Thank you. I will be saving this one.
Exactly what past sin disqualifies one from history? Certainly not Martin Luther King, Jr.'s adultery. Bill Clinton's past only allowed the ultra-left to finally dismiss him when his wife Hillary was no longer seen as a possible political asset and the parade of Trump's equally egregious sins something that could bring him down if only so many had not voted to save Clinton from impeachment.
Perhaps we could all write these committees to demand the removal of buildings and classes and streets named for Dr. King.
I am a divorced woman whose husband was sexually unfaithful. Should my anxieties and anger at past injustice be triggered every time I am required to hear his name or celebrate the holiday named for him?
Mike ThomasSeptember 6, 2019
It would be nice if Kate and others who disagree with this article could rebut it with rational argument so those of us who don't fully understand why it's a good thing to erase part of our history could appreciate their points of view. Instead of calling the author and all who agree with him white supremacists, try adding something to the body of knowledge. Make your points so we can ponder them logically! We might actually agree with you! As far as you're concerned those of us who initially agree with the points raised here are just racists...end of argument! How are we supposed to reason with that?
KateSeptember 6, 2019
Wow. Really? We should have statues holding up Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson as heroes? I suggest that the author (and those who are giving him high-fives) spend an afternoon in the beautiful Smithsonian National Museum of African American History on the National Mall in Washington DC and then see how they feel about genteel Southern white women erecting statues lionizing Confederate leaders. White supremacy has an amazing ability to rationalize, as this article clearly demonstrates.
Cynthia M. MoorheadSeptember 6, 2019
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." -- George Santayana
Melissa MarkhamSeptember 5, 2019
Enjoyed this thought-provoking article. Thank you.
Coleene AllenSeptember 5, 2019
Sadly and infamously we are erasing our own history. How devastating this will be for future generations to come.
Russell CannonSeptember 5, 2019
History classes for my grandkids will be much shorter if we eliminate all imperfect figures from our history books. I memorized the presidents of the United States when I was young. Think about how simple that will be once we eliminate slaveholders or those that allowed slavery to exist. Funding for libraries can be cut dramatically if we eliminate all books that might be considered offensive. Orwell’s 1984 should be the first book to burn because it is bound to make the new generation of history guardians squirm.
I enjoyed the article. Thanks for sharing.
PennStater08September 5, 2019
When will it end? What removal of which icon, statue or memorial will be the tipping point when we start fighting back at the revisionists? What more will we have to lose before we say "enough is enough"? It has already been suggested that Mt. Rushmore come down. We balk at that, but then again we are allowing the small stuff to come down and it will be only a matter of time before the hatred and bigotry of the left win and bring it down. It is time for the 'silent majority' to speak up.
CubbySeptember 5, 2019
This was a worth reading article. I appreciated the words, “In the first place, the monument controversy involves not just art works or commemorative objects. Rather, it encompasses the resources of the past writ large. It is an attack on the past for failing to live up to our contemporary notions of virtue.”
It is all summed up right there.
Thanks for this enlightening, though sadly too true article.
William EvansSeptember 5, 2019
This is a great article! So much is being said about our history and I'm grateful that there are people that are speaking out against the covering up of that rich history. Wilfred M. McClay, a Professor in the History of Liberty at the University of Oklahoma, talked to the students at Hillsdale College on July 17, 2019 about this very same issue. His talk is very inspiring and says that without the memory of our histories, our stories, "we cannot learn, use language, pass on knowledge, raise children, establish rules of conduct, engage in science, or dwell harmoniously in society. Without them, we cannot govern ourselves." This reminds us so well of what happened to the people of Mulek when coming to this land. Their whole way of life changed because they didn't have the stories - the history - of their people. Again, the idea of covering up our history, or even saying that they are mere myths, is appalling. Great article!
Comments | Return to Story
MarieSeptember 12, 2019
Thank you. I will be saving this one. Exactly what past sin disqualifies one from history? Certainly not Martin Luther King, Jr.'s adultery. Bill Clinton's past only allowed the ultra-left to finally dismiss him when his wife Hillary was no longer seen as a possible political asset and the parade of Trump's equally egregious sins something that could bring him down if only so many had not voted to save Clinton from impeachment. Perhaps we could all write these committees to demand the removal of buildings and classes and streets named for Dr. King. I am a divorced woman whose husband was sexually unfaithful. Should my anxieties and anger at past injustice be triggered every time I am required to hear his name or celebrate the holiday named for him?
Mike ThomasSeptember 6, 2019
It would be nice if Kate and others who disagree with this article could rebut it with rational argument so those of us who don't fully understand why it's a good thing to erase part of our history could appreciate their points of view. Instead of calling the author and all who agree with him white supremacists, try adding something to the body of knowledge. Make your points so we can ponder them logically! We might actually agree with you! As far as you're concerned those of us who initially agree with the points raised here are just racists...end of argument! How are we supposed to reason with that?
KateSeptember 6, 2019
Wow. Really? We should have statues holding up Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson as heroes? I suggest that the author (and those who are giving him high-fives) spend an afternoon in the beautiful Smithsonian National Museum of African American History on the National Mall in Washington DC and then see how they feel about genteel Southern white women erecting statues lionizing Confederate leaders. White supremacy has an amazing ability to rationalize, as this article clearly demonstrates.
Cynthia M. MoorheadSeptember 6, 2019
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." -- George Santayana
Melissa MarkhamSeptember 5, 2019
Enjoyed this thought-provoking article. Thank you.
Coleene AllenSeptember 5, 2019
Sadly and infamously we are erasing our own history. How devastating this will be for future generations to come.
Russell CannonSeptember 5, 2019
History classes for my grandkids will be much shorter if we eliminate all imperfect figures from our history books. I memorized the presidents of the United States when I was young. Think about how simple that will be once we eliminate slaveholders or those that allowed slavery to exist. Funding for libraries can be cut dramatically if we eliminate all books that might be considered offensive. Orwell’s 1984 should be the first book to burn because it is bound to make the new generation of history guardians squirm. I enjoyed the article. Thanks for sharing.
PennStater08September 5, 2019
When will it end? What removal of which icon, statue or memorial will be the tipping point when we start fighting back at the revisionists? What more will we have to lose before we say "enough is enough"? It has already been suggested that Mt. Rushmore come down. We balk at that, but then again we are allowing the small stuff to come down and it will be only a matter of time before the hatred and bigotry of the left win and bring it down. It is time for the 'silent majority' to speak up.
CubbySeptember 5, 2019
This was a worth reading article. I appreciated the words, “In the first place, the monument controversy involves not just art works or commemorative objects. Rather, it encompasses the resources of the past writ large. It is an attack on the past for failing to live up to our contemporary notions of virtue.” It is all summed up right there. Thanks for this enlightening, though sadly too true article.
William EvansSeptember 5, 2019
This is a great article! So much is being said about our history and I'm grateful that there are people that are speaking out against the covering up of that rich history. Wilfred M. McClay, a Professor in the History of Liberty at the University of Oklahoma, talked to the students at Hillsdale College on July 17, 2019 about this very same issue. His talk is very inspiring and says that without the memory of our histories, our stories, "we cannot learn, use language, pass on knowledge, raise children, establish rules of conduct, engage in science, or dwell harmoniously in society. Without them, we cannot govern ourselves." This reminds us so well of what happened to the people of Mulek when coming to this land. Their whole way of life changed because they didn't have the stories - the history - of their people. Again, the idea of covering up our history, or even saying that they are mere myths, is appalling. Great article!
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