The antidote to Confederate Monuments

Fantine

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I'd never seen this monument before. It's a slavery memorial at the UN (must go see it next time I'm in NY.) I would love to see replicas in every city that has Confederate monuments. After all, "it's part of our history." 15 million slaves deserve equal time, don't you think?

In cities where Confederate monuments are enshrined, perhaps a giant dose of consciousness raising is warranted--and if this monument wouldn't encourage us all to seek forgiveness, I don't know what would.

Designed by Haitian-American architect Rodney Leon, The Ark of Return memorializes the estimated 15 million African men, women, and children who died during the transatlantic slave trade and the millions of others forced into plantation slavery in the Americas. Leon beat out 310 architects and designers for the chance to design the permanent structure at the U.N.’s New York headquarters.

Leon said the triangle-shaped marble structure was inspired by the theme, “acknowledge the tragedy, consider the tragedy, lest we forget.”

United Nations unveils slavery memorial
 

Shiloh Raven

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I would love to see these slave memorial replicas replace every Confederate monument too. I think this memorial deserves much more attention than any monument or memorial honoring or glorifying the Confederacy. And if I may, I'd like to comment on a similar subject. I'd also like to see more significant memorials and monuments memorializing Native Americans as well. I'd like to see these replace all of the ones honoring and glorifying this country. One example of this would be Mount Rushmore. I can explain further, if you would like for me to. Anyway, both African Americans and Native Americans have suffered an insurmountable amount of racism, oppression, marginalization, subjugation, and discrimination in this country. I think their suffering should be remembered in more significant and tangible ways, like this Slavery Memorial and the National Slavery Museum.
 
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Drick

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I wouldn't mind those memorials, it's worth remembering that for all our accomplishments, we have stains of barbarism. However, the attempt to remove Confederate monuments is still misguided, if not evil.

It's a common myth that the Union propagated some time after the war that the Civil War was fought over slaves, when in fact, it was over an issue much deeper, much more fundamental. An issue that plagued the United States since the initial war against Britain failed; Federalism. Should the United States be a unified, dare I say, Empire comprised of various provinces, as Greece and Rome before us? (That is the Union proposition.) Or should the United States be an alliance of States that have entered into a pact of brotherhood, an oath to support and defend one another, but never to intrude on one another by means of an Imperial authority? (That is the Confederate proposition.)

Since the South held the wrong (and incidentally, less authoritarian) philosophy, the North decided to impose laws that crippled their economy, and that's ultimately what lead to the war. The fact that one's economy depended on slavery on one's didn't was an entirely tertiary issue. In fact, around that time, the African slave trade was already practically non-existent, and machines were already replacing slave labor. Liberation would've occurred within decades at the absolute latest, no matter who won the war. But that wasn't could enough for the gracious King of the Union, the renowned Abraham Lincoln... or so we're told.

No. In reality, Lincoln, whose biographies and personal correspondences proves him to be of dubious character at best, had no interest in liberating slaves except to frighten the territory that the Union was attempting to re-conquer, and the proof is in the legendary "Emancipation Proclamation", which didn't do anything to enhance the lives of black peoples in the Union itself, but only claimed the freedom for those in the Confederacy, in the lands of which the Union had no authority.

The first successful Republic since Rome falls into the same Imperial tendencies, only this time, the people fought back! At least, that's the short version. That's the legacy of the Confederacy, a reminder of the inevitable link between power and tyranny. The rift between Left and Right, Liberalism and Imperialism. Evil and Good. Yet, as always, history was written by the victors, and the memories of this history is now boiled down to the elementary issue of "Racism vs. Equity", which couldn't be more reductionist if it tried.


Of course, I romanticized and abridged the case here, but it's important to remember what the whole issue is really about, and to recognize the propaganda associated with it.
 
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Shiloh Raven

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Or they can co-exist with them. People want to remember Confederate history, but this rounds out the picture.

Personally speaking, I think Confederate monuments and memorials can be remembered within a historical museum or learned about in American history textbooks. I don't think these monuments or memorials should be on public display, so the person the monument or memorial represents can't be exalted as a hero of the Confederacy and honored as such. But again, this is my personal opinion.
 
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Fantine

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In the locations where Confederate monuments usually stand the residents want them there. At least by having a monument to the slaves who were brought here from Africa and who perished during the journey and through their toil would be a good way for the South to recognize the unwilling sacrifice of so many.
 
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Shiloh Raven

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In the locations where Confederate monuments usually stand the residents want them there. At least by having a monument to the slaves who were brought here from Africa and who perished during the journey and through their toil would be a good way for the South to recognize the unwilling sacrifice of so many.

That's true. I'm curious to know how many people who approve of Confederate monuments in their home town would approve and agree to displaying a monument to slaves in the same area.
 
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PloverWing

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I like the idea of the monuments coexisting.

I'm originally from Virginia, and I still think of myself as a Virginian even though I live elsewhere now, so that's my context as I write. The Confederacy is part of our history, and I think it's appropriate to remember that that happened. I'd have to look at each particular monument to evaluate it individually, but in general, a few monuments and memorials are appropriate.

Slavery is also part of our history, and it is not commemorated nearly enough. The one monument I've seen in person is in Annapolis, Maryland, which has a statue of Alex Haley reading to children, with a plaque that describes how Annapolis was a major port in the slave trade. We need more of these. I think making replicas of the UN slavery memorial and locating them in various cities in the South would be a great idea; or, maybe even better, commission assorted local artists to make a number of different memorials (similar in theme to the UN monument, but with each artist's individual vision) for the cities they live in. Slavery was a terrible evil, and it is important to remember, to acknowledge; and also to honor those who were brought here as unwilling immigrants, and who yet contributed so much to our country, despite their suffering.
 
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tadoflamb

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That's a stunning work of art. My previous inclination was to create a Confederate monument graveyard where we could gather the monuments in one place to remember the losers of the Civil War. However, this piece of sculpture is so soul stirring, so thought provoking that I would like to see similar memorials as the one in the UN placed in close proximity to Confederate monuments. I think it would make a fantastic art project.
 
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Tallguy88

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That's true. I'm curious to know how many people who approve of Confederate monuments in their home town would approve and agree to displaying a monument to slaves in the same area.
I wouldn't mind. Though there were comparatively very few slaves in my area since the geography isn't conducive to plantation-style farming. In fact, our area was quite a Union-sympathizing area that changed hands four or five times during the course of the war.
 
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Fantine

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I have heard, Tallboy, that there is a memorial to the "Little Rock Nine" by the Arkansas State Capitol. This monument helps to educate visitors about how Arkansas overcame segregation in the 1960's.

I also, in reading about George Takei, had learned about a museum focused on the Japanese internment camps, many of which were in Arkansas.
World War II Japanese American Internment Museum

I think that things like this are very positive. By giving recognition to these disgraceful parts of their history, Arkansas is showing that it has learned its lessons and is determined not to discriminate again....

Now all Arkansas needs is an attorney general who goes to bat for the dreamers, like 41 other states attorneys general.
 
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