The best approach to removing these monuments. Here is what they have to say. Guest the approach that cities have taken before was to have plaques next to the monuments come up with them in context. , thatplaques were just the statue was erected is part andst cause project that was ok. Gone, what i are would like to see is the base maintained. Where the statues themselves are removed but the bases stay there in order to reflect on the one hand that there was a political project dedicated to White Supremacy that had a long. Istory and then that there was another political project that was created in order to remove them. The besthat is approach in this circumstance. I can imagine other potential orroaches whether leaving taking pieces of the statue and maintaining them but erecting another statue next to them. There are a number of different choices that people have, and this generation will have more conversation about what we should be doing. Also on the program was law professor who discussed why removing his monuments is not so clearcut. I think the monuments are gely relics of the battle the bad old days. I think it is important to leave them up so that we understand and remember that there were people who were in charge and places like charlottesville and Richmond Virginia and towns throughout the south and some in the north who wanted to celebrate the confederacy and the war fought to maintain slavery. Balance things a little differently and i think it is important to preserve those monuments on the landscape, so that people would remember that there was once a celebration of the confederacy. Look at the conversations we are having now about what the civil war was about and why people were celebrating and pushing these monuments up. That is a great conversation and a great opportunity for learning. I think that conversation largely goes away once we take the monuments down. Spots on the table what do you think should be done about these Confederate Monument. Roger and wilmington, delaware. Good morning. Historyi taught u. S. And i am in the Peace Movement since i read about the civil war. Againstva lee was slavery. I dont believe he owned any slaves. If he did he got rid of them. The other issue in the civil war was state rights. California had certain loss on , can the federal government forced them to do away with those laws on pollution . There were issues of tariffs, trades, states rights. It wasnt just slavery. Check your history books, get on the computer. Host lets go to history. Com this is whatline it says on its website. Most of these monuments did not go up immediately after the wars and. During the time markers of the civil war tended to be memorials to mourn soldiers who had died. Eventually they started to build the Confederate Monuments but vast memorial were which matches up with the area of jim crow segregation. The biggest spike was between 1900 and the 1920s. In contrast to the earlier memorial these monuments tended to glorify leaders of the confederacy like generally and Jefferson Davis and stonewall jackson. All of those monuments were there to teach values to people, which is why they put them in the city squares and state buildings. The values include of the glorification of the civil war. United daughters of the confederacy founded in 1890s was the most important and influential group, it was responsible for the rock Mount Rushmore of the confederacy. In 1910 andon began 1960 42 million dollars. In hartford connecticut, what do you think . Guest i think it is an affront to the society. You can compare this with they want to glorify what hillary did and the third reich in germany. I am an africanamerican man of i dont thinknd these should be exhibited at all. It goes back to a time when we were in enslaved people. I say down with the statues. Host kevin, sandy utah. I think these statues are basically to remind black people in their of their place. That was the reason they were erected. I think they should come down. Host what do you think about the violence we lost kevin. Ravens rhode island, jeff . Some of them should come down, statues and maybe some of the southerners that were involved in the kkk. Others should stay like robert e. Lee. Was considered probably one of the best battlefield strategists in the history of all warfare. He was offered the command of the entire union army by president lincoln and he turned butcause he thought one of the key point. Picture of take a robert byrd down, john f. Kennedy if you go on the internet, he praised at off son. Rs adolph his you can go on internet for that. Friends withdy was the brilliant german Rocket Science scientists. He had such brainpower in , they were sitting in a car together waiting to the crowds. He was a member of process. Rights about black a member of the Senate Virginia veteran andtnam war member of the virginia war memorial commission, understanding the purpose of confederate memorials. Erected monuments to those who fought in war several decades after the war. The confederate Soldier Monument at the old courthouse in leesburg was erected 43 years after the war ended. And in syracuse, new york. What do you think . Caller i dont think they should take the statues down. And what is happening in North Carolina. Host North Hollywood california. Caller i think they should take the statues down and. At one point i didnt think that they should, but after giving it some serious thought i believe they should take the statues awn because they represent history that is behind us and we need to leave it behind hours. Everybody needs to get out your on board to bring the country together. We need to get some about otherg cultures. Happening is there is a lot of confusion about what is going on. Black people at the center of all of it. Racists and jim crow and some that is going on for years. Yes its a country of immigration but for a long time it has been a country for black and white and maybe a few asians. Now that there is an