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Confederate Statues
Introduction
In the recent politically charged environment in the country, considerable debate has
risen over the removal of Confederate statues. These statues were erected as public symbols in
honor of the Confederate States, their leaders, and to commemorate Confederate soldiers from
the Civil War era. The war ended with the defeat of the Southern States, but despite this loss,
citizens in the South took to erecting statues to commemorate their heroes and memorize the
period. Calls to remove these statues have been supported by those who see them as a celebration
of white supremacy and secessionists. On the other hand, opponents of these actions declare that
the statues should be preserved as they are an important part of American history. The
confederate statues should be removed as they glorify figures who supported slavery, held white
supremacist views, and wanted to divide the country.
Why the Confederate Statues should be Removed
The Confederate statues should be removed as they celebrate individuals who supported
slavery. The Southern States which formed the Confederacy during the Civil did this primarily to
safeguard their way of life, which was based on slave holding. The Confederacy was opposed to
the antislavery position taken by President Abraham Lincoln and it was ready to fight to preserve
the right to own slaves. Guelzo reports that the South felt that slavery would not be secure under
Lincoln, which prompted the Southerners to secede (24). Monuments of Confederate leaders
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such as Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson celebrate men who were committed to not only
continue the institution of slavery, but expand it into all territories of the United States. Hall
reveals that the Constitution of the Confederate States of America showed the commitment of the
secessionists to build a slaveholding republic (257). By going to war to defend slavery, the
confederate leaders demonstrated that they were unwilling to recognize Blacks as individuals
with equal rights. Allowing the Confederate statues to stand celebrates men who promoted
inequality and were willing to fight for the right to keep people as their property. Removing their
statues will signal that the United States is ashamed of the disgraceful legacy of slavery that
these men represent.
Another reason why the statues should be demolished is that they celebrate traitors who
intended to destroy the Union that made up the United States. The United States emerged in
1776 after the American colonies had successfully fought and gained their independence from
Great Britain. These colonies united under a Union of States and agreed to operate under one
government in order to further their common interests. The central government was to be headed
by a president elected by the constituent States and this government would make decisions that
all States would abide by. The Confederates attempted to fracture this union when they seceded
in 1860 and established their independent Southern union. Guelzo declares that to the Northern
State, the Confederacy and its flag were a fist shaken at the United States and fighting it was the
patriotic duty of all Americans (25). The leader of the Union troops, General Ulysses S. Grant
declared that the Confederates were traitors who should be suppressed. This demonstrates that
the secessionists were not viewed favorably by the Northern Unionists. Their defeat restored the
unity of the States and enabled the U.S. to grow into the prosperous state it is today. The leaders
and soldiers of the confederacy, who are commemorated through statues, should not be
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celebrated since they represent rebellion against the State. Every American who believes that
treason is a crime should support the removal of the Confederate statues from public space.
Another reason for the removal is that many of the statues were erected in an attempt to
make a political statement and intimidate the black population. Contrary to popular belief, most
of the monuments were not erected in the years immediately following the end of the Civil War.
Instead, the monuments were raised between 1890 and 1930. Landrieu reveals that most of the
Confederate statues were built by Confederate sympathizers who wanted to send a particular
political message (23). The statues were meant to glorify the Southern States and support their
efforts to enact discriminative state laws during the early 20th century. In this period. The South
was enforcing segregation and suppressing the voting rights and educational opportunities for the
black population through measures such as the Jim Crow laws (Gilbert 38). The statues served as
intimidation devices for blacks, who were reminded of the ideals of the Confederacy when they
saw the statues in the public space. This instilled fear in the hearts of this oppressed group, which
was still suffering under segregation laws and an unjust legal system. We live in an America that
has long abolished discriminative laws and worked towards creating a just society for all. The
Confederate statues that were meant to intimidate the minority groups should be removed in
recognition of the new ideals held by the United States.
Additionally, the statues should be brought down as they commemorate men who were
avowed White supremacists. These individuals believed that there existed an inherent division
among the races and the Caucasians were superior to the rest. Loewen reveals that the Southern
States were white supremacists who viewed the blacks as a subordinate race. The Vice President
of the Confederacy, Alexander Stephens asserted that the foundations of the Confederate State
rested upon "the great truth that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery is his natural
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and moral condition" (38). Such views were contrary to the words of the Declaration of
Independence, which asserted that “all men are created equal”. Furthermore, the confederate
statues should be removed as white supremacists in America today hold them up as powerful
symbols for their cause. While the US has made great strides in achieving equal rights for its
citizens and ending discrimination, some White Americans still hold on to the belief that their
race is superior. These white supremacists continue to celebrate the actions of the Confederates,
many of whom were racists, and they use the monuments as powerful symbols. Brendan
documents how following the 2017 ruling by a Virginia judge to remove the statues of Lee and
Thomas Jonathan, hundreds of white nationalists descended on the city of Charlottesville to
protest (10). The self-declared white supremacists then engaged in violent demonstration, which
led to one death and multiple injuries.
