Letter: Removing the Confederate monument in Virginia Beach cannot erase past we must remember

The author is confused why monuments over 100 years old are being now attacked. Rather then putting our efforts as a society into fighting slavery in other parts of the world, we are focusing to much on confederate monuments. Of course they put up monuments of their heroes, its’s expected. Had the south won, the author believes its likely there would have been another war. The author also believes monuments are what you make of them, we might as well build monuments to heroes of the era, then focusing to much on those of the south.

Key Takeaways:

• Removing statues of those who were not pro-slavery is a sign of ignorance and disrespect.
• Slavery which still exists elsewhere in the world is not combated by simply taking down statues from a previous anti- slavery struggle.
• Efforts should be made to raise statues to commemorate civilians/ non-soldiers who fought against America’s institution of slavery.

“Instead of taking down statues, why are we not putting up statues of the Nat Turners and Harriet Tubmans of that day to stand with those Confederate soldiers, as a symbol of a coming together and a reminder of what has been accomplished?”