influx of different people coming here, we need to have an understanding. That theirhinks races important. Everyone needs to realize that we are all important and we are all americans and we are not a divided country. Do otherthing else to theirry to impede ignorance about other people. No one wants to hear it. Host let me ask you, you said you changed your mind. Why do you think so . Caller i talked to other people. They said it is part of the history. I think they should probably suggestedme people they should move to a museum or something. I think Something Like that is a good thing. I dont think they should destroy them. Probably be should where people can get a clear understanding of the history. At that place they will lay out what it is really about. That now, it is something you dont want to see it and be reminded. We are not going to forget. We wont put it aside. Host terry in newburgh, see. Tennessee. Ify i see it they are going to take all of the statues down they should take mlk statue down. Thats what they should do. Why . Caller theres nothing wrong with the but if theyre going to take these down they should take all of him down and his two. Host you equip the Civil Rights Movement with jim crow laws . Caller theres nothing wrong with that, they should take his down to be fair about it, too. Host robert in henderson, kentucky. Ironically my last name is lee. Thatought on this is taking our statues or flag is symbolic. You cannot legislate, regulate or dictate a persons heart. That comes from within. When people were killed in charleston in the black church and governor nikki haley took ,own the flag that was all good there was still 40 some thousand dollars raised for him on the internet. Black life is still devalued in america. Symbolic. N statues is the real chance comes from within. For the person that studies and gets down to the concrete issues it is about what is in the heart. That has to come from within. Host usa today, confederate u. S. , divided the city start with the face of these monuments with some markers while others are symbols of hate. Jamesburgth carolina, florida, san diego, baltimore, Brooklyn Franklin ohio madison, wisconsin, worthington ohio, daytona beach, florida. We will be talking to reporters throughout the three hours and also your viewpoint on what should happen with these monuments. Robert in for smith, arkansas. Wondering i am beginning to wonder if they are after White Supremacists or if mey it seems like to ,here was a guy on television it looks like hes started a race riot. Polls, theentioned survey that was done august 1315. Do you see that light confederate war heroes more of the suit symbol of southern pride or racism 54 said southern pride, 26 said some ball of racism symbol of racism. Caller good morning. Related, however, we celebrate memorial day every year. I think itmistaken was the daughters of the confederacy who started a memorial day for the southern dead. Thatt remember the Year Congress then changed it to memorial day that we then honor the northern and all the dead and all the wars so memorial day is a confederate starting of our memorial day, which is related to the month monument issue. I dont know how many people know this. You think about these monuments . Should they remain . Put in a museum . That theybelieve should stay up. Thing i cant remember which state in the south tour down a veteran. Tore down a veteran. So yes. Host what about the Historical Context when most of these monuments were erected around the time of jim crow. What was happening at the time that segregation was being put into law and at the same time a ofement to put these symbols in front of State Capitol buildings and public squares. What about that context. Beler perhaps they can moved to someplace else where people could still see them and not really be in the claim glaring eyes in front of a courthouse or a school. I am mixed on this. One reporter who is covering this in richmond, virginia. Is joining us from skype from that area. Through what monuments , a tourist attraction in your area and what is the debate right now . Thank you for having me. It is important to start by saying that this conversation that richmond is having is not a new one. Virginia does a wonderful job of preserving its history, and one can look at archives and articles and see that people in soon as thet as lead monument was erected who was the editor of the original planet editorialized that people were going to be debating about the legacy of treason. These monuments have always been equated with resistance. We are having a contemporary federation here in richmond. That are people i had said the violence that he inflicted on worshipers in South Carolina was a jump off point for our conversation in richmond. I think there is an accuracy to that. After that happened there was a big issue. Mayor barstow me advocated for and bought context statues throughout richmond. When hegood on that appointed a 10member commission to look at how to best at context along monument avenue. The commission has met a handful of times since his announcement withne, they are task gauging the community and finding out the best way to move forward since the announcement. Our mayor has changed his position and called for the removal of the monuments along by my avenue. There is at least one member of the city council who plans to submit a resolution and asked the state for permission to move. Tatues that would help the richmond local authorities move around that tricky state law that said it people cannot disturb monuments must say had been put into place. Host describe monument avenue. At his store district in richmond, there are homes all along it, treelined, very scenic and beautiful. Connectedbusinesses throughout the thoroughfare. Confederateve figures sitting along the avenue. People have said that monument avenue in and of itself is a confederate shine shrine of sorts. Host what has the debate been like . Caller very