Should Confederate Monuments Be Torn Down Essay

Should Confederate monuments be torn down in the United States? Some people believe that they should not be torn down because of the slippery slope argument, meaning that lots of leaders had wrongs too, and we would have to tear theirs down if we tear down the Confederate ones. Others believe that they should be torn down because of two reasons. The first reason is that the previously discussed leaders’ rights outweigh their wrongs. The second reason is that the Confederate monuments honor a racist ideology. Evidence more strongly supports that these monuments should be torn down. Some believe that Confederate monuments should not be torn down because of the slippery slope argument. President Donald Trump said, “So, this week it’s Robert

Ilya Somen, a writer for the Washington Post, said in response to Trump's argument, "But the Founders deserve commemoration because their complicity in slavery was outweighed by other, more positive achievements" (3). What Somen is saying is that the Founders did so many things that should be honored, and the offense of owning slaves shouldn’t take away their recognition. But, the Confederate leaders' achievements were all for the Confederacy, which means that all of the “good” they did wasn’t truly good. For example, George Washington was our first president and did so much for our nation, but he owned slaves. Obviously, owning slaves is bad, but he should still be honored for his role in our country because it was mostly good. On the other hand, Confederate leaders like Robert E. Lee didn’t really do positive things, other than for the Confederacy. Because the Confederate leaders’ rights don’t outweigh their wrongs, their monuments should be torn

James W. Loewen, a writer for Southern Exposure Magazine, said, "Consider "defense of principles believed fundamental." Three weeks before the Confederacy attacked Sumter, Confederate Vice President Alexander Stephens said what these were: "Our new government's foundations are laid, its cornerstone rests, upon the great truth that the Negro is not equal to the white man, that slavery--subordination to the superior race--is his natural and normal condition." UDC leaders doubtless hoped that if they left those principles vague, readers might infer something nobler." (1). What Loewen is saying is that the Confederacy and its leaders believed that white people were the superior race. For example, the Confederacy was founded to protect the practice of slavery, and slavery is obviously racist towards African Americans. Because these monuments honor a racist ideology, they should be torn