The recent events in Charlottesville have got many questioning the fate of Confederate statues around the country. While some believe such statues should be removed because of their connotations of slavery, there are others, such as President Trump, who believe them to be important monuments that we today can learn from. While this ongoing debate has got many arguing about the right these statues have to remain standing, it’s got some questioning the fate of certain non-Confederate statues: namely those commemorating the people who died during the 9/11 attacks.
Zinke didn’t seem fazed by the question. Indeed, he gave a quite dignified response, stating that people should learn from history and that the country’s memorials are part of its history. He also remarked that reflecting on history, both the good parts and the bad parts, is ‘a powerful statement’.