The Revisionist Itch
Last week South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley signed legislation removing the confederate battle flag from the statehouse.
A good move as the flag was a historical reference to US citizens turned traitors and latterly a symbol of hate appropriated by the KKK and others.
While it is an inapt democratic symbol, current moves to erase it entirely are as mis-guided as those who fought to keep it (officially) flying.
The confederate flag is a very important historical symbol as well as a potent reminder of the American Civil War.
(Let’s just pretend that never happened.)
Banishing the flag is not just silly-it smacks of fascism where history is blithely re-written to suit the current political whims.
The Monument Men
The southern US abounds with statuary and memorials commemorating the confederacy, its soldiers and leaders.
Many are over a hundred years old and are both important cultural and historic artifacts.
As such they remind of us of who we were, not who we are.
Again, removing (or defacing) these historic symbols is actually an exhibition in intolerance.
Historic symbols serve as opportunities to reflect on (and talk about) our past.
It’s analogous to book burning.
Removing them should only occur after rigorous debate and study.
The Always In-Between
One of the confederate markers defaced is hardly historical.
WRAL reports, “”Black Lives Matter” and “Tear It Down” were spray-painted on the granite marker, which was put up in May to honor all veterans who fought for the Confederacy in the Orange County area during the Civil War.
Put up in May?
2015?
Jesus, let it go, you lost.
*with apologies to John Kennedy Toole