If we remove statues, are we 'erasing history'? (August 2017)
If we remove statues, are we 'erasing history'? (August 2017)
A hot debate at the moment in the US is the issue of removing statues of people who are associated with a repressive regime, oppression or racism. This raises interesting questions regarding the extent to which we should get rid of monuments associated with people or events that have uncomfortable connotations.
Task One
ATL: Thinking and communication skills
1. Watch the following video and then read the article from the Washington Post, September 2017
- What are the arguments being put forward to (a) justify and (b) condemn the removal of Confederate symbols?
- Why is it useful to look at what happened in South Africa?
- Do you think that South Africa's solution was a good one?
- Under what circumstances do you think it's OK to keep symbols of repressive or undesirable events?
- Under which circumstances do you think they should be removed?
- How does the purpose for which the statues were erected affect these questions?
The debate continues in this news article from The Guardian newspaper - what arguments for either side of the debate are made here?