Survey on Confederate monument brings hundreds of responses

The Paper conducted an informal online survey of subscribers seeking input and preferences regarding the community-wide discussions about the Confederate monument. 

The survey ran from the afternoon of Thursday, Sept. 28, to the morning of Monday, Oct. 2. It was deployed using SurveyMonkey, Facebook and Instagram.

Three hundred and sixty nine subscribers responded to the survey. Of those, 170 left comments about whether to move or keep the monument. 

Additionally, dozens of people left comments on the Facebook and Instagram platforms. Those comments also follow.

What follows is a summary of the results:

Question 1: Are you in favor of keeping the monument and the statue on the historic courthouse square?

Yes - 42%

No - 58%

Question 2: If you vote for removal of the monument, would you prefer:

Removal / relocated the statue only and keep the granite pedestal: 16%

Remove/relocated the entire monument: 84%

Question 3: Did you know that legal control of the monument is governed by the State Legislature in Raleigh?

Yes - 68%

No - 32%

Question 4: Do you think that governing control of the monument should be local instead of in Raleigh?

Yes - 75%

No - 25%

Question 5: If you prefer local governing control, would you be in favor of a Burke County-wide referendum so voters can direct action?

YES - 77%

NO - 23%

Question 6: Has the monument been a topic of conversation with your out-of-town visitors or guests?

Yes - 46%

No - 54%

Question 7: Please feel free to describe a solution to the controversy about whether to remove/relocate or keep the monument.

There were many suggestions to move the monument to an area cemetery or to the History Museum of Burke County. North Carolina law prohibits moving monuments to cemeteries or museums. Therefore those answers are not included here.

Also not included are comments and suggestions that were inappropriate.

Here is a selection of suggestions. Some have been edited for clarity and brevity:

• Make both sides happy. Erect a statue of the same size on the Old Court House lawn depicting either a black Union soldier, a slave, or Abraham Lincoln holding a copy of the Emancipation Proclamation.

• This has been an ongoing discussion for years now. The monument isn’t hurting anyone and it never has. The problem is people who aren’t even from this county along with those who are ignorant about history. A petition went out back in 2020 and asked those in favor of the monument staying on the square to sign it. That petition got over 3,000 signatures from LOCAL people who want our history to be left alone. Sorry and repetitive reporting from a relatively new media outlet who is destined to go the way of The News Herald.

• Keep it in place. History is history

• I understand and appreciate both sides of the issue. Having worked in the N.C. Room at the public library, I learned a lot about Burke County history. More soldiers died in the war between the states from Burke County than from any other county. Numerous people who lost ancestors in the war came to study the books on the civil war and learn about their ancestors. On the other hand, I understand the opposition to the statue from the black community because to them it represents slavery and oppression and bigotry. Maybe the solution is to add a statue representing a black person who made a significant contribution to our county to the courthouse square, therein honoring both those who lost ancestors in the civil war, and those who were oppressed by white slaveholders or fought against oppression and bigotry.

• Politicians and race baiters are making this about race instead of History and a memorial to those from this area that died in a war. If taking down a statue would end the old and start anew I’d be for it. But it will literally just stir the pot. History should not be erased.

• I am in favor of removal, but believe it would ultimately do more damage to our community at present. I think a solution could be putting additional information around the statue that tells the truth about the Confederate army, how they killed more American soldiers than any war in history, and about the great lie. It's a sensitive subject to the community, some rightfully and some not, but a white and black child should both be able to see the statue where it is and read the facts for themselves and know how their ancestors were treated or how they treated others.

• I am not in favor of (moving it). The people in Raleigh are worried about having a career for themselves and not about the people of this state. People think that the Civil War was all about slavery, which I am 100% against, but it wasn't. There was more to it than that. Move it to a place where it would serve just as good as where it is now. Kind of like how they did it in Salisbury.

• Let the Burke Tigers or other Zealots who fly the Confederate flag at the East/West entrances to the county relocate (the monument) to private property. The monument should not be on Public property and especially in an area that is a focal point of our city. If a war monument is what is needed there, let it be one to commentate all Burke County soldiers, men, women, black, white, Hispanic, Hmong, etc. who served our country and county.

• It’s a historical monument. You can’t rewrite history, but you can learn from it.

• Lived in Morganton for 40 years and had never heard a single mention of the monument until recently. Why now, over 110 years later? People say it belongs in a museum - well, the Historic Courthouse is occupied by the Historic Burke Foundation - essentially a history museum. Additionally, the statue's garb is not even a traditional Confederate soldier. No need to erase local history. Just erect a statue of a Union soldier on the square with it.

• I think we should not try to cover up the great loss of lives and devastation to families that this historical "division of our country" caused. The majority of poorer farmers were not fighting to keep enslaved people. They were not given a choice. … It is important to remember our history so we can learn from our mistakes and find ways to live together peacefully. 

• Accept history and move on! I lost ancestors on both sides of my family to Confederate arms, but I feel no ill will towards that statue, the farm boy who it may represent, or any other ancestors of my friends and neighbors in this State that I now call home.

• I'm more offended by the flags on I-40 than the statue.

