Affirmation Speech on German Methods (Monuments):

We remember events that divide us, that separated us but we honor lives lost and rah-

veer our heroes whether it’s the founding fathers in regards to patriotism or even Christopher

Columbus who served as a symbol for immigrants. Except, confederate monuments have served

as a symbol for glorification and privilege yet the confederacy represents individual supremacy,

inequality, and treason. So let’s understand why we pass today’s legislation.

First, we pass because this legislation will bring Americans together in a time of partisan

and division. In the United States, our history is rewritten but German methods tackle its issues

head-on. As Philosopher, George Sant-ah-yana legendarily spoke of “those who do not learn

from history, are doomed to repeat it.” Smithsonian reports in May of 2018, placing

monuments into a museum which Germany does, would preserve that reminder that we cannot

repeat the past and be careful with our decisions. This is expanded by Louis Nelson, a University

of Virginia professor of constructive history, saying that leaving these monuments in an open

area doesn’t fully allow us to learn about its past. But by placing them into a museum, we’re

allowing people to learn about the histories of lynching, as well as, Jim Crow policies that

changed the lives of many African-American individuals. Representatives, passing today’s

legislation, we aren’t showing civic pride to the people, we are showing the ugly history of the

unforgettable past that we all must deal with. We must learn from the past and the museums are

the best course of action to do so.

Second, let’s discuss the points of the negation.

●
 Representatives, the legacy of the confederacy was historic to the United States but

keeping confederate monuments standing, we glorify leaders, removing the monuments, we

don’t learn, we conceal the truth In the affirmation world, we resolve this dilemma but in the

negation world, we continue to allow money to be wasted and confederacy leaders to be

honored. Pass this legislation.

Negation Speech on German Methods (Monuments):
Learn from the past. The liberation of the United States has fought on behalf of the

people and for the past decades we have eradicated the well-being of truth, honesty, and

integrity, but most of all this will only get worse with the passage of this legislation. So let’s

understand why we fail today’s legislation.

First, we fail because this legislation will cost us millions. In questioning, I asked

Representative Nicholson what we’re doing with monuments and his answer revolved around

relocating them, but by following German methods as outlined by Representative Nicholson’s

legislation we don’t have funding which means that we must consider financial precedent.

According to Paul LeBlanc an American historian, the cost of removing just four monuments

was is around 2.1-million-dollars. The city of New Orleans, Louisianna, shelled out more than

7-thousand hours in paid time and more than 30-thousand hours in overtime to just take

down four Confederate monuments and place them into storage. Next, they needed to build a 50-

thousand-dollar shed to just keep one of these statues. Representatives, I implore you to

understand that this won’t just affect the government and workers together, this will also affect

the taxpayers of this country. According to Cameron cah-throne, Media Analyst from the

University of Virginia, the removal of Confederate monuments will cost taxpayers thousands of

millions with an estimate of about 260-thousand-dollars for taking down one statue which

expanded by Richmond University, for example in the state of Virginia has over 200

Confederate monuments which means that as a country we’ll be spending over 52 million dollars

for the State of Virginia alone. Representatives, by affirming without proper funding, we’re

passing a bill that’s requiring us to tax citizens which will cost them their financial future and the

financial future of the United States.

 Second, let’s discuss the points of the affirmation.

● Starting with the authorship by Representative Nicholson who argues that the

Lost Cause poisons American society. Representatives, I won’t deny this fact but

Representative Nicholson doesn’t clarify how his legislation of implementing

German methods solves this issue. As the University of North Carolina School of

Law states that by taking confederate monuments away by following German

methods, we’re no longer teaching an important lesson that revolves around these

monuments. By passing we are concealing the past of our nation.

Representatives, I urge you to not be entranced, entranced by Representative Nicholson’s

rhetoric and understand that the livelihood of learning about the dark history of our nation will be

concealed when we pass today’s legislation. It’s not enough to learn the dark history but

embrace the need to never allow history to repeat. Fail today’s legislation.