Historical figures reassessed around globe as statues come down

Statutes of Gandhi and Abraham Lincoln have also been vandalized by these morons...

Will the Yasukuni Shrine be demolished? I suspect not ...

Statutes of Gandhi and Abraham Lincoln have also been vandalized by these morons...

Vandalizing statues of Ghandi and Lincoln, who were generally positive actors in human history may very well be the work of morons.

But, vandalizing, toppling, and destroying statues of perpetrators of crimes against humanity, such as Italian/Spanish mass murderer Columbus, the British slave trader Milligan, or the many Confederate leaders who led an insurrection against the US in order to retain their ability to own human beings, is perfectly acceptable behavior.

Honoring such criminals is whitewashing history. Destroying the monuments to such criminals is recognizing and understanding history, and acting upon that knowledge.

Honoring such criminals is whitewashing history. Destroying the monuments to such criminals is recognizing and understanding history, and acting upon that knowledge.

The problem is that both Churchill & FDR are fingered as criminals as well. Where is the line?

All statues of politicians/kings/warriors/celebrities should be moved to museums. It's the concept of honorific statue that is flawed. Street and building naming poses the same kind of problem.

The problem is that both Churchill & FDR are fingered as criminals as well.

Not as common criminals. There was no revelation that Churchill/Roosevelt/Columbus stabbed a love rival or what. They are rejected as symbols of what we now view as criminal policies. Note that it's easy, 50 yrs later, 500 yrs later, to judge how their decisions caused decades/centuries of tragedies and we can't be harsh with people of that time for not seeing what was wrong.

Where is the line?

There is no line. There will always be a problem. All politicians carry the sins and flaws of their time. After a while, most past policies become unacceptable. It's a sign mentalities and society evolved. It's normal. It's easy : STOP IT. The times of official history are over. Now, it's OK to have an abstract sculpture and a park called "hydrangea park". You're free to do name honouring in private : you can name your pet rabbit Gengis Khan, your toilets the Trump-Kim friendship room.

garypen But, vandalizing, toppling, and destroying statues of perpetrators of crimes against humanity, such as Italian/Spanish mass murderer Columbus, the British slave trader Milligan, or the many Confederate leaders who led an insurrection against the US in order to retain their ability to own human beings, is perfectly acceptable behavior.

Honoring such criminals is whitewashing history. Destroying the monuments to such criminals is recognizing and understanding history, and acting upon that knowledge.

It's time to quit whitewashing history and quit infecting children's minds with this crap in the schools. When I was in elementary school they hammered us with this 'Columbus Explorer Hero' crap yet also told us that Norsemen visited North America over 500 years before, Double talk!

We weren't taught anything about Black American achievements until the 5th grade. My report was on Langston Hughes. As for Native Americans it wasn't until the 8th grade and even that wasn't very detailed. And we were still instilled with the lies about Columbus even then.

It's far past time to stop honoring the bastards. Take those statues down now!

Not as common criminals. There was no revelation that Churchill/Roosevelt/Columbus stabbed a love rival or what. They are rejected as symbols of what we now view as criminal policies. Note that it's easy, 50 yrs later, 500 yrs later, to judge how their decisions caused decades/centuries of tragedies and we can't be harsh with people of that time for not seeing what was wrong.

We all understand that neither Churchill nor FDR was a "common criminal." You propose a world with no heroes because men and women will be judged for the worst thing they did and not the best.

Will the Yasukuni Shrine be demolished? I suspect not ...

Agree. Unfortunately.