Focusing on the Aftermath of this artwork, discuss the Critics of the toppling about the Reactions.
Critics of the toppling Newspapers
Editorial in the Wilson Times: "When demonstrators pulled Silent Sam from his perch Monday night, the University of North Carolina joined an ignoble list of colleges where peaceful protest gives way to lawlessness and mob rule." "North Carolina...has become a focal point in the debate over what should be done with markers honoring the Confederacy."
Legislators
State Representative Bob Steinburg: "It is absolutely inexcusable and those responsible, including security who stood by and let it happen, need to be prosecuted, no excuses!! ... Whoever was on that security detail that allowed this to take place and are seen in this video and can be identified ... need to lose their jobs."
State Representative Larry Pittman: "Chaos will be the result if nothing is done.... If we don’t stand up and put a stop to this mob rule, it could lead to an actual civil war".
Senate leader Phil Berger: "Many of the wounds of racial injustice that still exist in our state and country were created by violent mobs and I can say with certainty that violent mobs won't heal those wounds. Only a civil society that adheres to the rule of law can heal these wounds and politicians – from the Governor down to the local District Attorney – must start that process by ending the deceitful mischaracterization of violent riots as 'rallies' and reestablishing the rule of law in each of our state's cities and counties."
House Speaker Tim Moore: "There is no place for the destruction of property on our college campuses or in any North Carolina community; the perpetrators should be arrested and prosecuted by public safety officials to make clear that mob rule and acts of violence will not be tolerated in our state."
UNC's board of governors and president
Former state senator Thom Goolsby, a member of the board of governors: "NC State law is CLEAR. Silent Sam MUST be reinstalled." He was the only member of the board of governors to vote against giving the university until November 15 to develop a plan, "saying the situation should be resolved quickly".
A joint statement from UNC's board of governors chairman Harry Smith and UNC president Margaret Spellings: "The actions last evening were unacceptable, dangerous, and incomprehensible. We are a nation of laws — and mob rule and the intentional destruction of public property will not be tolerated."
Governor and former governor
Governor Roy Cooper: "The actions that toppled Silent Sam bear witness to the strong feelings many North Carolinians have about Confederate monuments. I don't agree with or condone the way that monument came down, but protesters concluded that their leaders would not — could not — act on the frustration and pain it caused." His office issued a similar statement. Cooper has publicly stated his support for removal of Confederate monuments. The announcement that the North Carolina Historical Commission found that the 2015 law prohibited removing three Confederate monuments at the state capitol, which removal Cooper had sought, by coincidence came two days after Silent Sam was toppled. Cooper subsequently called for repeal of the 2015 law.
Former governor Pat McCrory, in an August 21 interview, labeled the toppling as mob rule and questioned whether people will begin to call for the destruction of the Washington Monument or Jefferson Memorial, since George Washington and Thomas Jefferson owned slaves. "Do you think these left-wing anarchists are going to end with Silent Sam?" McCrory said. At another stage in the interview, he compared the actions of the protesters to that of the Nazis who tore down statues and burned books.
Polling: Harper Polling surveyed 500 North Carolina "likely voters" between September 4 and September 7, 2018. 70% disapproved of the toppling, 22% approved, and 9% were unsure or declined to answer. 39% said they favor removing Confederate monuments legally, and 50% were opposed. Results broke along age and party lines. In a separate poll of "sixty North Carolina leaders in education, politics, business and advocacy" by the News & Observer, 30 of the 45 respondents said Confederate monuments should be removed. The News & Observer later said that "public opinion on the monument was about as polarized as any political issue these days."
Alumni and the general public: According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, it and other publications have received "a deluge" of emails "demand[ing] that the statue be re-erected".
On November 11, 2018, Veterans Day, a plane towing a Confederate flag and the banner "Restore Silent Sam Now" flew over Chapel Hill. "Kevin Stone, North Carolina Division Commander of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, took credit on Facebook for the flight."
Margaret Spellings The News & Observer Pat McCrory Chronicle of Higher Education Sons of Confederate Veterans Thom Goolsby Phil Berger anarchist NC State Washington Monument University of North Carolina Harper Polling Confederate Jefferson Memorial Wilson Times Bob Steinburg Veterans Day News & Observer Roy Cooper Tim Moore Confederate flag Time Larry Pittman