Where's The Line?

   Normally I try to steer away from serious topics on a weekend column. However I'm trying to figure out how I feel about something and writing helps me to do that.  It also wouldn't hurt  to maybe hear about the subject from real people.
  Before I launch into my subject I want to set some ground rules. If you comment please be civil. No profanity, no name calling and no personal attacks. Disagree all you want. Point out flawed thinking or reasoning when you see it. All I ask is that people be nice to each other.
   There has been a lot of things written about removing statues and other items that commemorate the Civil War from public areas. The reason given is that these types of public artwork are offensive and glorify the Confederacy. It is also a rallying point for white supremacists and groups that share their beliefs. I even saw one comment that said that the losing side of any war is never allowed to erect any kind of memorials.
  On one hand I can see where the advocates for removal are coming from. It isn't right to honor the defense of something as repugnant as slavery.
  On the other hand, like it or not, this is a part of our history. Part of the reason why the Southerners wanted to keep slavery as legal is because their economy depended on it. Their way of life would be completely changed without it. I also seem to remember that they also felt the United states Government was becoming too powerful and that individual states should have the right to govern themselves. (If this is wrong please correct me.)
  Where do we draw the line? How many things do we need to remove because they are considered offensive? Let me list a few examples.
   There is a Confederate Museum in Charleston South Carolina. If having statues is offensive isn't an entire museum even more offensive? It's run by a group called the United Daughters of the Confederacy. Should this group be allowed to exist?
  George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin all owned slaves at one point in time. Should we tear down all memorials to each of these men because of this? The fact that they were fighting for freedom for themselves yet still seemed to think that is was all right to own others could bring their morals into serious question. Honoring these men could be seen as offensive. How can we possibly honor anyone who owned slaves no matter what else they did?
  James K. Polk was seen by many as having pulled the United States into war in order to annex what is now the state of Texas. Should there be any public memorials to him? Starting wars in order to gain territory is what dictators do. He was also a slave owner.
   There is a mini golf course in Door County that C and I play at. It's called Pirate's Cove. However, pirates are criminals. They killed, stole and terrorized people. Not too long ago there were pirates who were taking people hostage in order to get ransom money. Why are pirates being portrayed as fun in theme parks and movies? There's even a baseball team called the Pirates. Isn't this glorifying criminal behavior? I don't see a John Dillinger theme park or a movie that portrays Al Capone as a good guy.
   I could mention many more examples, but I'll stop here. I'm honestly not sure what I think about this topic. People are a complicated mix of good and bad. It is possible for someone to do good things publically and yet also be capable of some truly bad things. What is the right things to do? I just don't know......