The Jefferson Davis Statue

(hat tip to Wikipedia for the pic)

From CNN:

Under heavy police presence, crews began to take down the statue of former Confederate President Jefferson Davis in New Orleans early Thursday morning.

It's the second Confederate monument to be removed after the New Orleans city council voted to remove four such landmarks back in 2015. After years of heated public debate and legal battles, recent court decisions paved the way for the city to relocate the four monuments.

Early Thursday, pro-monument supporters held vigil at the Davis statue and hoisted Confederate flags.

People who want to see the monuments removed also gathered at the site and cheered at the sight of heavy trucks and a crane moving into place. They chanted, "Take 'em down" and "White supremacy's got to go."

The opposing sides screamed insults and threats at one another as police separated them using barriers.

I have no issue with the statue's removal, as long as it is at least stored somewhere. But even if the statue never sees the light of day again, it should never be destroyed.

Regardless of what you think of Jefferson Davis, he is an important figure in American history. Centuries from now, the statue may be appreciated by future historians for its cultural significance, even if people today want to censor every element of racism from existence. It is one thing to refuse to honor Davis, but it is another to remove him from history.

For historical reference, I am reminded of the Buddhas of Bamiyan, which the Taliban destroyed in Afghanistan back in 2001. Here is the tallest one, both before and after:

This 1700-year old statue was destroyed because it wasn't politically correct in the Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

History should be protected, even if we don't personally like it, or if the winds of politics blow against it. History may be written by the victors, but it should never be censored by them.