Monday letters: We must not destroy Civil War monuments

We in the Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War have been stunned by the horrific murders in Charleston. Given what we have learned about the killer’s despicable racist beliefs, the national conversation about the Confederate flag is therefore inevitable and necessary.

But we are dedicated to preserving the memory of those who fought to preserve the Union. Therefore, all monuments and markers relevant to the Civil War should be preserved, including those associated with the Confederacy.

Each generation, each community has remembered the Civil War differently. Its monuments are part of our history and tell us something about who we have been as a state and as a nation, good and bad.

We should not destroy or deface the monuments we have inherited. If we start down that slippery slope, where will it end?

We owe their preservation to future generations, who should have the same chance we have had to learn from them.

Sumter