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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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We should remove some statues, but this movement has gone too far.

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This movement might threaten all historical statues.

If we begin removing the monuments of all controversial figures, we will be forced to remove statues entirely, because every historical person is controversial in some way.
Jessica Towhey Ira D. Gruber
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The Argument

The statue removal movement started as a positive cause. It questioned the presence of statues that honor racism and white supremacy in our public spaces. However, it has gone too far, because activists are now calling for the removal of all statues that depict individuals with any sort of problematic ties. As a result, the statues of all historical figures will soon be in danger, because there is no completely blameless historical figure. Like us, they were fallible human beings who were guilty of wrongdoing. For example, a statue of George Washington was recently toppled in Portland, Oregon.[1] If a statue of America's first president is in danger because of Washington's mistakes, it is likely that all historical monuments will face the same fate. In order to prevent this, this movement's supporters must do a better job of distinguishing between statues that honor racist ideologies, and those that honor individuals who made positive contributions to society but happened to make mistakes. There is a big difference between statues that honor treasonous Confederate generals and those that honor our nation's founders.

Counter arguments

This argument wrongly assumes that the most extreme opinions on statue removal represent those of most activists. If protestors were calling for the removal of every imperfect figure's statue, they would all be removed. However, the majority are not calling for such dramatic action. They understand the situation's nuance and are only calling for the removal of statues that blatantly support racism.

Proponents

Premises

[P1] No historical figure was perfect- they all held problematic views. [P2] If we strive to take down the monuments of all figures who held wrong opinions, we will be forced to remove all monuments.

Rejecting the premises

References

  1. https://thehill.com/changing-america/respect/equality/503559-george-washington-statue-vandalized-and-toppled-by
This page was last edited on Monday, 13 Jul 2020 at 01:10 UTC