Amazing, Inspiring Statues Are Out There, And They Don’t Honor Racists
The violent protests in Charlottesville, Virginia, this past weekend have brought a sometimes-overlooked problem into the spotlight — the hundreds of statues across the United States honoring individuals who fought to preserve slavery.
While cities like Baltimore and Durham, North Carolina, have begun to remove them, there still are more than 700 Confederate monuments installed in public areas across 31 states, according to USA Today.
Not everyone is on board with taking them down. The white supremacist rally in Charlottesville was billed as a protest against the removal of a statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee. President Donald Trump tweeted Thursday morning that he is “sad to see” Confederate monuments being taken down.
Rather than mourning racist imagery, people on Twitter have some better ideas. On Thursday, Matt Pearce, national correspondent for the Los Angeles Times, posed a question that sparked some brilliant responses.
What are your favorite public statues?
— Matt Pearce (@mattdpearce) August 17, 2017
Turns out, there are plenty of other sculptures out there to admire besides those memorializing Confederate leaders. And Twitter users have been sharing some of their favorites.
Ignatius J. Reilly in New Orleans pic.twitter.com/CKoUa1dxnI
— Mike Faulk (@Mike_Faulk) August 17, 2017
— darth:™ (@darth) August 17, 2017
Also Claes Oldenburg's gigantic shuttlecocks at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City pic.twitter.com/DxGN1smlBN
— Monica McLaughlin (@rococopacetic) August 17, 2017
— JuanPa (@jpbrammer) August 17, 2017
(In all seriousness, maybe this) pic.twitter.com/byccW6UV5t
— Mark Potts (@mrmarkpotts) August 17, 2017
On the border of China and Mongolia there's two dinosaurs kissing pic.twitter.com/FRkMeGXHD5
— Dusty (@DustinGiebel) August 17, 2017
— Mujahed Kobbe (@Moj_kobe) August 17, 2017
Make way for ducklings statue in Boston public garden. People dress them up at holidays and after/during important events. pic.twitter.com/HYaLhDMPuH
— Bittersweet 😎😳💀 (@GrumpyinBoston) August 17, 2017
this one in Montreal which has perplexed me for years pic.twitter.com/MvOfMhL3yZ
— KRANG T. NELSON (@KrangTNelson) August 17, 2017
This wasn’t on Pearce’s thread, but here’s a personal favorite.
btw, the best statue in the world is the monument to rats used for DNA research in Russia pic.twitter.com/NEEY9qbCOQ
— ru ru land (@rubot) August 17, 2017
With all of these inspiring, humorous and provocative statues in America and elsewhere, somehow we think a few racist ones won’t be missed very much.
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I am taking action to relocate the Confederate statues. We have thoroughly examined this issue, and heard from many of our citizens.
— Mayor Jim Gray (@JimGrayLexKY) August 12, 2017
#Breaking @LarryHogan calls for removal of #RogerBTaney statue for MD State House lawn @ABC7News
— Brad Bell (@ABC7Brad) August 15, 2017
Citing events in #Charlottesville #Baltimore City Council adopts resolution calling for immediate destruction of confederate monuments #WBAL pic.twitter.com/9IiiGpfr99
— Vanessa Herring (@VanessaWBAL) August 14, 2017
I'm sending a letter to @NatlParkService & will intro a resolution calling for the removal of Gen. Pike statue once we're back in session https://t.co/NuoFDTXNgr
— David Grosso (@cmdgrosso) August 14, 2017
JUST IN: Jacksonville City Council President calls for starting process of moving confederate monuments/memorials off public property. pic.twitter.com/AVJGqZ9CPs
— Stephanie Brown (@SBrownReports) August 14, 2017
It’s time to move forward. These monuments should come down. - RC https://t.co/Lw9m6ZYbQJ
— Governor Roy Cooper (@NC_Governor) August 15, 2017
JUST IN: City of Franklin to remove Robert E. Lee monument in Warren County. @Enquirer
— Jason Williams (@jwilliamscincy) August 16, 2017
A look at the now covered Confederate Monument in Linn Park. Mayor Bell ordered the statue covered this afternoon. @WBRCnews #Birmingham pic.twitter.com/VbqYLSwZ1t
— Jamiese Price (@ThePriceReport) August 16, 2017
This article originally appeared on HuffPost.