Confederate Monuments Debate

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Confederate monuments debate
The “Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC)” identified 718 confederate statues and monuments in 2016. They were erected as an honor to soldiers, leaders and Confederate states. The presence of these monuments has however sparked debates and heated discussions in the US. While some people advocate for their removal, others are of a contradicting opinion. Those that oppose the idea of removing the monuments claim that their eradication will erase history. Some argue that the spaces are supposed to be preserved to act as a reminder of the dark moments. Others say that the monuments are a way of celebrating southern pride. Civil rights activists argue that they serve as reminders of segregation, slavery, and racism. Over 60 symbols have so far been renamed or removed (Al Jazeera 1)
According to Anderson (1), the monuments erected under the Jim Crow system are vile symbols that represent white supremacy as well as the terrorization of blacks. She makes her case by claiming that there are no monuments erected to honor other ancestors such as the abolitionists, the enslaved, the black soldiers and the pro-union North Carolinians. She further claims that the statues send the message that the government endorses inequality and oppression.
Anderson also claims that though some cities such as Baltimore and New Orleans support the removal of monuments, those in North Carolina are protected by a law that bars their removal (Anderson 1).

On the other hand, Nelson opposes the idea of removing the monuments and argues that “a great nation does not hide its history.” She claims that the removal of the monuments doesn’t reflect the first amendment freedoms. She is more concerned about the social hatred that exists currently rather than 150-year-old statues (Nelson 1).
Works Cited
Al Jazeera. “US Confederate Monuments: What Is the Debate about?” Israeli–Palestinian Conflict | Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera, 24 Aug. 2017, www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2017/08/confederate-statues-debate-170821104705027.html.
Anderson, Karen. “We Must Remove Shrines to White Supremacy From Public Property.” Medium, Augmenting Humanity, 18 Aug. 2017, medium.com/aclu/we-must-remove-shrines-to-white-supremacy-from-public-property-99803e535c7b.
Nelson, Sophia A. “Opinion: Don’t Take Down Confederate Monuments. Here’s Why.” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, 1 June 2017, www.nbcnews.com/think/news/opinion-why-i-feel-confederate-monuments-should-stay-ncna767221.