I am a proud Southerner. I grew up listening to The Allman Brothers Band and attending NASCAR races. Thanks to my dad, I watch more Georgia Bulldogs football than I do Tar Heels basketball, knowing the only things worse than Duke are Auburn and Florida.
And I have also seen my fair share of Confederate symbols, from the rebel flag to monuments like our own Silent Sam. With the flag, it can be seen in two relatively simple lenses: Southern pride or pro-slavery. Personally, I believe the flag represents the latter, and I applaud efforts to remove it from public grounds.
But monuments like Silent Sam are different. While the flag’s meanings are straightforward, the interpretations of Silent Sam are more complex. These were on display last Sunday when a pro-Confederate group came to campus to support the monument and were greeted by counter-protesters.
Though the founding of Silent Sam is steeped in racism, modern perceptions do not have the same attitude. For some, the statue ties both personal and national pasts with the present, serving as a window into history. As a result, many from this side believe Silent Sam should stay on campus.
For others, the monument is the embodiment of oppression, and should be removed, though it would require approval from the state beforehand.
While I understand both arguments, I do not know which would be best. Picking one side over the other seems unfair to not only the opposing side, but also toward the University’s history, which has its fair share of unpleasant moments.
Instead, the best plan at this moment would be to hold conversations on Silent Sam’s impact. Giving people the chance to voice their concerns will allow us to better understand the statue’s place on campus and its effects both on UNC and the greater community. Thankfully, Chancellor Carol Folt has taken steps to encourage this from both campus and community members as the University examines how it addresses its history.
Yet many in our society fail to understand disagreement does not permit crassness. One example from last week’s protest includes individuals who became heated with one another with counter-protesters responding with an onslaught of profane arguments.
No matter what the issue is, we need to have conversations without resorting to screaming and vulgarity. After all, we are all adults, so we should act like it.
