@Tumpynuts I agree that the statues glorifying their leaders/generals have no place in the public eye, aside from a museum. However, I do think it's dangerous to assume intent simply because they built them at a time where that intent fits a certain narrative. Case and point is that, during that first wave you mentioned, the final surviving remnants of Civil War veterans were dying out. That perhaps, could have been a motivation for building memorials, as the final living reminders were disappearing.
However, in the end I'm only doing what you are - assuming intent based on some convenient details that fit the narrative. Instead, we should be looking at what the statue actually "is". Who is it of? If there is engraving, what does it say? Who is it speaking to? Those factors matter a hell of a lot more than what some racist thought 100 years ago, in my opinion.
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@Tumpynuts I agree that the statues glorifying their leaders/generals have no place in the public eye, aside from a museum. However, I do think it's dangerous to assume intent simply because they built them at a time where that intent fits a certain narrative. Case and point is that, during that first wave you mentioned, the final surviving remnants of Civil War veterans were dying out. That perhaps, could have been a motivation for building memorials, as the final living reminders were disappearing.
However, in the end I'm only doing what you are - assuming intent based on some convenient details that fit the narrative. Instead, we should be looking at what the statue actually "is". Who is it of? If there is engraving, what does it say? Who is it speaking to? Those factors matter a hell of a lot more than what some racist thought 100 years ago, in my opinion.