Calling them "monuments" is the problem.  A monument means you are honoring someone, and those who tried to tear our nation apart shouldn't be honored.  But nor should they be forgotten, because that would mean we have not learned the lesson they should have taught us.  Additionally, we cannot simply rewrite history.  There is too-much revisionism in our distorted view of our history as it is.  The statues have a place, just like the confederate flag, but maybe that place is not on public property, just as that is not the place for religious displays.