Statue Removal Megathread: Is History In Danger or What?

[Engleberg]

In other nations, why don't the three Soviet statues within Berlin get removed? The Soviets were war criminals and a horrific nation - so why not apply this method of thinking to it?

The current leadership would never allow it.

Well someone ought to tell them that it isn't really...tasteful to have statues of war criminals in your capital.

[The Emerald Legion]

The current leadership would never allow it.

Well someone ought to tell them that it isn't really...tasteful to have statues of war criminals in your capital.

War Crime is only War Crime if you lose. Which technically the Soviets didn't. They failed at Economics, not War.

[Longweather]

How about celebrating a few more important figures in US history than a bus seat occupant?

I swear America's race problems are self-afflicted today.

Neither of the Roosevelts or Reagan have anything going for them.

Last time I checked just about everything possible has been named in Reagan's honor. USS Ronald Reagan, Ronald Reagan Boulevard, Ronald Reagan Highway, Reagan State Park.

Also Rosa Parks wasn't just some bus seat occupant. It was illegal for her to sit there on the bus, under the law she had to get up and go to the back of the bus if a white person got on. She stood up for herself and stayed right there.

But then again I wouldn't expect a white nationalist to understand that.

Why not put Claudette Colvin on the bill instead of Rosa Parks? She did the same thing in the same city at a much younger age than Rosa Parks and nine months before her. Seems like a slap in the face for Colvin that Rosa Parks is famous for something she did first.

Anyways, the current US Treasury Secretary has seemingly put the kibosh on putting Rosa Parks on the $20. Not like the previous one wasn't going to dishonor her memory by having her share the bill with Andrew Jackson on the back, a half-ass solution.


Back on topic, I've stopped caring about statues of historical figures. Let's replace them with fountains or public restrooms. Both seem like a better use of space.

[The Emerald Legion]

I propose we replace all public statues with ornate artillery and anti-air emplacements.

[The of Japan]

I propose we replace all public statues with ornate artillery and anti-air emplacements.

bbut muh pacifism!

[San Lumen]

Lincoln and Jefferson would be considered 'racist' by the standards of some today. I bet some people would love to go that far too....

They are already going at statues of the Founding Fathers because of just that.

well that's just ridiculous.

[Oil exporting People]

I just love how they never hold votes on this.

[Trumptonium]

How about celebrating a few more important figures in US history than a bus seat occupant?

I swear America's race problems are self-afflicted today.

Neither of the Roosevelts or Reagan have anything going for them.

Rosa Parks was pretty fucking important

only if you are fucking obsessed with race

thankfully in the UK the only obsessions with celebrating nobodies is for putting more useless women on money rather than any old harry from the street famous for one stupid action. nothing about suffragettes, abolition 1833, 1807 et cetera (except for centennials etc, which is fine)

[Des-Bal]

Without more information I'm against this. The problem with 90% of the confederate statues that are being removed isn't that they depict unpopular historical figures it's that the statues were made with the express intention of celebrating white supremacy and making black people feel unwelcome. As far as I can tell this is just a statue of a historically significant guy who happened to be a dick. If we tear down every statue of every dick we just can't have statues anymore, the nature of holding evolving standards of decency is that pretty much everybody is a dick eventually.

[Empire of Narnia]

Well, he started a massive war in Europe that killed millions and threw the world into chaos. He also brought slavery back to Haiti. I say he should be treated like Hitler.

[Ethel mermania]

Why should people honor someone they no longer like? The guy was an asshole, why should their be a statue to him?

[Minzerland II]

Time for more abstract statues maybe?

Someone would pitch a fit about how it's a waste of money and isn't art.

>implying that it is art

[Ifreann]

Florida is already a backasswards hole of unknown descriptions, and now another statue is being removed.

Can we just stop removing everything that is called "racist," and instead teach people why they were "bad" or their history while keeping the statue in place?

You can't teach people about condoms or evolution, why do you think you can teach people that their beloved heroes and/or ancestors were actually a load of racist bastards who don't deserve to be glorified with public statues?

[Thermodolia]

Rosa Parks was pretty fucking important

only if you are fucking obsessed with race

thankfully in the UK the only obsessions with celebrating nobodies is for putting more useless women on money rather than any old harry from the street famous for one stupid action. nothing about suffragettes, abolition 1833, 1807 et cetera (except for centennials etc, which is fine)

You do understand what happened in the 50's and 60's right? Race has nothing to do with this. She was required to move to the back of the bus, she didn't have the right of free association no black person living in the south during that time did.

