Should Confederate Monuments at Gettysburg be Removed or Not?

Monuments are created as a reminder and representation of history, and in the case of Confederate statues within Gettysburg, it is a dark history. The Stars in their Courses by Shelby Foote brings the reader through the events of the battle at Gettysburg and the lives lost and altered forever. Foote states that over a fourth of the Union soldiers died as well as exposes the reality of the lives not only lost but those of relation to the ones lost. Foote mentions siblings, parents, lovers, etc. who were destroyed by the outcomes of the civil war (Chapter 5). Ken Burns in “The Civil War: A Film by Ken Burns” exposes that during the war of Gettysburg, over the course of three days, 150,000 men lost their lives. There is a significant bloody history that remains behind these statues and plays as a reminder to any spectators who know about the battle at Gettysburg. The Virginia Monument which depicts General Robert E. Lee on horseback is one of the most controversial Confederate monuments at Gettysburg today. Killer Angels by Michael Shaara proved that Lee was skeptical, hesitant to make any bold moves, but he ended up agreeing to head to Gettysburg (Chapter 1). 

Many feel strongly one way or another based on personal histories in relation to the civil war. There are many solutions being called for within this debate and multiple viewpoints stemming especially from various backgrounds. On one side of the spectrum, some believe that all the statues should be torn down and demolished, meanwhile on the other end they believe that nothing should change and the statues should stand where they are today. However, there are viewpoints in between both radicals, with the idea of removing the statues from Gettysburg park and placing them within a museum or tearing down some of the monuments but not others. Some believe that there needs to be more information on plaques tied with the monument. It is argued that moving these monuments to museums is losing the effect it has on the battlefield, removing history from where it took place. However, there are individuals who live around the battlefield or wish to visit it without a slam in the face of those who fought to continue enslaving their ancestors. There is a Gettysburg Museum of History. These monuments can be transported to this museum, where along with them are plaques of information of the history behind the people or representations depicted within the monuments. No one is subjected to or forced to view it just by simply being in the area, and that way these representations of history are not destroyed or forgotten about, but rather preserved. It is a painful experience for African Americans, having to see historical figures who oppressed their ancestors being memorialized. People go to museums with the intention of learning about the history of the statues inside. If these monuments were moved to museums, it would provide the option for people who want to view them to be able to do so and those who do not wish to view these monuments, do not have to. However, when they are in public domain it is not as avoidable by those individuals who are disturbed by the statues. These Confederate monuments are a part of United States history that can not be erased, just as slavery and the civil war are. However, how these statues are memorialized and shown can be educational and considerate towards others.