As the controversy of removal or leaving confederate statues in public venues evolves, even in Lake County, FL, some states like Tennessee have outlawed the removal of Confederate soldier statues.
Other cities are letting them stay, but "contextualizing" them by adding plaques and details to explain the Civil War, since perhaps, many protesters actually don't know why the Civil War took place.
Tennessee has over 100 Confederate monuments around the state, and there are over 1700 across the country according to the RouteFifty.com story.
"Much of the debate around Confederate monuments has circled around two options: remove the statues or let them stay. But in some cities, a third option has arisen: contextualize them. By placing plaques and launching educational campaigns, some in local government hope to expand the narrative being told about the Civil War, including the history of slavery and African American involvement in the war. Franklin (TN) recently chose this option, after a lobbying effort by community members who said they wanted a “fuller story” presented in the public space. The city council voted to install five markers around the monument in the city square, one of which would explain that the square was used for slave auctions for decades before the Civil War. The city is also commissioning a statue dedicated to black soldiers who fought for the Union."
Protesters against the Kirby Smith Statue proposed for the Lake County, FL Historic Museum should consider "contextualizing" as an acceptable alternative.
Opinion by Vance Jochim, FiscalRangers.com Oct. 21, 2019
