Trump takes advantage of a popular misconception about racism -- that it is something held in the heart. In reality it is a system of oppression that promotes power and privilege.
Regardless of the nuances of Robert E. Lee's behavior and historical context, his statues represent white supremacy, and that's why they must be taken down. Ultimately, Lee's legacy is the defense of enslavement.
Mark Weisbrot is codirector of the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington, D.C. and president of Just Foreign Policy. He is also the author of Failed: What the "Experts" Got Wrong About the Global Economy (2015, Oxford University Press). You can subscribe to his columns here.
