Encyclopedia of Opinion
Question
How do we think about taking down controversial statues in the UK?
Position1 of 3›

We have every right to take the statues down

This group believes that tearing down statues is an important method at redressing systemic racial inequality. Proponents include Black Lives Matter, and left wing, British commentators such as Namitha Aravind.

Supporting arguments · 11

  1. The controversial statues celebrate evil acts
    Statues - by virtue of memorialising perpetrators of evil - celebrate their deeds.
  2. The controversial UK statues destroy the intellectual health of the public
    The statues perpetuate popular ignorance in the false narratives they represent.
  3. The statues sustain structural oppression
    To break free from the system of oppression, we must stop celebrating the statues of racist figures in the slave trade and put an end to whitewashing the cruel acts that earned them their glory.
  4. This is the revolutionary resistance we have been waiting for
    Recent acts of statue toppling represent an eruption of dissent against institutional racism. But this paradigm shift is hardly unprecedented- it’s been years in the making. When decades of peaceful protests fail to stir action within the government, revolutionary acts must take their place.
  5. The controversial statues debate shows how Britain's democratic channels have failed us
    Formal channels of protest have failed. Tearing down statues is forcing those in power to listen to the needs of those at the bottom.
  6. The controversial statues legitimise racism
    The statues offer vehicle through which racists can legitimise their views.
  7. Controversial statues hide deep injustice
    The statues detract from the controversial historical moments they represent. They permit people to look past the injustices they link to, and focus on the statues as art.
  8. The controversial statues oppress UK ethnic minorities
    This debate is largely around figures who have historically subjugated ethnic minorities. They are therefore a form of soft power that oppresses these groups in society.
  9. Having controversial statues in a museum sanctifies evil
    Keeping statues in museums will not alleviate the problem. They need to be removed for good.
  10. The controversial statues represent UK history inaccurately
    Statues misrepresent the past, and are dangerous because of this.
  11. The controversial statues venerate evil people
    We do not put up statues to denigrate, but to celebrate. As society progresses, our definition of what is morally acceptable changes. Celebrating statues of people associated with evil acts create a narrative unfitting of 21st-century values.