To honor or not to honor

Do you think there should be a statue of one of the founding members of the KKK in a public park? This question was one of the topics in a class picnic discussion at Nathan Bedford Forest Park. Some students didn't mind the statue, they were of African descent and weren't bothered by the honoring statue of the KKK member. They felt that the statue did no harm. Others felt that Nathan's army duties in the Civil War made him deserving of the honor. Many, such as myself, felt otherwise. Physically, the statue can't do any harm but symbolically, the statue makes a bold statement for a prejudice man whose ways of thinking are now unjust according to today's civil rights laws. It was mentioned that the people during Nathan's time period were not as educated as citizens are today which is why the statue was initiated in the first place. With that said, I can't come to a conclusion as to why it's still standing. Shouldn't a statue of someone like Martin Luther King take its place; a man who made peace and not war, a man who's worth a lot more remembering and a lot more honor. Moreover, it's still Nathan Bedord whose statue is seen for public display. When will they knock it? When will it get blown away during a massive hurricane? When will the statue of a more honorable man or woman be seen in a public park in Memphis? These are questions that for many years have gone unanswered. However, by peace and justice seekers alike, these are same questions that will remain asked for many more years to come until the resolution arrives. Nathan Bedford Forest, honored by his people but not mine.