Asking a black man to pass by a statue honoring someone that fought to keep his ancestors in slavery as he goes to the courthouse to pay his taxes is wrong.
Just because "historically" we did it does not make it right.
You didn’t read the whole piece then?
I did...good article....and it made some good points BUT, it was somewhat one sided. I'm in the middle. I think our problem, with our history, is was primarily written and interpreted through one lens. Achievements of one category of people were marked, noted, commemerated even when those achievements had serious consequences to other groups, such as Native American people's. Expecting all Americans to celebrate say, Columbus, is conflicting. How would you explain to the Cherokee, who submitted to the Trail of Tears, that this was a positive foundational event? Likewise, Independence Day (which I dearly love except the fireworks around us are hell on my animals) was not independence for African Americans. Or for that matter, women ("Remember the ladies" as Abigail Adams famously begged her husband). Each nation has to find a way to come to terms with it's past or present evils. Germany certainly had to contend with that, as a 20th century example, and it do so in a good way.
When it comes to Confederate statuary - that is especially complicated. Most of it was erected well after the war, not for purposes of commenting the past but reminding black people of their "place". Unlike other memorials, they were not erected in cemeteries, to mourn those killed, they were erected in public areas. They were still being erected in the 1960's.
So how do you find a balance between commemorating history while also recognizing it's moral complexity? That is where we are now. I think the "cancel culture" crowd, in it's anger and power, is ignoring the lessons that can be learned here. Most of the confederate statuary is mass produced and put up for reasons that are disturbing, much can be removed and room made for new figures to be commemorated. There are certainly plenty. But some statues can and should also be left up, and historical CONTEXT provided, so those viewing them can understand. Exampes here are statues that show black people or native Americans in subservient positions. A plaque can be made to bring context into it.
I do think it's important to learn and understand the good and the bad of our nation and peoples, so we don't repeat history (I hope) - and because there is a lot of greatness, but that can't be appreciated if you sweep the not so good into the dustbins or if you remove historical context and judge them on only one thing - the ownership of slaves.