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How do we think about taking down controversial statues in the UK? How do we think about taking down controversial statues in the UK?
We have every right to take the statues down We have every right to take the statues down
How dare they tear down our statues How dare they tear down our statues
We should approach the statues issue with caution We should approach the statues issue with caution
The statues sustain structural oppression The statues sustain structural oppression
The controversial statues celebrate evil acts The controversial statues celebrate evil acts
The controversial statues venerate evil people The controversial statues venerate evil people
The controversial statues oppress UK ethnic minorities The controversial statues oppress UK ethnic minorities
The controversial statues represent UK history inaccurately The controversial statues represent UK history inaccurately
Having controversial statues in a museum sanctifies evil Having controversial statues in a museum sanctifies evil
The controversial statues legitimise racism The controversial statues legitimise racism
The controversial UK statues destroy the intellectual health of the public The controversial UK statues destroy the intellectual health of the public
Controversial statues hide deep injustice Controversial statues hide deep injustice
The controversial statues debate shows how Britain's democratic channels have failed us The controversial statues debate shows how Britain's democratic channels have failed us
This is the revolutionary resistance we have been waiting for This is the revolutionary resistance we have been waiting for
The people tearing down controversial statues are erasing British history The people tearing down controversial statues are erasing British history
We must defend British culture against those who tear down controversial statues in the UK We must defend British culture against those who tear down controversial statues in the UK
The violent mob are race traitors The violent mob are race traitors
We have been forced to accept multiculturalism against our will We have been forced to accept multiculturalism against our will
All lives matter, so tearing down controversial statues in the UK is wrong All lives matter, so tearing down controversial statues in the UK is wrong
The police are working in the interests of the enemy when they support those who tear down controversial statues The police are working in the interests of the enemy when they support those who tear down controversial statues
Non-whites should go back to where they came from rather than tearing down controversial statues Non-whites should go back to where they came from rather than tearing down controversial statues
This is an attack on the white working class This is an attack on the white working class
The controversial statues are an attack on the UK's white majority The controversial statues are an attack on the UK's white majority
We should find ways to give more context to these controversial statues in the UK We should find ways to give more context to these controversial statues in the UK
Controversial statues have an educational purpose in the UK Controversial statues have an educational purpose in the UK
Our approach to storytelling UK statues is flawed Our approach to storytelling UK statues is flawed
The UK controversial statues debate is about the decline of the West The UK controversial statues debate is about the decline of the West
The UK controversial statues debate is an opportunity to think about how we look at history The UK controversial statues debate is an opportunity to think about how we look at history
The controversial statues are a distraction from the real issue at hand in the UK The controversial statues are a distraction from the real issue at hand in the UK
We should focus on the UK's present, not its past We should focus on the UK's present, not its past
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How do we think about taking down controversial statues in the UK?
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We have every right to take the statues down

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The controversial statues represent UK history inaccurately

Statues misrepresent the past, and are dangerous because of this.
David Olusoga Sadiq Khan
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The Argument

Individuals have every right to remove historical statues as said statues represent history inaccurately and ineffectively. Statues and other commemorative forms representing individuals are often created in honoring, supporting, or reflecting a legacy. However, if this representation does not include a comprehensive look and understanding of that individual, it is misrepresented. Statues are fundamentally public, and so by not conveying the full story the public is being misinformed.[1] Therefore, the public is within their right to remove misinformation from the public sphere. For example, in the case of the now infamous statue of Edward Colston in Bristol, his full history was not successfully conveyed by his statue. Colston undoubtedly brought great wealth and renown to Bristol through his work as a merchant, philanthropist, and Member of Parliament. These contributions to society appear to have merited his celebration in the city. However, by not detailing his extensive involvement in the Atlantic slave trade and active support for black human suffering, the statue becomes involved in misinformation.[2] The city of Bristol attempted to remedy this with additional plaques, but one cannot rebuild public memory and awareness, prompting the need for its removal.

Counter arguments

To remove the statues entirely also represents history inaccurately. By removing celebratory statues and markers, and pretending they were never erected in the first place, protestors are attempting to rewrite rather than reroute historical narrative. Such action can become dangerous in the future, as the possibility to remove anything displeasing in history may result in vast historical inaccuracies. [3]

Proponents

Premises

Rejecting the premises

References

  1. https://www.newyorker.com/news/letter-from-the-uk/how-statues-in-britain-began-to-fall
  2. https://web.archive.org/web/20200629191359/https://www.bristol247.com/news-and-features/news/merchant-venturers-say-it-is-right-for-bristol-that-colstons-statue-was-removed/
  3. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/jun/12/boris-johnson-says-removing-statues-is-to-lie-about-our-history-george-floyd
This page was last edited on Tuesday, 22 Sep 2020 at 09:17 UTC

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