Not caring about her is an attempt at erasing your history because it contains some unpleasant memories

[Krasny-Volny]

Without more information I'm against this. The problem with 90% of the confederate statues that are being removed isn't that they depict unpopular historical figures it's that the statues were made with the express intention of celebrating white supremacy and making black people feel unwelcome.

I doubt it.

Like I've mentioned before, the Confederate statue of the town I live in lists the names of the people from that town who died in the war. It's more of a memorial to the dead. Plus, the overwhelming majority of the town's makeup are Native American rather than white or black.

No doubt there were a few statues in predominantly white towns with large black minorities and a Klan presence where what you're saying was the case; however, I think it's impossible to prove that "90%" of all Confederate statues were erected for that purpose.

[Ifreann]

Without more information I'm against this. The problem with 90% of the confederate statues that are being removed isn't that they depict unpopular historical figures it's that the statues were made with the express intention of celebrating white supremacy and making black people feel unwelcome.

I doubt it.

Like I've mentioned before, the Confederate statue of the town I live in lists the names of the people from that town who died in the war. It's more of a memorial to the dead. Plus, the overwhelming majority of the town's makeup are Native American rather than white or black.

No doubt there were a few statues in predominantly white towns with large black minorities and a Klan presence where what you're saying was the case; however, I think it's impossible to prove that "90%" of all Confederate statues were erected for that purpose.

Yeah, I'm sure people were putting up all those statues to Confederate generals during the Jim Crow and Civil Rights eras to memorialise their ancestors. Nothing to do with race at all.

[Trumptonium]

only if you are fucking obsessed with race

thankfully in the UK the only obsessions with celebrating nobodies is for putting more useless women on money rather than any old harry from the street famous for one stupid action. nothing about suffragettes, abolition 1833, 1807 et cetera (except for centennials etc, which is fine)

You do understand what happened in the 50's and 60's right? Race has nothing to do with this. She was required to move to the back of the bus, she didn't have the right of free association no black person living in the south during that time did.

oh wow thanks

i thought she invented sliced bread

Not caring about her is an attempt at erasing your history because it contains some unpleasant memories

TIL not putting x on money = attempting to erase event/person x from history

giddy up boys we need a separate banknote for every number up to one thousand

[Internationalist Bastard]

You do understand what happened in the 50's and 60's right? Race has nothing to do with this. She was required to move to the back of the bus, she didn't have the right of free association no black person living in the south during that time did.

oh wow thanks

i thought she invented sliced bread

Not caring about her is an attempt at erasing your history because it contains some unpleasant memories

TIL not putting x on money = attempting to erase event/person x from history

giddy up boys we need a separate banknote for every number up to one thousand

Saying she wasn't important more like

[Junkyard America]

Napoleon Bonaparte...Solar Invictitis...is it impossible for anyone in Florida to keep their own name?

[Ethel mermania]

I doubt it.

Like I've mentioned before, the Confederate statue of the town I live in lists the names of the people from that town who died in the war. It's more of a memorial to the dead. Plus, the overwhelming majority of the town's makeup are Native American rather than white or black.

No doubt there were a few statues in predominantly white towns with large black minorities and a Klan presence where what you're saying was the case; however, I think it's impossible to prove that "90%" of all Confederate statues were erected for that purpose.

Yeah, I'm sure people were putting up all those statues to Confederate generals during the Jim Crow and Civil Rights eras to memorialise their ancestors. Nothing to do with race at all.

Many of the statues did go up during the late 1800's, and are meant to memorialize and honor the war dead. There certainly are statues and monuments that were designed to reinforce Jim crow, but not all of them had that purpose.

[United States of Red Dawn]

I just love how they never hold votes on this.

...and if they do, they're often overturned by judges who believe they should legislate from the bench. The popular vote has lost a lot of it's power these days.

[United States of Red Dawn]

Without more information I'm against this. The problem with 90% of the confederate statues that are being removed isn't that they depict unpopular historical figures it's that the statues were made with the express intention of celebrating white supremacy and making black people feel unwelcome. As far as I can tell this is just a statue of a historically significant guy who happened to be a dick. If we tear down every statue of every dick we just can't have statues anymore, the nature of holding evolving standards of decency is that pretty much everybody is a dick eventually.

It takes a dick to be a powerful leader, at least at times.

[Colbert Super PAC]

What were his parents thinking, naming him Napoleon?

[United States of Red Dawn]

What were his parents thinking, naming him Napoleon?

It's a power name; like a power tie. Not bad when you think about it.

[Ethel mermania]

What were his parents thinking, naming him Napoleon?

They wanted a creamy pastry.