Racist symbols to reconsider

As I was scrolling through the debates I couldn't help, but to notice the title of this debate called "Racist symbols to reconsider".  The debate basically addresses the controversy that is occurring in Charleston, South Carolina, where many people feel that it is wrong to have confederate flags hanging and statues of confederate leaders such as Robert E Lee. Not only is there statues of confederates, but there is schools and forts named after confederate generals. 

Debater, Michael Daryl Scott believes that we should just change the name of schools praising confederate leaders, but to keep the statues and flags. Scott not only suggest that the statues should remain there, but he also suggest that we install more statues similar to the ones already installed. Scott's reasoning behind this is that we as a population must endure this challenge together, because if we feel solely hate from the statue's then we are letting the "underground white nationalist" win. Scott also mentions that we should create monuments for black freedom fighters as well. Scott's end goal is for each side to comprehend each others reasoning, without necessarily honoring it. 

However one debater by the name of Jamie Malanowski completely disagrees and exemplifies her case by saying that if those statues remain we are disrespecting the US army. Malanowski believes that by naming US army forts after confederate generals, is a complete diss to the US army, because those generals fought and killed US army soldiers. 

Personally I can see both sides arguments as they are infused by logic and reasoning, however I would slightly side more with renaming forts. I can see why it is a major disrespect to the 360,000 union soldiers that died, just so the confederate generals could be praised with having a fort named after them. But at the same time these confederate monuments are apart of American history that we can't just hide. As ugly as the truth is, it must be revealed. So I have mixed feelings towards this debate.
-Bryan Mijangos