I believe a democratic vote would be the best course of action, instead of the local politicians choosing the outcome themselves with no input. However I am incredibly against the idea of iconoclasm and believe that destruction should be a last ditch option. Instead I believe that an auction or storage somewhere or being kept in a museum is a better option. They are a part of American history, American culture and southern pride. Some of them are a symbol of unity and the mending of the union in good faith. We too readily throw away our history and our culture nowadays, in a time where we need to look to and hold onto all of our cultural heritage we can. Besides, if you let them people will and have come up with justification for destroying the Washington monument, or statues of Lincoln or Gandhi for Christ's sake.