The Reversal Test is a heuristic for reversing Status Quo bias. It goes like this:
Reversal Test: When a proposal to change a certain parameter is thought to have bad overall consequences, consider a change to the same parameter in the opposite direction. If this is also thought to have bad overall consequences, then the onus is on those who reach these conclusions to explain why our position cannot be improved through changes to this parameter. If they are unable to do so, then we have reason to suspect that they suffer from status quo bias
Some people are mad that cities (like Richmond) are taking down Confederate monuments and statues of Columbus and Churchill. A common argument is that taking down the monuments would erase history or prevent people from understanding their heritage.
How would this defense of monuments fare if we applied the reversal test? If monuments and statues of racists and war criminals are necessary for understanding history and heritage, then why not put up more monuments to historical injustice? If one would oppose adding more monuments, then why think that the current distribution of monuments to injustice is optimal?
Does applying the reversal test suggest that people should also consider taking down even more monuments? The president presented this as a reductio of removing Confederate monuments and other statues of unjust officials. But why is this a reductio?
It's great that the monuments are going.
Let's take down even more monuments to war. Take down all the monuments to public officials. Take down all the public theatre and symbolism of the government. It's creepy and authoritarian. Judges and lawmakers should meet in bland looking office parks without all the theatre of the state lending legitimacy to lawmaking and criminal justice. Cops should dress like gym teachers or grocery store employees.
There's plenty of room for good art and architecture that isn't state-sponsored. And I'm basically fine with public art that doesn't glorify the government. Or, if people want to build monuments to Washington or Lee on private property, of course, they shouldn't be stopped (although fwiw I think that would be a pretty messed up thing to do).
But just as public officials shouldn't build new monuments to injustice, they should take down all the existing governmental monuments and other glorifications of state power. Even Washington.