History retells our inaccessible past that should not be altered, revised, or embellished. It must remain raw; a historical reckoning of people’s deeds: great and small, wicked and wise, evil and good, not for their glorification nor condemnation but for our sakes. 

History should not be rinsed of its dirt. It must be laid bare in front of everyone, naked of adorning lies. The truth makes history relevant to our times, and historical fact strengthens society. The mistakes made long ago cannot be undone, but we can avoid such things from happening again.

The United States is filled with monumental history. Among significant turning points in U.S. history was the Civil War, where brother fought against brother over the morality and ethicality of slavery. Ultimately, the rights established in the Constitution prevailed. All men are created equal and are endowed with the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The right to own a human being was abolished at the end of the Civil War. 

It is essential that events that triggered the Civil War be forever put in stone and be remembered by all Americans. This is why tearing down statues because of the idea that they have “bad backstories” is an apparent disrespect for the teachings of history. Monuments and statues serve to remind people of deeds, courage, and a message of warning. 

We must build staunch towers of arguments, speech, and rhetoric that will educate people, pointing them to the right path. Society needs education, not the disinfection of our nation’s diseased past. Monuments are a way of immunizing our youths with reminders of past mistakes.