. I did wince, however, at the billboard that was put up by a church that had the words “Jesus loves you this much” placed on topic of an image of the upper half of Jesus nailed to the cross. That one was just…not well though out.
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I get the point here, though I completely disagree with Kaepernick conclusion that there’s a real problem. I’ll believe they’re serious when they address the ~7K murders in the black community and not just throw a fit about police… but that’s beside the point. I agree that local communities should decide and if they want to move it to museum, knock yourself out, I just have a big problem with trying to strip our history and memorials from public view as it’s not just local communities doing it, it’s large groups demanding it from external at times. That’s why I give it the knee jerk reaction because often times, these things have been up for decades without a single complaint and all of the sudden, one person’s feelings are hurt so we have to change. I guess I’m just tired of the culture of you offended me so I must force you to change or apologize in this country. You have no right to not be offended, nor do I. If they put up a BLM statue, I’d be offended because I 100% disagree with the tactics of BLM but I wouldn’t call for its removal. I’d just sigh and laugh at the pathetic people that put it up.
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Yes. When I read the posts about the Civil War not being about slavery and primarily states rights, I too weep for the education of those posters.
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I think it’s more than that. It’s people feeling like their voices would not be heard, so why try? It’s people who tried to have their voices heard, but weren’t listened to (sounds a lot like athletes who knelt). It’s people who were alive and grew up in times and areas where they were legally discriminated against still being reluctant and fearful of speaking out.
In specific regards to confederate memorials, “you” are not being asked to change. No one is personally being asked to personally change by removing a monument from a public square.
Asking that confederate monuments be moved from the public square is not forcing anyone to apologize.
What would have happened to a black person who laughed in the face of someone erecting a Lee statue in the 1910s in the south? We know what happened to black teenagers who catcalled white store clerks in the 1960s.
I would be surprised to see people erecting monuments to BLM. I think it’s more likely to see them erected in remembrance of people who actively made sacrifices for a greater cause, like MLK.
Imagine the great, great, great grandson of a Storm Trooper defending a monument to Darth Vader 150 years after the galactic war ended. Sounds pretty ridiculous, doesn’t it?
The guide said there were agitators who wanted them removed.
Nope…this is lib court where cons are guilty till proven innocent. The precedent is Kavanaugh, not Biden…amirite? 
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A few comments,
- Yes, they are demanding we change society to cater to their feelings by tearing down monuments.
- We don’t live in the 1910’s or 1960’s, it’s 2020 bud. Even still, if someone sighed and laughed at the people that put those statues up, nothing happens. I never said laugh in their face, I said sigh and laugh at them.
- That’s just a silly comparison. We erected statues of General Lee, not because he chose the wrong side but because he helped with reunification.
Hell, there are people calling for statues of Jefferson to be removed because they’re offended. Where do we draw the line? Isn’t there a point where we can just say “Look, I get you’re offended but go seek counseling and stop demanding society change crap because YOU can’t figure out your opinion isn’t the gold standard.”
I don’t want people tearing down statues of people like FDR, even though it’s my personal believe that he was the worst President we’ve ever had due to the Raw Deal. I walk by and I’m mystified as to how we can celebrate that putz… but I’m not asking society to change. He’s part of our history, good or bad, we should recognize it, have a discussion and understand how he impacted our nation.
This sanitizing everything that we don’t like is just silly.
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Yeah, I know what you mean, because the Civil War had NOTHING to do with states rights… 
Good post.
Another good post.
Good post.
The right to own slaves. They were quite clear on this.
The ones insisting we keep those specific monuments in those specific locations demand everyone else cater to their feelings by keeping monuments erected centuries ago, to traitors against the union, in the public square.
Cool story, “bud.”
It’s 2020, and we have people insisting we continue to pay tribute in the public square to military leaders who fought for the army who left the country. Think really hard about that, “bud.”
No “we” didn’t erect statues of him for that reason. Groups like the United Daughters of the Confederacy, who publicly supported and endorsed the KKK, had them erected decades after the war.
I think the national discussion on why some people DEMAND that memorials from over a century ago, memorializing the losers of the war, remain in the public square says more about the people who passionately demand they stay up than it does about those who want them taken down.
And yet the removal of such monuments have literally zero impact on the people demanding they stay up.
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The “rights of the states” to "_ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _."
Self-determine
Almost.
Self-determine what, though?
3 blanks, then 6 blanks.
Self-determine everything, including slavery.
