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How do we think about removing controversial statues in the US? How do we think about removing controversial statues in the US?
"We must remove these statues!" "We must remove these statues!"
"Individual states should make the call. A universal consensus is not necessary." "Individual states should make the call. A universal consensus is not necessary."
"We must not remove these statues!" "We must not remove these statues!"
This discussion is a distraction from more urgent issues. This discussion is a distraction from more urgent issues.
We should remove some statues, but this movement has gone too far. We should remove some statues, but this movement has gone too far.
These statues venerate people who supported the dehumanization of others. These statues venerate people who supported the dehumanization of others.
These statues were intended to promote white supremacy and racial terror. These statues were intended to promote white supremacy and racial terror.
These statues romanticize the Confederacy These statues romanticize the Confederacy
These statues honor individuals who harmed indigenous people. These statues honor individuals who harmed indigenous people.
We should allow states to make this decision independently We should allow states to make this decision independently
Removing controversial statues erases history. Removing controversial statues erases history.
The statue removal movement is an attempt to erase white Southern history. The statue removal movement is an attempt to erase white Southern history.
These people made morally questionable decisions but they weren't completely bad. These people made morally questionable decisions but they weren't completely bad.
This movement is led by violent, angry mobs. This movement is led by violent, angry mobs.
There are more urgent areas that need reform There are more urgent areas that need reform
This movement might threaten all historical statues. This movement might threaten all historical statues.
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How do we think about removing controversial statues in the US?
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"Individual states should make the call. A universal consensus is not necessary."

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We should allow states to make this decision independently

The U.S. Constitution's 10th Amendment protects states' right to make some decisions independently. We must follow this guideline and allow states to decide the fate of controversial statues.
Mitch McConnell Kevin McCarthy
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The Argument

According to the US Constitution's 10th Amendment, "the powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."[1] As a founding principle of our nation, this amendment ensures that states can make some decisions independently, without intervention from the federal government. States have made independent decisions about the removal of symbols in the past. After the horrific mass church shooting in Charleston, South Carolina, state officials chose to remove the Confederate flag from their Statehouse lawn. [2]Recently, they removed a statue of John C. Calhoun from Marion Square. [3] These decisions prove that states are entirely capable of assessing the merit of statues and then choosing to remove or preserve them. Our nation's founders knew this and trusted that state officials would use this power wisely, listening to the voices of their constituents and acting on their behalf. States' rights are an essential aspect of our government: we must not weaken them because of this issue. For this reason, we must allow states and local governments to make this decision independently.

Counter arguments

In years past, citizens have repeatedly asked their local governing officials to remove certain monuments. For the most part, these requests have been ignored. In light of this, it is clear that meaningful change regarding these statues will have to come from a higher level. If activists wait for their elected officials to make decisions regarding statue removal, they will lose the support of the wider community, which was sparked by the death of George Floyd. The movement will lose momentum and these statues will never be removed. It would also be much more time-efficient for the federal government to issue a statement about the removal of controversial statues, and it would save local governments hours of debate over this issue.

Proponents

Premises

[P1] Because of the US government's structure, individual states have the right to make decisions independently. The Constitution's 10th Amendment ensures this arrangement. [P2] In the past, states have made decisions about controversial statues on their own, without intervention from the federal government. [P3] For this reason, we should leave decisions about controversial statues up to individual states.

Rejecting the premises

References

  1. https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/amendment/amendment-x
  2. https://abcnews.go.com/US/110-confederate-tributes-removed-2015-mass-killing-1700/story?id=55632449
  3. https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/defying-law-charleston-remove-statue-slavery-advocate/QB2PYAUE3VHQJCHDFZ7F3QR3GE/
This page was last edited on Saturday, 11 Jul 2020 at 06:26 UTC