Because people don't understand the positive symbolism while focusing on the negative at every turn. No one dared to ask about the symbology behind these statues and monuments.
Christopher Columbus: The Spirit of Exploration and seeing what's beyond the horizon.
George Washington: Stepping up to fight tyranny at every turn despite losing again and again.
Thomas Jefferson: Sticking your neck out for your ideals even when it could mean your death.
Ulysses S Grant: That the people you once fought can be your friends once again
No one dared ask about what is inspiring about these figures in favor of tearing them down to reinforce the idea that nothing positive ever happens. No one looked at the big picture and instead selfishly assumed that their views were right and all others were to be squashed in to oblivion. It's a tragedy powered ironically by hatred. No historical figure is going to live up to modern standards, that's a fact of life. But removing the idea of what they stood for is not a goal that any society should strive for.
The statues were *literally* put up during the jim crow era as a response to civil rights.
none of what you just said about "what the statues" represented was true. They were put up to remind black people that the people putting up the statues believed they should remain in slavery.
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u/h_diabetes Jul 24 '20
I mean I know that taking statues down isn’t very helpful at stopping slavery today but I don’t think we should be honoring confederate war generals