Why are they removing statues?

Activists have long called for Confederate flags and symbols to be taken down, but the accelerated removal of statues was fueled by widespread protests against systemic racism and police brutality following Floyd’s death, with more people linking Confederate monuments with white supremacy, according to Erin L.

What is the point of statues?

Statues convey and perpetuate honor. Consequently, no matter how important their historical role, villains simply do not merit statues, nor do they merit having their names associated with lakes or streets or schools or military bases.

What is the Lost Cause theory?

The Lost Cause of the Confederacy (or simply Lost Cause) is an American pseudohistorical negationist mythology that claims the cause of the Confederate States during the American Civil War was just, heroic, and not centered on slavery.

How does removing Confederate statues erase history?

The statues rewrote history, reflecting the values of those who erected them. Removing them won’t erase history. Like dominoes, the Confederate statues along Richmond, Virginia’s historic Monument Avenue are coming down one by one. The first to topple was the likeness of Jefferson Davis.

Why did the South lose the war?

The most convincing ‘internal’ factor behind southern defeat was the very institution that prompted secession: slavery. Enslaved people fled to join the Union army, depriving the South of labour and strengthening the North by more than 100,000 soldiers. Even so, slavery was not in itself the cause of defeat.

Why shouldn’t statues be removed?

Some people oppose the removal of any statue because it is like erasing history and argue that people in the past can’t be judged by attitudes today – statues should be preserved because they teach people about the past, even if it is seen as unpleasant now.

Why do we have statues?

They range from mythical Greek and Roman figures, to soldiers, British Royalty, and important people from history. Statues can be seen as a way to celebrate, remember and tell the stories of culturally or historically significant people.

Why are people so sad about Confederate statues?

They are reminded of just what their people suffered and endured so that they can have the rights they do now. And they are sad because of what happened to their people. Confederate statues remind blacks of the torture, death, slavery, slave sales, and other forms of oppression their people suffered.

Should statues reflect the values of the society they represent?

During his many interviews on this issue, the Mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees, argued that it was normal that historical statues would reflect the values of the society that erects them, but that shouldn’t necessarily mean they should stay for ever.