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What is the intellectual framing of the UK statues debate? What is the intellectual framing of the UK statues debate?
"Taking the statues down is an 'iconoclasm of the Woke!'" "Taking the statues down is an 'iconoclasm of the Woke!'"
"Taking down the statues redresses protracted injustice" "Taking down the statues redresses protracted injustice"
"This crisis is an attack on the state!" "This crisis is an attack on the state!"
"We should re-imagine what these statues stand for!" "We should re-imagine what these statues stand for!"
We are witnessing a revolution against Western civilisation We are witnessing a revolution against Western civilisation
Toppling statues represents a juvenile understanding of history Toppling statues represents a juvenile understanding of history
This is a racist attack on the UK's helpless white majority This is a racist attack on the UK's helpless white majority
The statues crisis typifies the rising tide of cancel culture The statues crisis typifies the rising tide of cancel culture
This is the latest battleground in the West's desperate fight for moral authority This is the latest battleground in the West's desperate fight for moral authority
The fight against injustice should focus on changing the present The fight against injustice should focus on changing the present
The crisis forces us to confront the scourge of racism The crisis forces us to confront the scourge of racism
Statues should not distract us from the real issue at hand Statues should not distract us from the real issue at hand
Statues do not offer opportunity for nuanced debate Statues do not offer opportunity for nuanced debate
We are experiencing a long overdue political resistance We are experiencing a long overdue political resistance
The toppling of statues is an aggressive attack from liberal imperialism The toppling of statues is an aggressive attack from liberal imperialism
The crisis is an affront to the British values we hold dear The crisis is an affront to the British values we hold dear
Vandalism is art Vandalism is art
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What is the intellectual framing of the UK statues debate?
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"Taking down the statues redresses protracted injustice"

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We are experiencing a long overdue political resistance

For too long, we have allowed institutional racism into our politics and society. We must create alternative routes for positive change. Taking down statues shows an emerging resistance to this problem. It's a call for action, which is the first step to reimagining an equal future.
Aliyah Hasinah Vanessa Kisuule Jen Reid
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Context

In the summer of 2020, the statue of Edward Colston (a British slave trader) was toppled in the city of Bristol.

The Argument

For many years, British people (and people all over the world) have fought for racial and social justice. In the 2010s, the people of Bristol petitioned for the removal of the Colston statue, but their request fell on deaf ears.[1] In June of 2020, protestors forcibly removed the statue. This act was a sign of overdue political resistance to the lack of change in the United Kingdom. Statues are public art that often depicts a historical figure. Yet far too often, these statues do not convey a person’s full story. Colston became a local hero in Bristol as people overlooked his questionable past as a slave trader. Colston day and Colston buns are features in the city.[2] However, as people began to look into their town’s history, they realized their celebration for questionable people might be unjust. Britain, like the United States, is ill-adept at coping with its history of slavery and colonialism.[3] The removal of statues is a sign of a long-overdue political resistance.

Counter arguments

Toppling statues does not exhibit effective political resistance. Removing historical figures does not change history. If people want political change, they ought to go about it democratically. British Prime Minister also noted the criminality of these acts of vandalism – political resistance can’t work from behind bars.[2] People need to engage in political resistance on issues that are more than symbolic. They need to use their vote to make changes.

Proponents

Premises

Rejecting the premises

References

  1. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-minneapolis-police-protests-britain-s/toppling-of-uk-statue-fuels-debate-on-monuments-to-slave-traders-idUSKBN23F2FD
  2. https://www.newyorker.com/news/letter-from-the-uk/how-statues-in-britain-began-to-fall
  3. https://www.vogue.com/article/marc-quinn-jen-reid-black-lives-matter-statue-bristol
This page was last edited on Tuesday, 15 Sep 2020 at 00:33 UTC

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