but it's always nice to see people shocked, as if some bronze statue is a monument to slavery, lol.
Iffy.
By the same token not every German commander in WWII was a card carrying member of the Nazi party, but I doubt you'll find many WWII German General statues in Berlin. They won't even immortalize Rommel in such a way and debates and discussion on the subject continue on the public German domain.
Slavery can never be separated from the Civil War. Fighting for the Confederacy was fighting for the perpetuation of holding human beings as objects of ownership, plain and simple. You can argue the Fighting for Home logic, fighting for states rights, but you can't ignore the cultural practices of Home and what it stood for and the LIMITED RIGHTS of PEOPLE they were fighting to protect. Protecting Southern Dignity/Integrity and such is the usual theme superimposed. But there's no dignity or integrity to protect when you're the last 'civilized' place on Earth practicing slavery. It's simply the most explicit case of convenience and profits (livelihood) meaning more than pursuing ethical practice and a morally upright path.
As Hale has pointed out however, I'm sure the out of towners care more negatively about the issue than residents do positively. If Richmond is happy with it, issue settled I'd say. Just don't kid yourselves about it! You've got statues of dudes who fought in war to propagate slavery, not ardent defenders of Southern Pride. Most of them simply romanticized the notion to not feel like huge pieces of shit I presume. God forbid they start viewing themselves as no better than a slave!
Not at all to say I don't get it or Richmond isn't entitled to it's perspective. Everyone puts on rosy hued lenses to view their indigenous or adopted 'heroes'. Besides, if you took down those statues, who are you going to replace them with? Paula Deen?
