quote:Originally posted by Arsenal4ever:
Why stop with monuments to just Confederate generals? How about the Founding Fathers who owned slaves (Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, Hamilton, Madison, John Adams). Seems like there are quite a few large monuments that need to be pulled down before those neo-Nazis start glorifying them too.
I used to think this also. George Washington is, after all, on the $1 bill. But, here is the difference. It's not just that George Washington and those other folks did a lot of good stuff. Most of the statues to Lee, Stonewall Jackson, etc. were erected in the timeframe of 1900-1920, as homage not to the person, but as a statement that Segregation, Jim Crow, poll taxes, and other vestiges of slavery should be honored. None of that should be honored. It is part of our history, but it is a blight on that history.
Don't know how old you are, but I am old enough that I remember segregated schools here in Maryland and segregated restaurants. It is odious. By the way, I sort of doubt that John Adams owned any slaves, but perhaps you are more of a history buff than I.
The point is this: Our society has moved on from the days of slavery and segregation. We've enacted laws to prohibit these types of things.
We should not venerate those who sought to destroy our country through secession and war.
The men you mention sought to build up our country, and were the authors of our great Constitution (with its frailties) and our Revolution. I don't favor erecting a monument to King George III, just because he was part of our history.
Let's build our country up, not tear it down.
I hope that is ok with you.