If I was a German Jew, I wouldn’t be comfortable walking past statues honoring famous German soldiers or commanders who served the Fatherland during the Nazi era, no matter how valiant their service. So I understand why many descendants of American slaves aren’t OK with Civil War statuary immortalizing Confederate soldier or commanders. But I don’t approve of this [via northwestgeorgianews.com] . . .
The national controversy over historical monuments made its way to Rome [Georgia] at mid-week when a Confederate monument atop historic Myrtle Hill Cemetery was broken up and smashed by a person or persons who went to a great deal of difficulty to make their statement. The damage to the monument was discovered early Thursday morning.
The statue depicts a Confederate soldier with his arms in front of him holding a long rifle, upright in his hand. The hands and rifle were knocked off, the face was bashed in and the brim of the hat broken off.
“It looked like it was surgically cut,” said Rome City Manager Sammy Rich.”It’s just super disappointing that somebody would go to that much trouble to get up there, put a ladder up or whatever to reach it.
The term “super disappointing” doesn’t say much about Mr. Rich’s cultural sensitivity. Or maybe it does. Anyway, desecration is desecration, right?
Short of public defilement, do you think Civil War statues and monuments honoring Confederate military men should be removed from public view? What’s the downside of doing so?