The statue of a Confederate soldier known as “Silent Sam” on the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill campus has been a source of controversy for decades. Over the weekend, some opposers of the monument defaced it with graffiti saying “BLACK LIVES MATTER,” “KKK” and “MURDERER.”
The statue has been on campus since 1913 and pays tribute to the 321 UNC alumni who died in the Civil War as well as all of the University’s students who fought for the Confederacy. It’s “silent” because while it depicts a soldier with a gun, he does not have a cartridge box for ammunition, according to the university.
A university spokesman condemned the vandalism. “We understand that the issue of race and place is both emotional and, for many, painful,” Associate Vice Chancellor of Communications and Public Affairs Rick White said in a statement. “We welcome all points of view, but damaging or defacing statues is not the way to go about it.”
However, for some on the Chapel Hill campus, this act wasn’t exactly one of vandalism.
“They’ve made a major improvement to the statue,” UNC student Nikhil Umesh told WTVD, the local ABC station.
The statue has since been the focus of many protests, and people have called for its removal.
One commenter on Facebook wrote, “I went to UNC. I thought it was barbaric to have the statue there then, and I do now. I’m glad it was vandalized. I hope it either gets taken down now, or the vandalizing continues until they have no choice but to take it down. It’s an embarrassment. We do not need a statue to commemorate those who participated in an armed insurrection against their country.”
“Silent Sam” is now partially covered to hide the graffiti.
What do you guys think? Should the statue be taken down? And even if you are against the statue, was vandalizing it wrong?
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Controversial 'Silent Sam' Confederate Statue At UNC Vandalized
