Destroying symbols

[Syriusly]

Not too long ago destroying statues of Confederate soldiers was all the rage.

That never set well with me though I could never really articulate why. I ran across this saying in the novel The Malta Exchange which is pretty good about a lot of things, not just statues, but any symbol.

Even if it's sometimes over dramatic. To them, destroying a monument like this is only a sign of weakness, of fear, not strength.

Down goes the dictator! A visual history of statue vandalism

If it is okay for a community to put up a symbol of something- why wouldn't it be okay for a community to take down a symbol of something?

Like a statue to Stalin or Sadam Hussein?