Matters of race, ethnicity, class, gender, and sexuality are often in the public eye, and tend to be at the center of many passionate (and unfortunately even violent) conflicts. While discussing diversity in the context of institutions and organizations remains important, it is as important to ask to what extent we accept diversity and difference as a society. One such case occurred August 11th, 2017 when a white nationalist group marched in protest of the potential removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee from the campus of the University of Virginia. Local organizations such as the NAACP and citizens of the town had argued that the statue (erected in 1924) needed to be removed as it was a symbol of the enslavement and oppression faced by blacks in the South. You may read more details of the case at the following link:
The New York Times—The Statue at the Center of Charlottesville’s Storm – HTML
The New York Times—The Statue at the Center of Charlottesville’s Storm – PDF Document (204 KB)
Using the knowledge you’ve accumulated in this course, write a short letter to the editor of your local newspaper arguing why or why not you believe the removal of the statue from public view is in the interest of cultivating a more diverse society. Try to make your response between 750-1000 words, and cite at least two scholarly sources from course readings or your own research to support your argument. Use the 2 attachments I provided as the cited sources as well and make sure it is between 750-1000 words.
