If you are concern about what the bigots are thinking, you kinda already lost the plot.
I'm not concerned about what bigots think; I'm concerned about what actions bigots use, because as much as we like to tout the moral high-ground, a lot of reason we're seeing progress right now isn't because so many people are "woke" and knew it was morally the right thing to do, but because they were pressured by large-scale masses to go against their own interests and bigotry.
It is utterly of importance to keep the forward momentum going and maintain control of the narrative. I'm not saying it's lost, but when reports of statues being targeted outside of Confederate monuments erected specifically to intimidate Black communities - ones of The Founding Fathers, Missionaries, and Union Generals - it absolutely does muddy the waters.
No, don't listen to the bigots, but there are enough people who are in the middle, ones who can and will be swayed, and you can say "screw them" but they're the ones we need right now, the ones to convince. "If they haven't chosen a side by now, they're morons". And maybe that's the case, but I can only attest that tearing down a statue of a guy unrelated to the confederacy and unrelated to black oppression - someone worthy of criticism but also not in unanimous agreement within the Native American community of his legacy - is deviating from the focus that is needed at this time.
It's not about winning over the bigots; it's about giving them legit ammunition to attempt to discredit the progress being made, which is a very real and potent possibility in this administration and nation at large.
Racists are going to racist no matter what. Centrists are going to fence sit no matter what.
Again, this is a huge turning point and we absolutely should not be gate keeping who is and isn't worth standing up for. Indigenous people shouldn't have to "wait their turn" when the momentum for change is now.
And as a Native American, we haven't been waiting. We've been petitioning local government and fellow tribal leaders to discuss the merits of these statues. The issue is we aren't at a consensus. That's the big take-away.
We like to think it's black-and-white, but it's more nuanced than that. As I stated earlier, I wouldn't be upset if his remaining statues were removed because I understand how parts of my community feel, but other Native Americans legitimately venerate him and considering him an ally to Native American rights. There is good and bad with the man that is a lot more complicated than just taking down statues of a pro-slavery regime that only existed to own people as property and fought to maintain the right to treat them like cattle.
There's a big difference in history, intent, and consensus.
Personally speaking; fuck that. Tear it all down.
Weaponized Christianity was used both against the indigenous population and captured slaves. There's overlap; bring it down.
That seems more like a generalized attack against any and all religious symbolism of Christianity in the nation. You could make that argument for any and all monuments to any practitioner of the Christian faith, at any point in American (and global) history.
This is why I continue believe it's important not to lose focus and that we need to go after the "easier" targets pertaining to Confederate ideology (because THAT'S NOT EASY. There are 1503 of the f***ing things left in the nation!).
It's not that I don't want other reform, other conversations, and other monuments removed; it's that logically there has to be an attack plan.
Fight damn hard right now, but fight smart and don't fight ignorant.