confederate monuments express structures of legitimate history
Monuments are sculptures, flags, emblems, street names, and structures that venerate history. Some monuments transform into a symbol of a city and its public. For instance, the Statue of Liberty is synonymous with New York City (Hunt 423). On the contrary, confederate monuments have invoked debates because of a connection with the South American Civil War. In 2015, a White shooter stormed a church in Charleston and killed nine African Americans (Strother, Spencer, and Thomas 295). Accordingly, most Americans called for the removal of such statues by arguing that the confederates symbolize atrocities of the white supremacy in the Southern States. Nevertheless, available evidence reveals that the confederate monuments are beneficial to the community.
First, confederate monuments express structures of legitimate history. Presence of monuments memorializes and make history part of the natural and other events considered inconsequential (Alderman, Derek and Dwyer 51). In most confederacies, monuments are a key tourist destination and a public gathering space. This implies people travelling across the globe to see and learn the history of a region by visiting the monumental sites. This is because looking at the statue reignites historical memories or build a picture of the events that occurred in the past. Thus, confederate monuments tell the history of a place and can be used to rewrite the past. For this reason, supporters in Virginia believe confederate statues are important to the community because Richmond city was the capital of the white league. As a result, statues in the city help people remember the civil war of the southern states of American (Pendleton, and Morgan 40). On the other hand, a constant reminder of the past injustices forms the legal grounds on which African Americans agitate for a change against oppressive historical narratives (Alderman, Derek and Dwyer 52). Social groups in the confederacy look at the monuments and formulate ideas that they use to voice for recognition of their right. Therefore, confederate monuments in public places serve as a reminder of the past and as a means for change.
People feel secure when they identify with a social group in society. Besides, the need for social identity drives the quest for national heritage (Korostelina 6). The values attached to heritage are linked to social groups’ want for elevated self-esteem, the rebuilding of justice, and healing of the past suffering. As a result, a group gains values that preserve social hierarchies to create an assertive position. In the southern States, music performers led by Hank III adopted the use of a confederate flag to assert their regional identity and power as rebels (Glavey 34). Subsequently, music from the confederacy proudly identified with composers. The world at large and lovers of the American blues and rock music developed a sense of belonging to the confederacy. Southern whites view Confederate monuments as an honor to their ancestors who fought for independence (Strother, Spencer, and Thomas 298). This, according to these groups is a representation of national heritage and identity.
Diverse views concerning the national heritage of the southern States have created an arena for discussions. The African Americans hold the view that the presence of confederate monuments in public places is a violation of their rights. Moreover, they believe the statues in their States serve to vilify the African American race (Alderman, Derek and Dwyer 56). Thus, to them, this is a symbol of slavery, white supremacy, and the historical narratives. However, the whites in the same States have a contrary opinion. This group believe that the confederate monuments honor the fallen heroes who fought against the colonizers (Strother, Spencer, and Thomas 298). As a result, they would wish to preserve the confederate statues. As the two groups hold different views, there is a need for compromise to have a common identity and national heritage. Because of this, the presence of confederate monuments forms the basis on which groups with diverse opinion dialogue for a common course.
A confident community prides in its cultural diversities. Most communities have a culture of performances like drama, music festivals, carnivals, protests and reenactment of history (YENİPINAR and Erşan 325). These events are key in communicating messages of happiness, sorrow, success and achievements. However, different cultural activities are appealing to foreigners who purpose to participate to learn or for purposes of entertainment. For instance, tourists travel to Sao Paulo in April for the festival of the confederate month. At the event, participants wave a confederate flag to honor their ancestors who fled the civil war in the American confederacy (Brasher 2). The foreigners get a chance to learn the culture of the local Brazilians while understanding the past events of the American civil war. The message sent across by using the confederate flag is that of heroic icons of the war. Notably, organizers and participants of the performances have a chance of interacting with tourists from across the globe leading to new opportunities. On a similar note, the signature use of a rebel confederate flag by rock musicians led to a revolution of the European film industry. The filmmakers incorporated a rebel confederate flag in their movies to present an iconography that positively portrayed the southern rebellion (Glavey 34). Though the aim was to get a bigger audience, viewers changed their opinion of the southern confederates.
Although proponents of confederate monuments have reasons for their opinion, on the contrary, there are groups with divergent views. According to the opposers, confederate monuments symbolize racism, hate, and treason. This is because confederate statues misrepresent the history of the African Americans (Alderman, Derek and Dwyer 53). Evidence suggests that the monuments depict African Americans as inferior while the white as a superior race. Additionally, the natives of the confederacy are primitive and ought to be subjects of the civilized colonizers. For this reason, would resist any agitation by the black race. For instance, the statue of Nathaniel Bedford Forrest in Memphis city park was retaliation to the black uprisings (Hunt 425). Other statues near government buildings like courthouses, symbolized intimidation of the black race to discourage agitation (Timmerman 2). Therefore, displaying confederate monuments in public places is offensive to African Americans.
The rulers of the confederacy spread the narrative of the superior white race, inferior black race. This would help them rule control the African American majority with ease. The opposers postulate that the white rulers erected monuments to symbolize the historical narrative to preserve slavery. Similarly, events to promote white cultural unity aimed at discriminating against the black race (Hunt 427). This is because the events excluded Africans, and, only white supremacists would speak to create a feeling of severity. Additionally, these events coincided with erection of confederate statues to symbolize the oppressive rule. For instance, the statue of liberty in New Orleans was a memorial of the white league marginalization of the black race (Alderman, Derek and Dwyer 53). According to the opposers of the confederate monuments, this was retaliation after civil groups made significant advancements against the whites. This monument was a way to intimidate the civil groups and African Americans from any further developments concerning the oppression. As a result, the black race suffered from racism and oppression under white rule.
Thus, confederate monuments create horrifying memories of the past and therefore they not be in public places.
Although opponents of the confederate monuments outline reasons like slavery and the promotion of white supremacy, it is evident that the presence of the statues is useful to society. The presence of the statues in confederates provides knowledge to the public concerning the past events of a community. Moreover, national heritage and social identity are important factors that establish social hierarchies and position of power in society. Confederate monuments provide opportunities for groups with diverse views to dialogue for a common course of identity and national heritage. On the other hand, cultural diversity uses confederate monuments to communicate an important message to the large community and the world. Therefore, it is appropriate to display confederate monuments in public places.