I usually am against knocking over statues. Why? Because usually people do so to wipe out parts of their history. You should be able to see your history no matter how uncomfortable it makes you feel. This is different though. These statues were erected very recently. The confederates themselves felt they should not get statues.
“As regards the erection of such a monument as is contemplated, my conviction is, that however grateful it would be to the feelings of the South, the attempt ... would have the effect of ... continuing, if not adding to, the difficulties under which the Southern people labour." Robert E. Lee
[Edit: Several commenters have pointed out that some of the statues are older memorials for the fallen rather than newer statues glorifying past leaders and generals. Finland descended into madness of civil war in 1918 and there are monuments all across the country to commemorate those who died. Monuments like that have nothing to do with keeping old wounds open and sore. They are about respect for people who had to make an impossible choice and died as a consequence of that choice. I have no objections regarding such monuments. I still maintain that the more recent statues that exist only to rewrite history are a very bad idea.]
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I usually am against knocking over statues. Why? Because usually people do so to wipe out parts of their history. You should be able to see your history no matter how uncomfortable it makes you feel. This is different though. These statues were erected very recently. The confederates themselves felt they should not get statues.
“As regards the erection of such a monument as is contemplated, my conviction is, that however grateful it would be to the feelings of the South, the attempt ... would have the effect of ... continuing, if not adding to, the difficulties under which the Southern people labour." Robert E. Lee
[Edit: Several commenters have pointed out that some of the statues are older memorials for the fallen rather than newer statues glorifying past leaders and generals. Finland descended into madness of civil war in 1918 and there are monuments all across the country to commemorate those who died. Monuments like that have nothing to do with keeping old wounds open and sore. They are about respect for people who had to make an impossible choice and died as a consequence of that choice. I have no objections regarding such monuments. I still maintain that the more recent statues that exist only to rewrite history are a very bad idea.]