Friday, September 8, 2017

Understanding the War on Monuments

 

These words are the most primal reasons that southern, and arguably mainstream American, history is under attack throughout the country. On August 16, 2017, I attended a protest to remove the John C. Calhoun monument in Charleston, South Carolina. While I was at this protest, I gained a lot of insight on how these “protestors” think and how to combat this movement. It was a moment of clarity.

The first thing that needs to realized is that there is hope for southerners and people that are tired of seeing this wanton destruction of history. These “protestors” are not putting together organic, true protests—rather, they are staging political dramas that the masses can consume through media obsession.

I attended this rally to understand the other side and hopefully open a dialogue about the history that was being protested. My friend and I (both young men in the Sons of Confederate Veterans), attended with an open mind and a positive outlook. Being a teacher, I was hoping to engage in a truly productive discussion. We walked around the protest and tried asking people basic questions about Calhoun and American history. Among the questions we asked were:

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