Richmond's Monument Avenue: Should Confederate Statues Remain? ICYMI

RICHMOND, VA — Another Memorial Day is on us, when we honor those who fought and gave their lives in service to the United States of America. But what to make of those who fought and gave their lives in service to the Confederate States of America? After all, no matter how you look at it, they fought against the United States

Over the past several years petitions, protests and an all-around hard look at various Confederate monuments and statues have prompted the removal of such things across the country, most recently in New Orleans. Closer to home, Charlottesville and Alexandria have wrestled with the issue.

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All of which brings us to Richmond's iconic Monument Avenue, where towering statues of Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis, Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson and J.E.B. Stuart stand prominently in the medians of the avenue. Monument Avenue and its immediate area is on the National Register of Historic Places. The Lee statue was the first, and it was built in 1890 — 25 years after the end of the Civil War.

On Tuesday, the Richmond Times-Dispatch addressed the question of whether it's time to take down the Confederate monuments on Monument Avenue in a poll of readers. As of around 9:20 Wednesday, 9,608 respondents said yes while the no votes came in with a whopping 15,749.

Could the recent attention and subsequent movement to remove such Confederate symbols actually affect Monument Avenue? Richmond, mind you, was the capital of the Confederacy. Having lived in the city for nine years, this reporter knows for a fact that many in the majority back city simply tolerate them if not despise time.

Confederate flags and memorials are seen as a reminder of Southern heritage by some, while African-Americans have often said the legacy is one of slavery and hate.

The battle flag image came increasing scrutiny after Dylann Roof killed nine African-American churchgoers on June 17 during a Bible study in a Charleston, S.C. church. Images widely distributed of Roof show him holding a confederate flag, and he reportedly told authorities he was attempting to start a race war.

What do you think? Is Monument Avenue immune to the call for such Confederate statue removals? Or is it way past time to seriously consider the possibility of removal. Let us know in the comments section below or on Facebook!

Image via Flickr