intense. In that commission that we mentioned before has been meeting there has been one very well attended meeting, 500 people that they are. We saw 40 speakers. Half of the speakers were in for, of the mayors call suggestions for signage and billboards and facts being posted in some way alongside the monuments. After the other speakers at that meeting were still having a conversation about whether or not they should be touched at all or come down and be moved. Tense and high emotions any time anyone talks about it. It is a closelyhell issue here in virginia. There was an editorial, we asked the mayor of the commission and readers what contacts could possibly change the statues meaning and message from what was met when they were elected following a bloody civil war fun to keep black people in bondage . What do you think at the next Public Meeting on september 13 question . Transpired in between this last meeting in september 13. I spoke to one member of the commission who said they had asked for a cooling down. Dont know, they havent seen anything like what happened in charlottesville but emotions are high. I know that there are people in the community who felt like they did not want to participate because removal was not an option now that it is perhaps there will be more people forcefully come out. I would not try to predict. You can follow the atource if you go to twitter wcvb. Thank you for an update out of richmond. Host back to your thoughts on this. Tuesday had aon rally in arizona. When he talked about this debate. Heres what he had to say. In the proud tradition of from georgeeat, washington please dont take it statue down. Georgeybody want Washington Statue . No. Is that sad . To lincoln to Teddy Roosevelt, dont take Teddy Roosevelt down, too. ,hey are trying to figure out they dont know. They are trying to take away our leaders,nd our weak these things have been there for 150 euros years. You go back to the university and its down. People. Ak, him oro you agree with do you believe that these symbols should come down, what they represent, racism and hate . Racism country, has created the civil war with , this is not limited to the United States. 1898 to 1975 they were in vietnam in 1975. 23 countries in africa white this is aace wonderful country. I am a vietnam veteran. When we tried to make people , it will not survive if you take the starches if you leave the statues in. Angela merkel, it has to stop. Washington journals twitter page conducting a poll what should be done about Confederate Monuments, take them down, keep them out. A couple of responses from viewers one saying they have to come down. Put it in a Historical Museum to educate people. Addie in los angeles. Caller good morning. I am a vietnam veteran also. The monuments are one thing, but this country, confederacy they might have lost the battle but they won the war. Host how so. Caller look at their Government Policies to the civil war for blacks. If you go to the congressional in 1871 that was the second civil rights bill. Itthat was to be implemented would change this country into a corporation. That is a congressional act of 1871. If you look at the redlining, the way we have been doing with banking, everything that ,appened after the civil war containment is government implemented. To writed the south the textbooks for our children. How did that happen . The one who lost the war writes the textbook. Host james in maryland, what do you think . I think they should be put into a museum for the people who want to, can go there and visit her just like in your desk monumentsu dont see of all of hitlers crew who massacred the jews. They dont have it around the towns, that have it in museums. In america they should have them in museums. People can go there to visit the statues. Host more of your calls coming up. Newspaper, thehe wall street journal, and then theres this headline on several of the papers this morning. We will start with the New York Times headline on the relationship between the president and congress. The wall street journal and New York Times editorial boards have something to say about this prospect. So that is the latest on washington and what is happening between the white house and congress. In sacramento, california, back to our discussion with all of you. What should happen with these Confederate Monuments . I think they should leave them alone. Stop messing with the history of our country. I was in vietnam three years. I did not ask people what color they were when they were wounded. I put them in my helicopter, brought the wounded back, put them on planes, on carriers to be shipped back to the United States to their families. We still have that. We still are going to be doing that. Why would we want to tinker next thing we are going to do is start taking stuff out of our schools so our children cannot learn from what we did in vietnam or any other country. Its crazy. We are acting like children. Host all right. Caller i mean, im in my mid70s. What is going on . We have the republicans fighting the democrats. Its nuts. Host what about the argument from the other side, africanamericans saying that when they see these symbols, that glorify the civil war generals, it is a symbol of trying to keep africanamericans in bondage . Symbol tos not a keep them in bondage. I never asked anybody what their color was when they were wounded. They had the red light running. I loaded them in my chopper, threw them out of a war zone to a hospital ship, got him care, brought them back when the care was taken, put them on a c130 off of a carrier, pulled them back to the spot in germany, and from there, they brought them back to their families in the u. S. Did not care what color they were. Still dont today. This is just stupidity. Jacksonville, florida, what do you think . Caller caller im a 38your watcher of cspan. Combat veteran of vietnam. With respect to my comment my colleague a few minutes ago, i vehemently disagree with his assessme