Finally, removing the monuments will eliminate these symbols of injustice and
communicate the nation’s collective desire to work towards a better future. The Confederate
statues were erected to honor the Confederacy and the ideals they represented. Their removal
would symbolize a willingness to confront our history and make changes. Christian asserts that
the removal of the monuments will begin to tell the truth of us all coming to our senses and
starting conversations about racial justice (47). It should be noted that most of the people calling
for the removal of the Confederate monuments are not advocating for their destruction. Instead,
they are proposing that the monuments be removed from the public space and instead relocated
in museums or cemeteries where contextual information about the individual statue can be
provided. This will ensure that the statues continue to play an educational role without glorifying
the confederacy. At the same time, the removal of the monuments will demonstrate the society’s
effort towards building an ideal America.
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Counterarguments and Refutations
Those in support of preserving the Confederate statues argue that they are a tribute to the
Southern soldiers who found and even died during the Civil War. They assert that these men
were Americans and their bravery should be honored even if their side lost the war. Goodman
documents that some of the monuments erected in 1916 declared “A loving tribute to our
Confederate soldiers” (21). Supporters argue that removing the statues would be disrespecting
the memory of the many Sothern citizens, who played an important part in shaping our history.
They assert that the statues represent positive values and are an important part of the southern
heritage. While it is true that the Confederacy and the Civil War are a historical fact for the
United States, the statues do not attempt to represent the truth about past events. Gilbert reveals
that most of the monuments present today were erected in a period of revisionist history where
sympathizers sought to glorify the South (38). The Statues ignored the fact that the South had
chosen to secede primarily from a desire to perpetuate slavery. Instead, they glorified the
Confederate leaders and the fallen soldiers as brave men who were fighting for a lost cause.
Removing the statues will ensure that we put an end to the propaganda perpetuated by the South
about its role in the Civil war. This will give Americans a chance to learn the truth about why the
South seceded and stop glorifying the leaders who championed this treachery just so that they
could preserve their use of slaves. The history represented by the statues will not be lost as it will
continue to exist in history books and museums. However, this action will ensure that we do not
continue to glorify people who fought to preserve slavery and
Another argument given in support of keeping the statues is that they represent an
important history that should not be erased just because we want to be politically correct. The
greatest opposition to the statues comes from the fact that they are seen as offensive monuments
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that celebrate racists. Supporters argue that we should seek to learn from the mistakes of our
ancestors instead of trying to erase their memory. Sterling argues that instead of engaging in a
cultural purge of the South, the statues can be used to start a new conversation that acknowledges
the roles that various historical figures played (para 4). Proponents of keeping the statue declare
that American history is filled with both the good and the bad, and we can learn from both in
order to build a better country. While it is true that the Statues can serve as reminders of a
shameful past and compel us to aim for a better future, these Confederate statues are causing
divisions in our society today. Christian notes that the statues are symbols of racism and white
supremacy that inspire many racists and bigots today (47). Instead of learning from the mistakes
of the past, white Supremacists point to the statues as a symbol of a glorious past that they seek
to restore. Removing the statues from public space will do more to promote a peaceful and
integrated society than retaining them in their current places.
Conclusion
Public monuments play an important role in American society as they help commemorate
important individuals and celebrate cherished values. The Confederate statues continue to be on
display in various public spaces, despite their unpleasant history. These monuments should be
removed as they celebrate men who were working to perpetuate the disgraceful institution of
slavery. Furthermore, the Confederate leaders sought to divide the country and as such, they do
not deserve to be celebrated. Another reason why the statues should be removed is that they
serve as an overt symbol of racism and white supremacy today and many racists today continue
to look at these monuments as a symbol of their aspirations. The claim that the statues play a
commemorative role and accurately depict history are discounted by the revelation that most of
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them were erected to revise the Southern Civil War history. All Americans who favor equality
and an end to discrimination should support the removal of all Confederate statues.
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Works Cited
Brendan, Manley. Judge Issues Reprieve for Confederate Statues, Military History, vol. 36, no.
4, 2019, pp. 10-11
Christian, Jack. “The Monuments Must go: Reflecting on Opportunities for campus
Conversations.” South: A Scholarly Journal, vol. 50, no. 1, 2017, pp. 47-56.
Gilbert, Paul. “A Monumental Decision: What to Do with Confederate Monuments?” Parks &
Recreation, vol. 52, no. 10, 2017, pp. 36-39.
Goodman, Jeffrey. “Monumental Concerns.” Planning, vol. 83, no. 11, 2017, pp. 18-23.
Guelzo, Allen. “Take it Down.” National Review, vol. 67, no. 13, 2015, pp. 24-25.
Hall, Aaron. “Reframing the Fathers' Constitution: The Centralized State and Centrality of
Slavery in the Confederate Constitutional Order.” Journal of Southern History, vol. 83,
no. 2, 2017, pp. 255-296.
Landrieu, Mitch. “Repairing the Story of Race in the South.” TIME Magazine, vol. 191, no. 12,
2018, pp. 23-24.
Loewen, James. “Using Confederate Documents to Teach About Secession, Slavery, and the
Origins of the Civil War.” OAH Magazine of History, vol. 25, no. 2, 2011, pp. p35-44.
Sterling, Kendal. “Let’s start a new conversation on Confederate symbols.” Richmond TimesDispatch, 27 Jul. 2015, ww.richmond.com/opinion/their-opinion/guestcolumnists/article_a0bd0f2f-bf78-5222-be21-ec73402ca410.html. Accessed 11 Nov.
2019.