The idea of the #Confederacy was ineffectively aimed at building a new nation wherein the central government’s power would be limited, and slavery would be protected. The notion of #Slavery is not acceptable. Fellow citizens in our global society should be seen and treated as equals. Therefore, actions to dispose of these Confederate statues, which were sculpted to pay tribute to those who fought in favor of slavery and racism, can help race relations, as it will promote an effective and efficient effort to demolish offensive views.
The movement to remove Confederate statues recently sparked an escalation when news broke of the tragic killing of George Floyd. He died at the hands of his arresting officers while in custody. As a Black US citizen, Floyd’s death incited massive protests in various places across the country, wherein Confederate statues were demolished in tribute.
A Gazette interview with Gordon-Reed, a historian specializing in U.S. slavery, and others were met with criticism that such demolition actions cannot eradicate the stains of history. There is no erasing from the past. The monuments that still exist today can be used to educate future generations. These monuments, however, will always be a painful reminder of slavery and disdain for African-Americans.
The motion to remove Confederate statues can be achieved through legal means. The events that have caused friction and turmoil in today’s society may not be genuinely removed from context by protesters through vandalism. Still, the lawful removal of such statues can peacefully eliminate these symbols that glorify racist views. The gathered protesters and activists consisted of White people and people of color who joined hands to exterminate inequality. One could argue that this isn’t a battle between races but a fight against racist authorities.
Historically speaking, it was once argued that tearing down Confederate statues would be the destruction of art made by inspired creators, whose aims were to construct racial and cultural identity. This, however, is rooted in a biased and fabricated context in which White authors of historical literature generated their work solely based on their perspectives. Regardless, the racist connotations and undertones shone through, inciting advocacy of social equality.
Defending people’s rights in an initiative to eradicate symbols of racism would help improve relations between races. Though it took an unfortunate death to breathe new life into the movement, the solidarity we’ve witnessed since then is a hopeful step toward harmonious relationships in the future.
