Removing and Renaming Confederate Statues, Schools, Streets, etc: Why?

[Anonymous]

Virginia has a long history of being a southern state and has a deep history with southern culture and ties to the confederacy. Northern Virginia in particular, with the Arlington Cemetery’s connection with Robert E Lee, whom led the Army of Northern Virginia, and the wide spread usage of confederates like Stonewall Jackson High School in PWCS and Robert E Lee High School in FCPS seems to have continually played a part in modern Virginia history throughout the state. Not to mention highways and streets dedicated to Confederates and segregationists like Robert E Lee and Harry Byrd still remain.

This unique attatchment to our history seems to be most or entirely prevalent in Virginia as opposed to DC or Maryland, and has never been a problem for the past century to half a century, through progressive movements and such. However, ever since the slain of George Floyd and the riots in 2020, there seems to have been a new attempt to pit the blame on the “monuments” that apparently glorize these views, and to radically erase them from history and forget about them once and for all. I seem to check google maps and am seemingly forced to learn new road names Like Langston Blvd in Arlington on a weekly basis. From my perspective, being a native of Fauquier county in southern country Virginia and spending lots of time in rural Loudoun and Prince William county, it’s a great change to what I’m used to.

Why the call for action now? Are we really suppose the blame people whom lived in an era where slavery and segregation was an unarguable stance that was unanimous among all politicians? What good does it really do, as it seemingly hasn’t seen a decrease in any sort of statistic that they intended to target. Do you support such action against these historical landmarks? Would love to know what the general consensus is, especially from other Virginians.

[Anonymous]

It is shameful we ever had statues to those treasonous traitors. The reckoning is long overdue.

[Anonymous]

Because they lost and we won. America has learned a lesson in the last few years about letting racist, fascist losers regroup and we're done doing it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is shameful we ever had statues to those treasonous traitors. The reckoning is long overdue.

They weren't treasonous traitors. Stick to facts.

I don't mind taking down the statues but there's a lot of recent revisionist history from both sides.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because they lost and we won. America has learned a lesson in the last few years about letting racist, fascist losers regroup and we're done doing it.

The South was half the country then and is a good part of it now. There are some bitter people who want to relitigate the war. You seem to want to kick the South out of the country.

The war is over and reunification was a good idea, as were the pardons. It was what came after that was shameful, but we still aren't grappling with it.

[Anonymous]

I personally support keeping them, not because I stand for what they supported, but it’s an influential piece of history that is many ways unique to Virginia and a reminder of how far we’ve came.

[Anonymous]

There’s a reason I chose VA as opposed to DC or MD when moving to this area from Arkansas. I felt as if I would feel least home sick and would be able to retain a bit of my culture from my hometown to my second home here. We need to look ahead, not backwards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is shameful we ever had statues to those treasonous traitors. The reckoning is long overdue.

They weren't treasonous traitors. Stick to facts.

I don't mind taking down the statues but there's a lot of recent revisionist history from both sides.

Don't "both sides" it. They chose to secede from, and then fought, the rest of the country (the union) over their wish to keep slaves. The desire for unity rather than calling it what is was is an open siore in the body of this country that has never healed and won't until it has fresh air and sunlight.

[Anonymous]

Sorry, OP, but this is really bad trolling. Someone from Fauquier County would not describe themselves as from “southern country Virginia.”

Not sure what to tell you, other than to study the map harder next time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is shameful we ever had statues to those treasonous traitors. The reckoning is long overdue.

They weren't treasonous traitors. Stick to facts.

I don't mind taking down the statues but there's a lot of recent revisionist history from both sides.

Read a history book.

Also most these Statues were put up in the 60s because people hated the civil rights rights movement.

Educate myself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is shameful we ever had statues to those treasonous traitors. The reckoning is long overdue.

They weren't treasonous traitors. Stick to facts.

I don't mind taking down the statues but there's a lot of recent revisionist history from both sides.

Don't "both sides" it. They chose to secede from, and then fought, the rest of the country (the union) over their wish to keep slaves. The desire for unity rather than calling it what is was is an open siore in the body of this country that has never healed and won't until it has fresh air and sunlight.

The first PP is one who was revising history. It is definitely both sides doing it.

When I went to school, we were taught that the US was an amazing country because we had a civil war and recovered from it instead of being irreconcilably split, as happens in other countries. I thought that was a positive part of our history, that we successfully reunified. But in the past few years, I'm not sure that's true anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is shameful we ever had statues to those treasonous traitors. The reckoning is long overdue.

They weren't treasonous traitors. Stick to facts.

I don't mind taking down the statues but there's a lot of recent revisionist history from both sides.

Read a history book.

Also most these Statues were put up in the 60s because people hated the civil rights rights movement.

Educate myself.

Dear, I know all of that. I won't ask you to read a history book because you won't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is shameful we ever had statues to those treasonous traitors. The reckoning is long overdue.

They weren't treasonous traitors. Stick to facts.

I don't mind taking down the statues but there's a lot of recent revisionist history from both sides.

Read a history book.

Also most these Statues were put up in the 60s because people hated the civil rights rights movement.

Educate myself.

This. They were put up a provocation in reaction to the Civil Rights movement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, OP, but this is really bad trolling. Someone from Fauquier County would not describe themselves as from “southern country Virginia.”

Not sure what to tell you, other than to study the map harder next time.

OP here. I was talking about Fauquier county being culturally southern, as it was growing up and still is today. I just wanted to emphasize that I come from a more conservative part of “Northern Virginia” (if you even consider it a part of) and highlight any bias I may have. Trust me, friends driving through Warrenton tell me they couldn’t tell the difference from a small city in North Carolina or Tennessee.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because they lost and we won. America has learned a lesson in the last few years about letting racist, fascist losers regroup and we're done doing it.

If the Germans could come to terms with having been actual Nazis, we should be able to come to terms with fact country is blighted by history of slave-owning racists. Tear that stuff down - most of it went up in era 1910-1970 anyway for reasons that are obvious.