Back on Jun 24, 2020, Donald Trump suggested Black Lives Matters protesters wanted to pull down statues of Jesus Christ, Abraham Lincoln and George Washington.
Speaking at a press conference with Polish president Andrzej Duda, Trump reiterated his desire to sign an executive order making vandalising monuments punishable with up to 10 years in prison.
Fast forward to 2023 and the debate over whether or not to remove statues of George Washington has intensified as a result of the nationwide protests against alleged police brutality and leftist woke mobs calls of “systemic racism”.
At least for now, a majority of Americans still believe that such monuments should remain in place in order to recognize important figures in American history, while on the other are radical Democrats who think that removing them is necessary for progress toward racial justice and healing.
A Rasmussen Reports survey released on Thursday found 77 percent of Democrats expressing at least a somewhat favorable view of the country’s first president and Revolutionary War hero.
The reasons for keeping statues of George Washington in place include:
Those who support keeping the statues argue that they play an important role in preserving American history by representing iconic figures from our nation’s past whom we can draw inspiration from today.
They also point out that removing them would be an affront to free speech, as it could be interpreted as trying to erase history instead of learning from it.
Proponents further contend that there are more effective ways to address racism than taking down monuments, such as investing more resources into education or creating new initiatives aimed at helping marginalized communities gain access to better opportunities and healthcare services.
Radicals Reasons for Removing Statues of George Washington:
Democrats on the other are increasingly arguing that keeping these symbols in place perpetuates white supremacy and sends a message to people of color that their lives and experiences don’t matter as much as those of white Americans.
Four in ten Democrats agree with removing statues of George Washington as some leftist cities consider doing so.
New York City, has considered a measure that could result in removing statues of the Founding Fathers.
In September, the New York City Council considered a bill that would:
Require the Public Design Commission (PDC) to publish a plan to remove works of art on City property that depict a person who owned enslaved persons or directly benefitted economically from slavery, or who participated in systemic crimes against indigenous peoples or other crimes against humanity.
Leftists point out that many statues were erected decades ago when slavery was still legal, so they represent outdated values which no longer reflect what most people stand for today.
Supporters also contend that getting rid of these symbols is necessary if we want our country to move forward with true equality between all races and genders without any reminders of a painful past lingering around us constantly.
Those arguing for their removal believe it is essential for progress towards racial justice, while others think leaving them up
Ultimately, how this issue is resolved will have significant implications for how our country moves forward into the future with respect to race relations and social equity overall