• Remove the statue and pedestal from the grounds of the Old Burke County Courthouse grounds. Establish a local committee of interested citizens of Burke County, including a cross section of ethnic groups, and not load the committee with politicians. There can be advisors who can guide discussions among committee members. Come up with a ballot that will allow local residents to voice their preferences regarding possible locations for the entire monuments.

• If it can’t be moved, can we have an additional prominent display with historical context and highlights of difficult truths around white supremacy in Burke’s history?

• Keep it and use it as a learning opportunity. Add more context, and explain that while it is there to honor local war dead, there were terrible things happening in our country and in the South. Erect other displays and find creative ways to give a more well-rounded historical perspective of the tragic times our country went through. If we erase our history, we will never learn from it.

• We live in a new day and age where anything that shows hate past or present needs to be removed from our community.

• The monument is a remembrance of the dead boys and men from this area who died for their country at that time. Let the dead be remembered. Wiping out history does not change history. I may quote this wrong, but, "Those who do not remember history are doomed to repeat it." Learn from history.

• Anywhere other than its current place of prominence. It’s cruel to taunt a portion of society that is offended by it.

• I feel that our history should be preserved. If you take the civil war monument down will you eventually have to take down other war monuments at the courthouse? I’m not proud of how slaves were treated but I also believe in learning from mistakes.

• Sam Ervin was an ardent segregationist. So if the issue is about "racism" then is his statue allowed to remain standing if the confederate statue only a few yards away is taken down?

• First of all I am a 65 year old white male and I was born and raised in Morganton/Burke County. My ancestors have been in this area for over 200 years. I have ancestors who fought for the Confederate States of America and their names are on the pedestal. I am also a retired American Civil War Reenactor who has worn BOTH Federal AND Confederate uniforms proudly. I firmly believe the names of ALL Burke County veterans, including those who fought for the Confederacy should be remembered for their service and sacrifices. Having said all of the above, I believe the statue of the Confederate Soldier, who represents no one soldier in particular, should come down, HOWEVER, the pedestal with the names of Burke County veterans should remain. Money should be spent by this county to refurbish the tablets and I would be willing to contribute to that cause. The names are important and part of the great history of Burke County. Thanks for allowing me the space to explain my position and THANKS to The Paper for this survey. The voices of Burke County citizens deserve to be heard.

• My ancestors were Confederate officers, but I am definitely in favor of removal of anything that glorifies a political faction oppressing helpless people. I also have a hard time justifying in my mind why my ancestors would be in a position in which the US government would have been an enemy.

• We missed a golden opportunity to get rid of the monument during the renovation of the courthouse square a couple of years ago. I think it's a safety issue: I'm fearful of walking near the monument because it may fall on me. Grounds for removal, right? Let's create a new park somewhere in Morganton and put the monument in the center, surrounded by benches so everyone can go there and pay homage to the long dead who fought for a shameful and losing cause.

• Create a small Confederate Memorial Park and relocate the monument to it. Maybe just an acre or so with some benches and a walking path. Would need to be easily accessible and not stuck in the boonies. I think this would meet state law and get the monument off the courthouse square. Having a separate park would allow those it interests to have it preserved but be much less of an offense to others -- a worthwhile compromise. Thanks!

SOCIAL MEDIA COMMENTS REGARDING THE CONFEDERATE FLAGS NEAR I-40

scubatom2112

Here’s the thing about we native North Carolinians… we don’t care what others think. If you don’t like it here because of a flag or statue… you don’t have to stay.

cuttybage

Most of my clientele comes from Raleigh/Durham, Charlotte, and Asheville. 100% of them mention the giant confederate flags when they visit for the first time, so it definitely is the first impression they get. It’s often something like “I was a little scared when I saw those GIANT confederate flags, but Morganton’s pretty cute anyway”. It’s definitely unfortunate that you can’t miss ‘em from either direction.

overmountaincycles

We get a lot of comments about them. Most are baffled why they are so huge and on the highway….and many feel it gives Motown a bad image.

Jakeclydejohnson 

Today, flying an American flag is pretty rebellious! I say that replacing these flags with American flags will not only help us stick it to the man, but also do a better job at showing others that Burke County loves our country, loves our people, our friends and our families, and that we welcome everyone to experience the many wonderful things Burke County has to offer. That will really show that Burke County really is All About Advancing

Qofu

The Confederacy has not existed for hundreds of years, and though nobody wants to deny history (we do so at our peril) anything that serves as an explicit symbol of the oppression of an entire group of American citizens is not something worth preserving or remembering. My people are white Southerners but I see no difference between displaying this flag now in 2023 than displaying the Nazi swastika. This kind of ugliness becomes none of us.

Facebook - Flag Story

Roy Quimby

The South and true southerners and remembering our soldiers that fought an invasion and lived through it or for the so many boys that paid the ultimate price, I fly it for them and for everyone that wants to see southern pride waving in the winds. God Bless the South 

Kathy Parridgen

The message is that we are proud of our heritage even with all of its warts and imperfections. Just like every other part of the world.

Matthew Bennett

That's not even the same Confederate flag flown in the war, which was white. People really need to stop trying to take down our history

Curt Hartmann Champeon

It reminds people of my Lynyrd Skynyrd and Molly Hatchet Fandom. Also that I used to watch "Dukes of Hazzard"

Warren Gill

More atrocities have been committed under our current flag than were ever committed under this one. It's a moot point really.