#18: Read about the Cornwallis Statue in Halifax

When I was looking into background on this statue, I quickly realized that the statue was removed on February 4th. Which makes this post incrementally paseé, however the act of the removal is still being debated, so I'll throw my two cents into the ring. When I looked at the debates, a fundamental question arose: "do I consider the removal of the Cornwallis statue historical negationism or revisionism"?

Negationism (denialism), is the illegitimate distortion of the historical record. It is often imprecisely referred to as historical revisionism, but that term also denotes a legitimate academic pursuit of re-interpretation of the historical record and questioning the accepted views. Negationism presents a re-interpretation of the moral meaning of the historical record (often negating the experience of the persecuted, shining a more positive light on the persecutor). For example, historical negationism is the denials that mass genocides had ever occurred, this has happened with three major historical atrocities: the Armenian genocide during World War I, the Holocaust  and Japanese war crimes during World War II.

Denying that these cataclysmic events ever took place is illegal in Canada, and is an assault on truth and understanding. Comprehension and memory of the past are crucial to how we understand ourselves, our society, and our goals for the future. Intentionally denying or distorting the historical record threatens communal understanding of how to safeguard democracy and individual rights. (Sound familiar? Cough... cough... Sen. Lynn Beyak).

On the other hand, there is historical revisionism which is the re-interpretation of a historical record, based on new information, societal guilt or the evolution of philosophy. In the situation of the Cornwallis Statue, would it have been better to have clarified, re-done, or replaced it. I believe yes. Leaving something blank, with no explanation of why or something to recognize it was there and why it was taken. 

Case in point, the Berlin Wall went on a tour last year. Four pieces made their way to Jakarta to be apart of an art installation and share the universal message that accompanied the taking down of the berlin wall, that we are better together not apart. Perhaps Cornwallis could go on a tour as well? I'd welcome it here perhaps with different artistic interpretations? Then people would know why it was removed. The "why" is the important part, the "why" is how we change the world for the better.