The symbolism of hate is powerful and painful, and Confederate monuments have become the center of heated action as the recent terrorism in Charlottesville fuels the determination of many to bear that particular pain no longer.
White supremacy has violently thrust itself into the spotlight. Many of us are shocked, because we've never experienced anything like this ourselves before, but the people of color in our lives? I doubt any of them are all that surprised; they've been dealing with it all their lives. It was just more insidious most of the time.
Like many white people, my emotions are running deep as I struggle to come to terms with a world that is not what I thought it was, and because symbols are powerful, it's natural to want to obliterate the remaining Confederate monuments and replace them with something else. It's the obvious impulse -- if I help "fix" this symbolically, I'm helping, right?
If only.
I found myself thinking about what kind of monument could replace a Confederate one. What sort of commemoration would be appropriate? What would celebrate not the individuals who fought to own other human beings as property, but would symbolize the transition from slavery to freedom? Something that would refer to an element of the horrors of slavery, but manage to do so without any hint of glorifying it?
The image that came to mind when I framed my questions that way was of an African American family, sculpted at the moment of being reunited, a broken pile of chains behind them. In my mind it's a very powerful image. It was born from my perspective, as a white woman and a mother, because the only part of the concept of slavery that my experience gives me capacity to understand is the agony of a mother separated from her child. And even then, it's only a shadow of understanding, because although my child was gone for a time and I didn't know where she was or if she was ok, she wasn't a baby. She wasn't a toddler in that sweet snuggly stage. She wasn't SOLD. As frightened as I was for my teenager who could have been facing anything out there, I literally can not imagine what it would have been like if I had been a slave, my child ripped from my arms to endure a life of slavery without her mother.
So as powerful as that reunited family image may be to me, and even if it resonates with many African Americans because we share the common ground of love of family, it still comes from me, a white woman who doesn't really understand. We need monuments FROM the people who grew up under the shadow of slavery cast on them by Jim Crow laws, and who are still enduring the hatred-infused, systemic structures, attitudes, prejudices, and restrictions that remain.
If you're reading this and you're white and you share with me the driving need to do something to help, please call and talk to your city and state officials. Urge them to not only remove all confederate monuments, but to turn to the African American artists in the communities where the monuments are, and ask those artists to design new monuments.
I believe that is our place in this. We can bring pressure to bear on officials. Use our voices to make sure our African American brothers and sisters are heard... and then step back and support their expression and creation of symbols that are powerful for them. The sad truth is that politicians will almost always listen more to us than to those who are the most affected by all of this. The only way to change that is to blend our voices with theirs to amplify what they are saying, and let them speak. We must do this until we as a country finally keep the elusive American promise of equality.
And when you make those calls, make it clear to your elected officials that although symbols are powerful and doing this is important, changing the symbols is not the same thing as addressing the problem. The problem is that we have a President who is a Nazi sympathizer, and we need Congress to censure and impeach him. Stress that you will vote at every local election, and that you will only vote for candidates who have openly urged Congress to impeach the President who supports white-extremist domestic terrorism by Nazis and KKK.
If you're reading this and you're African American, and you have an urge to correct me about something I've said or seemed to assume here, please do. I'll no doubt keep making mistakes for many years to come, but I'm determined not to make the same ones repeatedly.
Edited to add:
Clarification: Trump certainly isn’t the only problem, as the factors that facilitate and perpetuate racism were here before him and will not be eliminated when we’re rid of his administration. He’s just arguably the most urgent problem.
Also, there are already some amazing ideas in the comments:
The original monuments can be melted down, and the material used in making the new ones. (from drshattershand and avatarabbiehoffman)
Some communities might not want to take that route, of course. Another option might be for them to be relocated to a museum where they form part of a complete and honest narrative, rather than standing alone out of context.
It's going to be an expensive undertaking. I think that each commissioned statue should be offered as a miniature for fundraising. Not only would you replace a despicable Confederate traitor, but thousands of people could have one in their home to add inspiration to their lives. They should be big enough to be impressive but not so big that they cost too much money. Their could be plastic versions for the masses and maybe signiture bronze models that would become family heirlooms. One added benefit, it would probably drive the white supremacists crazy, yet another strong reason to do it. (from dangoch)
What a fantastic idea! And any additional funds generated through sales of the miniatures could go to a local cause, chosen by the artist to benefit their own community.