What should be done about Gettysburg?

In my opinion, the current model for targeting a monument or statue for removal is flawed.

In terms of legitimacy, legislatures or public referenda are fine. In terms of wisdom, I believe the rush to remove these is badly lacking.

And in no event do I countenance this solution.

As to the flags, I’m much more in favor of changing them. A flag may speak to history, perhaps, but in my opinion is much more about conveying the current position of the country. That’s why we have fifty stars and not thirteen.

So you’re saying that these statues can be in museums only so long as they aren’t very large museums? Or is it that a certain percentage of the patrons must scoff at the statues? If it looks like the public is admiring them too much, then off to the smaller museums they go?

How about a Department of Historical Appreciation Enforcement? We can monitor exactly how the public is reacting to unacceptable ideas, and adjust their dosages as necessary.

First, they are not “their” monuments. They don’t own them.

Second, I am not about “stopping” anyone, if you mean their freedom of speech. The way we “stop” people is by voting. I don’t vote for David Duke. Problem solved. I don’t need to strip David Duke of his First Amendment rights to satisfy your side that I sufficiently disagree with his views.

I agree. If others do not agree, the only possible reason would be that they are dog-whistling Nazis.

It’s easy and fun to win arguments by simply declaring that I win.

This is not the forum for attacking other posters. If you feel the need to engage in that activity, go open a thread in The BBQ Pit.
Do not do this again.

[ /Moderating ]

Bullshit.

The post you responded to was an attempt to make a distinction between,

A) The arguable position that people who fought for the Confederacy were not necessarily racist and were called to defend their territories by what they were told by their local authorities was a legitimate government

and

B) The absolutely indefensible position of making heroes out of the traitors that led those poor souls into battle

This is the worst kind of disingenuous crap and you should be ashamed for not arguing in good faith.

This whole thread.

I disagree.

You disagree that you should be ashamed that you are not arguing in good faith?

I rarely post, but I have to say:

What a sad, sad, thread, Bricker.

I wonder what your point is.

Maybe, but I doubt it. I’d say more but it appears other Dopers have caught on to you:

click here.

I disagree with your conclusion that I am not arguing in good faith.

Do you?

I thought it was clear: that the reasoning applying to striking down statues can apply in ways that most people would regard as unwise, such as destroying or removing statues and monuments at Gettysburg.

Certain members of this board (generally considered ‘liberals’) are hypocrites with muddled thinking processes. It’s a common theme with this guy.

I don’t personally care much what happens to statues of confederates, and if turns out a lot of people are offended by them, as seems the case, let them be moved, or removed. These guys aren’t heroes to me, and I would still know about Civil War events even if there were no statues around to remind me.

Edit window ran out.

The CNN commentators agree that the present racist demonstrations are being encouraged by Trump and other “conservatives” to distract from the Russia investigation.

“Dogwhistles” are another topic that’s been debated here, with Trumpists and other right-wingers denying the concept even exists. Play the video from the 3:10 mark and hear a former undercover FBI agent who infiltrated neo-Nazi groups identify Trump’s use of just the word “culture” as a racist dog-whistle.

(Sorry, for the intrusion from reality-land. Go back to your faux-outrage about Gettysburg National Military Park.)

So you think Katie Lawhon from the Gettysburg National Park is a white supremacist?

Removing statues is appropriate sometimes and inappropriate sometimes. If that’s your whole point, then that seems like a pretty trivial point. Any reasoning for anything can be misapplied or unwisely applied.

In order to make that point you had to ignore posts that suggested that the statues remain with better historical context, but you needed strawmen.

Don’t sell yourself short - maybe to them, you could be “one of the good ones.”