Confederate monuments are basically public displays and symbols used by the confederate states of America, confederate leaders, and the confederate soldiers who participated in the American civil war. The common symbols used are monuments, statues, and flags. For decades, there has been a lot of controversy regarding the removal of confederate monuments. However, there are varied opinions on this matter with the majority opposing the move to remove them. There are even US states which have prohibited or restricted alteration of the confederate monuments.
Pros:
1. Symbolize strong units or states. The confederacy usually had a united body coexisting although they maintain their different identities. This made them stronger.
2. They are symbols of better leaders. There are various monuments of the confederate leaders. For instance, Robert E.Lee and stonewall Jackson are considered to be respectable leaders and officers who existed before the civil war.
3. Sense of pride. The confederates have so much will and love for their countries and this is what gave them the upper hand. Even when they were fighting in the wars, they did it with a sense of resolve. This is because they had the mindset of defending their own land.
4. Portrays skilled troops of the confederates. A number of the monuments represent leaders who fought in the war. As a matter of fact, you can spot monuments with officers carrying arms. The confederates were more focused on arms and tactical training.
5. Preserves history. As much as a number of people may not be in support of the confederate monuments. They actually preserve the history of various US states. Without these monuments, people would not even remember some of the past leaders such as Stonewall Jackson existed.
6. Promotes tourism. Such historic monuments attract tourists from all over the world who want to experience first-hand the history of the United States.
7. Shows sovereignty. Confederacy prioritized the needs of people. In this case, the ruling body gives attention and addresses any issues that the people are facing.
8. Stimulates the imagination of people. When you see confederate monuments, it gets you thinking about so many things. For instance, the impact of the American civil war on its people, the leaders, and generals who ruled at that time.
9. Adorns the landscape. Believe it or not, confederate monuments actually add some beauty to the landscape. Some people prefer to spend some time around such monuments because they make the area appealing.
10. The country gains currency. As I had earlier mentioned, these monuments attract visitors to the US from many foreign countries. This is a good way to earn currency.
Cons:
1. They are expensive to maintain. There is a lot of taxpayer money that is channeled towards the maintenance of the monuments. Some even have to undergo restorations ad this can go up to billions of money.
2. They represent white supremacy. This is one of the reasons why a number of people actually think the confederate monuments should be removed. They are thought to be a painful reminder of the oppression African Americans faced.
3. The monuments are thought to be a celebration of slavery. America has quite a dark past with many years of state-sponsored slavery which many people would rather not remember. For this reason, there has been constantly advocating for their removals.
4. Some of these monuments are not a representation of great leaders or heroes. While there existed some notable leaders in American history, a number of them were oppressive and ruthless to the African Americans. Having a statue of a confederate leader such as Robert E.Lee who was a slave owner does not portray a hero or good leader that the society should look up to.
5. The monuments may evoke anger and violence. Some people who are against vices such as slavery and racism can easily get angry and turn to violence when they spot statues of leaders who were slave owners.
6. At times, the monuments and statues may be encouraging racism. As you all know, the confederate monuments were installed by the leaders who ruled in the past. At that time, they were meant to intimidate the African Americans and even discriminate against them because of their race. The continued existence of these monuments in a way still contributes to racism.
7. Some of these monuments bring about the wrong interpretation of history. The monuments which represent white supremacy, violence, and hatred should be removed. The ones that glorify a good cause can be kept as a reference to history.
8. They are not works of art. As much as monuments are supposed to be works of art and bring out the heritage of a country, the confederate monuments don’t fall in that category. They are more like celebrations of white supremacy and this is where the problem falls.
9. The confederate monuments have often been the reason for protests. The people who are against confederate monuments constantly protest wanting their removal. This leads to unrest and a lack of peace in the states.
10. The monuments may not instill good morals in the new generation. Some parents find it hard to explain to their children who the leaders on the monuments used to be.
