Paul Cooper posted this interesting history thread about some ancient ruins research he did about the Temple of Olympian Zeus in Athens, Greece. He became fixated on the weird protuberance pictured on the top of the building and fell down a rabbit hole trying to figure it out:
Source: Paul Cooper
(via: Cheezburger)
Erasing history is always a loss. Even the bad events serve as sign posts to prevent them happening again. Those that are erasing the old statues and monuments are just clearing the way for history to repeat.
“Those that are erasing the old statues and monuments are just clearing the way for history to repeat.”
Not necessarily. Monuments aren’t “history” in and of themselves. A number of the monuments to Confederate soldiers were hastily put up by a single group not to commemorate “history” but rather to intimidate an underprivileged class.
Look at it this way – at West Point, if you attend a class discussing the Civil War, you’re going to hear about some military victories Robert E. Lee enjoyed, regardless of whether or not there’s also a statue of Robert E. Lee out on the campus. “History” isn’t going to change if that statue is removed; what WILL change is the notion that we are somehow honoring a person who actually committed treason.
What if I’m too underprivileged to attend a class at West Point, but visiting Mississippi is easier and obtainable? Seems I have to rely on self righteous folks like you to “inform” and “educate” me.
Robert E. Lee was a highly patriotic and proud American who was torn, and who only chose “treason” when he was forced to choose between loyalty to his state and protecting his home or the federal government. Perhaps he chose poorly, but he was not a treasonous rat like his “president” Jefferson Davis and shouldn’t be painted in such a broad stroke.
(For the record, I’m from Pennsylvania, so I’m no confederate sympathizer.)
Thanks for sharing!