Re: Removal vs. Destruction
Unfortunately, most people calling/marching/rioting for removal don't want removal to a place where the statuary serves an educational purpose. The folks doing the agitating are like revolutionaries in the strictest sense; they want change and don't care about/haven't planned for what will come after. For the most part, they want the statues to come down, be moved to a crate in a warehouse, and be forgotten forever.
That's re-writing history in a way that's evil. It was in light of that motivation that I said removal vs. relocation was a distinction without a difference. I now regret that choice of words because I didn't make it clear that my statement was directed at folks who really just want to see all those statues melted down, scrubbed from the history books, and forgotten.
My thinking on this has evolved. I now agree with you. I don't think removal is inherently evil as long as it's not an attempt to hide/deny/forget the past. Your examples from Germany are good ones. So I'm not going to get my knickers in a twist over removal per se.
Unfortunately, most people calling/marching/rioting for removal don't want removal to a place where the statuary serves an educational purpose. The folks doing the agitating are like revolutionaries in the strictest sense; they want change and don't care about/haven't planned for what will come after. For the most part, they want the statues to come down, be moved to a crate in a warehouse, and be forgotten forever.
That's re-writing history in a way that's evil. It was in light of that motivation that I said removal vs. relocation was a distinction without a difference. I now regret that choice of words because I didn't make it clear that my statement was directed at folks who really just want to see all those statues melted down, scrubbed from the history books, and forgotten.
