The Monuments We Keep

My dad was fond of saying, "All idols have clay feet." Didn't matter who the idol du jour was, whether it was Churchill or JFK, Paul McCartney or Bob Dylan, they were all imperfect...except for him of course. All jokes aside, he was right, and I became more aware and more critical of those held up for admiration. Statues to "great" men and the occasional great women were not necessarily honoring greatness; they were praising perspective. 

One of the oddball side effects of that recurring lesson was that I became a pedestal reader. Whenever I saw a hero-statue, I wanted to read the pedestal...of if there was no plaque, I would write down the name for the next trip to the library...or eventually Google. Yes, folks, I am an information junkie, but you already knew that. 

So, with all sorts of wheels coming off all over the nation, I am astounded by the White House's stance on removing Confederate statues and renaming bases. Clearly our sense of history is changing perspective and frankly, that's long overdue. In this age of instant information, we are no longer buying the revisionist versions of history or folk tales that go with it. Come on, we all know Columbus did not discover America. Erik the Red found Greenland circa 982 C.E., and his son, Leif Erikson, established a settlement in Vinland around 1000 C.E. That's a good 500 years before Chris. See many statues for Leif? Didn't think so. 

Whereas Leif did not appear to be into wholesale slaughter of Indigenous Peoples he came across, we cannot say the same for Columbus. For the Conquistadors that followed, Columbus pretty much set the pattern for European behavior in the "new" world. It wasn't nice. And it should not be lauded as a geopolitical achievement, just like  the annexation of Poland in 1939 is not a cause for celebration, either. I can't imagine there are any statues of Ribbentrop in Polish plazas. That's because the Nazis lost. Duh.

©2020-Steven G. Artley - Artley Toons Online

So, what's wrong with naming an elite military base for a guy like Braxton Bragg, known as the most cantankerous man in the military, who was also one of the worst generals on the losing side? Why not just rename a fort for Benedict Arnold? I do understand the forts were named in a different time with different criteria, but does that mean we are forever stuck with having to memorialize inglorious dead? Maybe it's time to grow up a bit and look at who we're putting ...or keeping...on pedestals these days. There's nothing wrong with admitting times have changed and We, the People have to move forward toward a more accurate and honest version of our own history.

© Mark Ricklis 2020

One of my loyal readers sent pictures taken over the weekend at Liberty State Park in New Jersey. It's a lovely place, and there you can find Liberation Monument by Nathan Rapoport, a Jewish sculptor, born in Warsaw, and ultimately immigrated to the US. A US soldier is carrying a concentration camp survivor. The inscription reads:

Dedicated to America's role of preserving freedom and rescuing the oppressed.

That's a far cry from the Rebel Yell

Our Dixie forever! She's never at a loss.Down with the eagle and up with the cross!

There are lots of great monuments worth visiting: The Statue of Liberty, the Lincoln Memorial, Dignity of Earth and Sky, Tomb of the Unknown  to name a few. They're out there and many actually do a better job of representing our better side, that part of us for which We, the People, should strive. 

Look, if Minneapolis can come to grips with removing the name of John C. Calhoun, dedicated pro-slavery politician, to bring back that beautiful lake's real name, Bde Maka Ska (pronounced buh-DAY’ muh-KAH’-skah,) the rest of the country can begin the process of recognizing who we were then is not who we are...or should be... now. There is no shame in maturation. We can and should correct names/things that are wrong. 

This is not easy to grok, internalize, or fully embrace. Making this change takes work that not everyone is going to be willing to do. That said, recognition of the problem is the first step. The trick is to keep moving forward even when it's hard.

If you have a problem with removing Confederate flags, statues, and base names from public buildings, lands, schools, or venues, then you are a racist. 

It's just that simple.

The Wifely Person's Tip o'the Week

Stay home or if you go out,  wear a mask

This pandemic doesn't give damn that you're bored or miss eating out.

At this stage of the game, if you get COVID-19

it's probably your own damn fault. 

******BONUS*****
MY POSTCARDS