Reflecting on History: Removal of Confederate Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery Ignites Debate

Key Takeaways:

– Arlington National Cemetery recently removed its large Confederate Memorial.
– Critics argue the memorial glorified insurrectionists and a brutal chapter of American history.
– The Confederate Memorial symbolized an unbalanced national unity, overlooking the tragic conflict it acclaimed.
– Post-removal, concerns are raised about uninformative spaces and erasure of educational opportunities about America’s past.
– Calls to remove landmarks honoring European explorers, slave-owning leaders, and presidents have also been a part of public discourse.

Last Glance at the Confederate Past

In a recent development, the Arlington National Cemetery eliminated its voluminous Confederate Memorial. It was initially set up several decades following the Reconstruction, a period when the country endeavored to restore national unity post-Civil War. However, critics say the memorial adopted a “forgive and forget” stance towards those who rebelled against their compatriots.

The monument commemorated numerous distinguished Confederate supporters, including 250-plus West Point graduates such as Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson, more than 70 Congressional representatives, ex-cabinet members like Jefferson Davis, and future Supreme Court justices.

The Controversial Symbolism

The Confederate Memorial’s presence on America’s most sacred 639 acres subtly implied rebellion against a democratically elected government was tolerable if policy disagreements exist. Critics say it celebrated a war that claimed more American lives than any other war in history. The national reconciliation following the Spanish-American War flanked by the glorification of the lost cause seemingly unified America. But was that genuinely the case?

Re-examining American History

Post the 15th Amendment’s 1870 authentication, African-Americans secured elections to local, state, and federal offices. Yet, by 1901, previous Confederate states quelled Black voter participation, overlooked anti-Black brutality, and endorsed over 100 annual lynchings. African-Americans’ constitutional rights were continuously overlooked till the 1960s.

From 1901 to 1929, a black congressman’s absence underscored the disregarded requirements and discontent of African-American citizens. The 1963 March on Washington saw a Congress with only five Black representatives- barely 1% of the total, despite them constituting 11% of the population.

The Post Removal Contention

The removal of the Confederate Memorial from Arlington prompts serious questions about the education of future visitors on America’s misguided reconciliation attempts. Only recently, after George Floyd’s murder, has America embarked on removing Confederate names from Army bases. The removal leaves a large empty space, exposing 400-plus graves that might mislead passersby into assuming that America’s defenders are buried there.

Monument Removals and the Educational Void

Across America, hundreds of monuments and statues glorifying Confederate supporters, slave owners, and racist politicians have been removed. Replacement promises with monuments honoring African-Americans, Native Americans, and other marginalized communities are underway. However, are these removals figuratively whitewashing our past and denying future generations the opportunity to learn from historical mistakes?

Recently, there have been appeals to remove memorials to Columbus, all European explorers and exploiters of Native Americans, and slave-owning presidents such as Washington and Jefferson. This begs the question-are we beginning a modern Reign of Terror by eradicating reminders of our racially misguided past?

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A Learning Opportunity

Providing an unbiased learning opportunity about America’s imperfect but invaluable history can effectively help in understanding, acknowledging, and preventing any repetition of our past mistakes. Nicola Haley’s and Donald Trump’s rhetoric, for instance, starkly demonstrates the importance of this topic. Our collective amnesia about America’s past can only be rectified by a thorough, unclouded study of our history, complete with its uncomfortable truths. Only then can we ensure a more knowledgeable, understanding, and inclusive future for all Americans.

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