Thursday, June 25, 2020

It's not about history...

I've seen several people posting this image in social media:


East Germany was unavailable for comment.

People have also compared the destruction of statues to the Boston Tea Party. The British Empire was likewise unavailable for comment.

When people destroy objects in their community, it is not because they want to distance themselves from history. They want to distance themselves from the government who built those objects.  That in and of itself is not a bad thing.  It's good that East Germany no longer exists.  It's good that the British Empire no longer exists.

Is it good if America no longer exists?  That depends on what replaces America.  But I find it pretty clear that those who tore down the Berlin Wall did so because they wanted more freedom for themselves, and those who dumped tea into the harbor did so because they wanted more freedom for themselves.  Those who are destroying statues of Jefferson, Washington, and Grant are the same people demanding that others bow to them, that you do not have the right to free speech (but they do), and that you do not have the right to freedom of religion or assembly (but they do).  After all, art is speech and they are destroying the art they disagree with, but if you tear down BLM posters you will get arrested.  And you don't have the right to sit in a car outside of church without getting a ticket because of COVID, but they have the right to gather face to face in the streets without risking jail.

I do not see how their replacement for America is objectively better than what we currently have; rather, it is objectively far worse.  But make no mistake, this isn't about history. It's about bringing down the United States and replacing it with something else.

5 comments:

  1. I know the best way to get back at racist cops and systemic racism of our day. We'll tear down racist (or even non-Racist) statues. This will get rid of oppression.

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    1. Yes, I'm sure that will work!

      Incidentally, have you seen David Wood's take on the topic? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnD5lS-rHJY

      It's nearly an hour long, but insightful.

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    2. And it hasn't even been taken down by the thought police. Neat.

      Yet.

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    3. I think this is definitely where the police need to be actually reformed. The above the law mentality is definitely disgusting and the prison system is also just bad. I don't know if I agree with the idea that BLM riots are outrage and brewing over that mentality, but it was an interesting take of someone from a different perspective on the issue. Thanks for the video Peter.

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