F**k the Statues, they're besides the point!
Let me make one thing clear, I DO NOT GIVE A GOOD RATS ASS THAT STATUES OF CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS ARE BEING TAKEN DOWN!
I don't have a problem if the community decides to remove them. Even though it's part of American History, the Confederacy was defeated to deny their ideals of division and persecution from spreading. Anybody who debates this, reciting their " complaints of deleting history " or their defense of the war as a pursuit to " preserve states rights" rhetoric , can shove it. Their is no debate that the States Rights that the south were trying to be preserved was Slavery. This isn't a debate! Even Conservative historians agree that the succession and inevitable war came down to Slavery! After the defeat of the Confederates , their ideology should have been deleted there. We shouldn't have erected symbols of what we fought a war to stop. Remember, when the people of Iraq toppled the statue of Saddam Hussein, we cheered here in America!
They were removing from sight all that the man and his regime stood for. Did this change history? Not one bit, but it was a reminder of what they fought to rid themselves from.
In my opinion, The only place that these relics from the Civil War should be found is in the history museums. No. I have no problem with the statues being removed. The problem I do have however is the unlawful toppling of these statues. They are being removed from Federal Lands , illegally and by vandalism by mob. Anytime we allow mobs to act out and make up the rules as they go, we , as a community and a country, are asking for problems. Once a child learns that their acting out is not being met with discipline, they will continue to act out, each time taking it to new lengths. Now that the mob thinks that they can achieve what they want by going around the law or by violence, do you believe this mob will stop at Confederate symbols?
Make no mistake about it, though I am sure some in the Antifa group really do believe they are battling what they determined to be a fascist president (maybe they should pick up a book and learn about real fascism), the group as a whole are Anarchists. They believe America as a whole is a fascist regime. They believe that Capitalism is evil and they will not stop at President Trump, they will not stop at Republicans or even Democrats. They will continue until all of it is removed. They will continue to attack anything relating to being offensive, (as we know, to this generation, that pretty much covers everything) eventually coming for symbols not relating to The Confederacy. Case in point is the recent vandalism of the Lincoln Memorial and the current protests in N.Y. to remove a Statue to Teddy Roosevelt from the entrance of the museum.
I, for one, do not care about the confederate statues. I am really surprised that so many people do. In this country, and in a society which value the importance of symbols the way we do, one would think that we would be ready to rid ourselves from public displays of symbols commemorating some of the darkest days of American History. Commemorating , Hate , Division....Racism!
History can not be erased. Removing scars does not remove the memory of injury and pain. I really hope that the people who are demonstrating for the removal of these relics understand that their removal will not end racism or discrimination, or will it delete this stain from our timeline.I also hope that the people fighting to keep these relics understand that their removal will not erase their history but rather they entertain the possibility that by removing these monuments, our country may finally finish uniting, the way it should have began 154 years ago.
Maybe I am the only one who understands the different variables that are associated with each trivial and controversial occurrence. Maybe I am the only one that can see good and bad from the same situation. Maybe I am the only one who understands that there are right and wrong ways for getting things done in this country, or that what some may consider heroic acts, I can consider threats, but I don’t think I am. I am willing to bet that there are people out there who are thinking the same thing I am. I am willing to bet that though these people are not sad to see these remnants go, they do not approve of the manner of it being done, or the groups leading the way ; Those who can separate the occurrences in Charlottesville and the reason for the demonstrations in the first place. I am not a fan of Antifa or the BLM or Alt-Right or White Supremacy or racism and discrimination of any kind. I dislike them immensely , to be honest.
In short, ( probably too late for that) the removal of these statutes are besides the point, though their removal would be more symbolic if the community decides as a whole to move on from these vestiges, the communities and local law enforcement should not allow violence, rioting and civil disobedience to be used to garnish a result. Just as a parent would not allow a child to act out, for fear their actions would be repeated and escalated, mobs must be made examples of and there must be a clear understanding that following the rules will be met with greater respect and more social approval.
As you may have noticed, though this post and my earlier post “ You’re both in some shit now” surround the recent events in Charlottesville, they are both separated by key issues.
Don't be afraid.... That ringing you hear in your ears is just a bit of ...
BRAYN NOISE