doubts about the monument were expressed in 2015 after the racially motivated charleston church shooting, with one citizen asking, "is it something that we want to take pride in anymore when so many people are offended by it?" protesters said the statue celebrated slavery and racism, while others argued that removing the monument meant removing history. the controversy was reignited in 2017 after the unite the right rally in charlottesville. the monument is one of two monuments in houston dedicated to the confederacy; the other is the sculpture for richard w. dowling.