OPINION: Memories Of Evil

By Trevor K. McNeil

Uses And Abuses of History

I love history. That is probably why I have spent eight years of my life studying the subject on a post-secondary level. Such love and enthusiasm goes a long way to explain why my hackles raise up when I see the  cynical and ignorant misuse of  history.  The twisting of history to bolster racist ideas and perpetuate such beliefs is down right infuriating, and should be constantly challenged with facts. A recent example is the dogged defense of Confederate Memorials. Whether it be the Confederate war flag, statues, or naming military bases after traitors.

Let Us Forget

I have and will continue to argue against the notation of memorials themselves. I believe there is no better way to forget the real history than commemorating it. Which is not the same thing as recording it. Museums help people connect with the past using tools such as written documents, books,  physical artifacts, and photographs.  Seeing a memorial to Jews killed during the war is one thing. Seeing photographic evidence of the gas chambers and the attic from which Anne Frank and her family were dragged is something else. A context which can also be applied to war memorials of all types.

Answering the Rhetoric

Historical-illiterates deny slavery in their defense of the American Civil War. Grabbing on to “states rights” and  “northern aggression” as their go to defense of Confederate memorials. The Civil War was a terrible and distasteful part of American history that should be remembered with sober clarity. Mythologizing, glorifying and commemorating traitors like Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee is bad for America and is a foolish rejection of history.

Long After The Civil War

These monuments went up long after the Civil War. Most were erected in the 1950’s. These memorials can be directly related to the intent to rehabilitate the image of Confederate traitors and justify separation of the races. The ugliness of racism, continued in the South long after the Civil War.  Jim Crow laws and segregation in the United States replaced slavery. Fear, abuse and lynching were typical methods used to suppress blacks who challenged the white power structure. Statues and flying the stars and bars were methods of intimidation used to reinforce the white power structure.

Foreign Entity

For a comparatively brief and horrible period, from 1861 to 1865, there were four nations on the North American continent. British North America (now Canada) administered by the British parliament. The United States of America led by President Abraham Lincoln. The Confederate States of America led by President Jefferson Davies. And the Republic of Mexico, led by President Benito Juarez.

Geography Tells A Story

Keep in mind here that ‘America’ is a geographical designation including the continents of North, South and Central America. The modern descriptor ‘American’ refers specifically to citizens of The United States of America. The nation-state in North America which decided to make the fact it was made up of states and located within the Americas the center of its identity. While the Confederate states and their citizens were ‘Americans’ by virtue of being located in the Americas, they were no longer part of the American nation. This was by their choice. They had their own constitution, president and flag. The secessionists were ready to continue indefinitely as a distinct political, legal and social entity. The Confederates were, by any criteria, traitors to the United States and ‘enemies of the state.’

The Bad Guy

Traitors tend to be hated and executed not venerated and glorified. Even today a statue to the likes of Benedict Arnold would cause riots. Despite the Revolutionary War being “part of our history.” Arnold  was actually an American in the usual sense. The Confederates were quite simply traitors intent on destroying the union. Taking up arms in a military campaign against the United States is treasonous.

Other Examples

Using WWII as another example. There are no statues to Emperor Hirohito or Adolph Hitler. Or indeed, schools named after Erwin “The Desert Fox” Rommel. No German state would dare fly the Swastika emblazoned on a flag over government buildings. In the same way, it makes no sense to defend Confederate memorials, or any other memorabilia of the southern secessionists.