General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: OK, non Confederate leaders statues coming down. [View all]Music Man
(1,184 posts)Many presidents owned slaves. There's another thread in GD right now that speaks to flaws such as FDR locking up Japanese-Americans in internment camps.
But seceding from the country to preserve the institution of slavery puts you on a specific side of history from when the country was literally at war over THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE. Being a Confederate means being pro-slavery is the totality of your legacy.
Gandhi is well-known to have been racist toward black South Africans. It's not a joke to say "is he next?" because that conversation has already started in regards to his statues.
MLK was no saint either, having a reputation for being a womanizer, and there have been suggestions of spousal abuse (and abetting a sexual offender). In the Me Too era, are we going to tear down MLK's statue too? I joke, but seriously, is that where we're headed?
I get that attitudes change, but Washington, Jefferson, Grant, and others are ridiculous targets. If not ridiculous, they're at least unproductive targets. It's born of passion and not clear thinking.