NexusX
Astra Superstar
You are completely bypassing the fact that many of these statues and monuments were not erected to honor the past. They were implicitly intended as a thumb in the eye of the civil rights movement and to make sure "niggers" knew their place as second class citizens in the eyes of the law.
Its not about having to "honor the past". It is about remembering why they were erected to begin with. Regardless about WHAT the reason for the creation for them was.... it is about destroying that history and information. Lets take the stance that they were erected as " a thumb in the eye of the civil rights movement". Now that those are taken down your are tearing down history (including the history as to why they were erected) and people will forget that it took place in the first place therefore cheapening the context of civil rights.
I will ask again... Why doesn't ROME or ANY OTHER city tear down historical statues and monuments designed to be a reminder of superiority of their day?
1. It is part of history and you should not sweep it under the rug.
2. Having those things there keeps the rights (and wrongs) of society in the mindset of its people.