Conversely, history and art can serve the needs of those who wish to fight the power; to right wrongs; to change the power structure and see justice done for the marginalized. Hence we have revisionist history: re-writing the narrative to include that which has been glossed over in the urge to propagandize victory. Thus we have such works as Oliver Stone's "Untold History of the United States". But i don't think that this revisionism is destructive of the country; indeed it is a part of the country's (and the world's) process of growing up. It is the process of coming to a new understanding and empathy for all of humanity.
Artists have always been about this; telling truth to power. Most of what we now recognize as the avant-garde in modern art was meant as a slap in the face to "the establishment". Think Francisco De Goya. The reason we know about many of these artists over their contemporaries is that they shook things up. Think Edouard Manet, spoiled rich brat though he was, insulted the piss out of the comfortable propriety of the ruling class.
All good art involves destruction. The clutter of insidious complacent symbols of state oppression need to be periodically recontextualized and repurposed. Our contemporary history of art is a series of rebellions; either reflections of (or initiators of) great social, technological, or political change, much of it ultimately judged to be for the better.
Those people defacing and tearing down statues are artists as much as Picasso or Banksy. They're making cultural statements. Deal with it. Is nothing sacred? All art is culture. Culture is a dialog. Art is fungible; part of a conversation. The conversation is the way that humanity grows. The old school will try to preserve their (illusory) entitlements and prevent this kind of change, but, as always, they're on the wrong side of history.
Where will it stop? OMG! I hate to tell you but it's never going to stop. One day we will be flying the flag of the United Federation of Planets.
Should Washington's Big Dick Monument be torn down? No, but maybe crown it with a Pussy Hat to balance the forces. Or better yet, crown it with a Jimmy Hat, to prevent the further propagation of War Babies.
I agree that we shouldn't forget history. Don't melt down all these offensive memorials, some of them need to go into special FAIL Museums and Gardens of Shame, so people can remember the idiocy. Ultimately they will be just considered kitsch, when they have been robbed of their force.
Some say that these things are just a part of the charm of "the Old South" and a part of "heritage". REALLY? So, you're ok with big box stores and the destruction of neighborhoods, but you want to preserve some crappy statue of some treasonous slaver dipshit??
