One thing that Trump's candidacy and presidency has done is show me how many people in my circle of family and friends have far more racist views than I had ever suspected. Most are not alt-right levels, but it has been disappointing and upsetting to me. Calling them out on it does not work. It makes them defensive and more likely to hold onto their viewpoints. These are people that I love, and fighting them and belittling them will only hurt our relationships. It is difficult for me. I cannot understand how they have come to their conclusions. They cannot understand how I have come to mine.
The only thing I can do is discuss situations as they arise. I explain my reasoning while attempting to not be condescending. It is slowly working on a few of my closest family members (Fox News devotees). Sometimes I can get them to see things in a slightly different way for a particular event, and I'm hoping they will apply that to other events. And I sometimes change the way I think in a small measure as well.
I had been conflicted about the removal of Confederate flags and statues in the past because it did seem like we were trying to erase American history. The more I learned about it, however, I am no longer conflicted. While preserving that history is important, it has no place in parks and around government buildings. It belongs in museums, similar to the new museum in Utah about the Topaz internment camp. It is appropriate to remember the atrocity that our country inflicted on a minority race during World War II in the hope that we will never do such a thing again. However, it would not be appropriate to install monuments and fly the flag of the internment camp around the city square (yes, I understand it isn't exactly the same).
The same goes for the Confederacy. They fought a war against our country, in effect, and they lost. It makes little sense to me that people glorify that. It would almost be like having Japanese monuments touting the victory at Pearl Harbor on our government property. Yeah, they ultimately lost the war, but hey, look at how great a job they did at the beginning. So much to admire with their surprise attack. (Again, I see the differences)
Confederate symbols became popular during the Civil Rights movement of the 1960's. That isn't a coincidence. As was evidenced this weekend, Confederate symbols are a touchstone to those who are opposed to others that are different from themselves, and to those who have hidden these dark parts of themselves in the past but are emboldened by the current national climate.
Still, I agree with Red's viewpoint that there was little to be gained by protesting the white nationalist protestors. The Constitution protects their rights to be racist. Battling it out in the public square isn't likely to solve a thing or change anyone's minds. This is a battle of ideas, not of weapons.
