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Charleston, SC is considering taking down some confederate monuments.
Richard Bodek, a local history prof, wrote a brilliant letter to the editor of the Charleston paper that is such an effective rebuttal to the "but history smthg smthg" people that I'm reproducing it here.
Richard Bodek, a local history prof, wrote a brilliant letter to the editor of the Charleston paper that is such an effective rebuttal to the "but history smthg smthg" people that I'm reproducing it here.
"I used to live in West Berlin in the mid-1980s. Most days, I had to cross the wall into East Berlin to do research.
It was impossible in those days to go very far without seeing monuments glorifying communism in the German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany)."
It was impossible in those days to go very far without seeing monuments glorifying communism in the German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany)."
"The first time I returned to the city after the Berlin Wall fell was in 1992. My mental map of the city was the same. Unified Berlin, though, was profoundly different.
I looked forward to again taking up residence in a city I loved."
I looked forward to again taking up residence in a city I loved."
"When I got to the bus stop nearest my apartment, I asked someone where I could find Lenin Square.
She said that there was no Lenin Square; it was now United Nations Square. My next surprise was that the 62-foot-tall statue of Lenin was missing from its podium."
She said that there was no Lenin Square; it was now United Nations Square. My next surprise was that the 62-foot-tall statue of Lenin was missing from its podium."
"When they renamed the square and removed the statues, Berliners didnât forget their past. They showed they understood it and rejected it.
Today, citizens are tearing down statues erected to honor racists, slaveowners and other oppressors."
Today, citizens are tearing down statues erected to honor racists, slaveowners and other oppressors."
"They understand, in the same way that Berliners did, that tearing down these symbols doesnât erase history, it makes it.
The act of removing such monuments says that the past is recognized and understood but will no longer be celebrated."
The act of removing such monuments says that the past is recognized and understood but will no longer be celebrated."
"Now is the time to pull John C. Calhoun from his perch above Marion Square and the Confederate Defenders of Charleston monument from White Point Garden."
"We know about the vision these things are designed to glorify.
We know that it is time to remember the past as it really was and to build a better future."
- Richard Bodek,
Professor of History and Director of European Studies,
College of Charleston
We know that it is time to remember the past as it really was and to build a better future."
- Richard Bodek,
Professor of History and Director of European Studies,
College of Charleston
This is the Defenders of Charleston monument mentioned in the letter.
Every Sunday you can find confederate flag-flying monument supporters there.
Every Sunday you can find confederate flag-flying monument supporters there.
Interesting side-note: the eccentric who founded the South Carolina Secessionist Party (not an actual political party) and started these Sunday "protests" has now apologized and disavowed them as racist. https://www.postandcourier.com/news/founder-of-confederate-rallies-at-charleston-battery-apologizes-and-calls-for-their-end/article_41e584fc-a36d-11ea-83ee-77f86e6f784d.html
My short thread from 2017 about them. https://twitter.com/airbagmoments/status/894186365793038338?s=20
Southerners failed to assimilate after the Civil War.
The North should have required all of them to re-apply for citizenship or be considered resident aliens.
Maybe we can do that retroactively to those who flaunt Confederate symbols?
The North should have required all of them to re-apply for citizenship or be considered resident aliens.
Maybe we can do that retroactively to those who flaunt Confederate symbols?
One of the punchlines (paunchlines? 
) to the earlier photo is that the memorial they are standing by is to "The Defenders of Charleston, Ft Sumter" and is situated in view of said Fort.
The Confederates, with no provocation, bombarded Ft Sumter for 24 hours. "Defenders?"
) to the earlier photo is that the memorial they are standing by is to "The Defenders of Charleston, Ft Sumter" and is situated in view of said Fort.The Confederates, with no provocation, bombarded Ft Sumter for 24 hours. "Defenders?"
Coda:
(Feel free to sing that "hey-hey-hey goodbye!" song while reading.) https://www.postandcourier.com/news/crews-try-to-remove-john-c-calhoun-monument-from-marion-square/article_7c428b5c-b58a-11ea-8fcc-6b5a374635da.html
(Feel free to sing that "hey-hey-hey goodbye!" song while reading.) https://www.postandcourier.com/news/crews-try-to-remove-john-c-calhoun-monument-from-marion-square/article_7c428b5c-b58a-11ea-8fcc-6b5a374635da.html
