draft
In
the battle for public opinion, controlling the message is everything.
The
issue of memorializing the Confederacy, an issue which is fraught
with problems, was lost the moment the alt-right, the neo-Nazis and
the KKK attached themselves to the process.
Whether
or not these memorials are and must be to celebrate racism is no
longer relevant. They are seen that way by too many people.
The
fact is that racism persists in this country, just about everywhere.
Its pernicious, its real, it penetrates our country in subtle and
overt ways. Until that issue is dealt with, and I doubt it will be
anytime soon, then the Confderacy becomes the great symbol of the
struggle against racism unfinished.
The
cause of commemorating those who fought and died to defend their home
against invasion is not tenable at this time. Lets put these monuments and source
materials in archive, underground, or in a warehouse somewhere, with
museum-quality care. One day we will pull them out and have an
exhibit.
But
not for a long time.
No comments:
Post a Comment