Well, they are a visible depiction of people who fought to preserve slavery. It is about time they came down. It is no different than pulling down statues of Soviet leaders in Estonia, or British ones in Ireland or India.

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For those who don't think it was about slavery, read the reasoning of the Confederate Vice President as to the causes of the war.

By the way, there have been loads of murders committed by the KKK for their cause so I am not sure what your point is.

If you come to a fork in the road, take it.

Absolutely. However, if they want to put the statues in a museum or park with some proper interpretation to educate people, I would have no problem with that: and that is what is reported to be happening in a number of places.

I would also point out there are loads of these statues of losers, and I doubt there are proportionately as many from the winning Federal side. Unfortunately, much of this relates to the myth of the good cause and the statues themselves are part of an attempt to air brush history to make it seem as thought the South was right, and the South won the moral argument. Which in some ways it did if you look how long it took for things to significantly change.

Edited by NickinOX (16 Aug 2017 2.47am)

If you come to a fork in the road, take it.

Yep Jefferson and Washington could come down. Trump predicted that yesterday. I wonder how that's works with Mount Rushmore?

Really? So Iraq should have statues of Saddam Hussein all over the place, India and Ireland should have British Generals in Main streets? Hitler should be in every town square. This is just plain nonsense.
The generals and leaders of the successionist southern states have no place being celebrated in a modern US. Sure teach the history of how a civil war was fought in the US and the 100's of thousands that died in a brutal conflict that sought to preserve the economic system that existed in southern america at that time. The rebel states have long since lost the moral argument and preserving statues of its leaders without doubt still gives voice to the confederate battle flag waving racists that want to turn back time to that of slavery and white supremacy.

The trump comparisons with Jefferson and Washington - that they were slave owners - is valid BUT the distinction here is what is it that their statues are there to celebrate. In this case they were heroes of the American Revolution and founding fathers of modern america. If you take the view that the American Revolution was a great achievement and that the writing of the declaration of independence was an historic moment then having statues to these men to celebrate their contribution is valid DESPITE their other faults. THERE IS NO EQUIVALENCE TO ROBERT E LEE - A great general he undeniably was but he was fighting for a cause that nearly everyone does not support any more.

ISIS do not pull down statues and ancient buildings to re-write history rather they believe that images of god is idolatry and blasphemy - in almost the same way that 16th century protestants removed icons and statues from Churches.

Palace Fan

Pulling down statues is provocative. It is also another example of favouring the minority over the majority.
I know that there are liberals in the South who would approve of this as well as all those 'rednecks' but many people are still proud of their heritage, even if some aspects of that do not fit well with current political correctness.
History has happened, it can't be changed or airbrushed. It should serve as a reminder of reality over revisionism.
People need to move on and stop harbouring old resentments. Removing statues of historical figures that some revere will achieve the opposite.

The civil war was primarily about slavery...well, to be precise the money from it. But it wasn't only about slavery and symbols like General Lee came to represent the independence of the south. But there is no doubt that if Lincoln hadn't been elected president the war wouldn't have happened.

It's one eyed to suggest that a statute of General Lee is just about slavery for everyone. I was annoyed about the bringing down of this statue as well and I don't support slavery at all. Plenty of people died on the confederate side and most of them didn't own slaves.

It's air brushing of history, it's what extremists do when they seek to make society in their image.

Not good.

Edited by Stirlingsays (16 Aug 2017 10.36am)

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