Bringing Down statues

      I have been giving great thought to history and the role of statues as of late. On a minute level, I wonder if after I die, someone might come along and scan some of my writings, look at my life and think that I am some sort of hero. Maybe, they’d want to erect a statue of me.  Of course then someone else might come along and say, I knew that guy, he was no hero and then produce a litany of all my faults, mistakes and sins. There are many. Does that diminish the good that I may have done?

      In the play Hamilton, there is a scene where President Washington announces that he will be stepping down, not seeking re-election. The speech that he gives is quite telling to me.

Though, in reviewing the incidents of my administration, I am unconscious of intentional error, I am nevertheless too sensible of my defects not to think it probable that I may have committed many errors. I shall also carry with me the hope that my country will view them with indulgence;
And that after forty-five years of my life dedicated to its service with an upright zeal, the faults of incompetent abilities will be consigned to oblivion, as I myself must soon be to the mansions of rest I anticipate with pleasing expectation that retreat in which I promise myself to realize the sweet enjoyment of partaking.

This in itself reminds me of another play called Wicked from which I quote from the song called Wonderful.

                      A man's called a traitor or liberator
                  A rich man's a thief or philanthropist
                  Is one a crusader or ruthless invader?
                  It's all in which label
                  Is able to persist

So the question that I am asking myself is where do we draw a  line between honoring someone for their historical relevance and stature or consigning them to history by literature and texts alone where we can, theoretically, learn from our mistakes – or theirs as the case might be?

     Looking at the example of President Washington who has given so much of himself to lead and literally help create this nation, what do we do about the fact that he was a slave owner of 123 living souls? Do his good deeds warrant dismissing his bad deeds? Should we demolish any statues of him? Remove him from our currency?

Again the question arises as to where to draw a line. I am of a belief that such discussions should be made in public as well as in the halls of government. In no cases will their history be deleted.  We, the nation or we the world, will not, nor could we possibly ever, delete the body of knowledge that is written and archived as history of our nation.  By removing a statue, we are not ever denying or suppressing history. The question is this, what does that statue represent? Is the presence of a statue what the cross was meant to be for the Roman armies, a sign of intimidation, torture and punishment? What value does a statue of a Confederate military rebel hold who fought against the very founding ideals of this nation?

      The facts seem clear to me that statues are too powerful an entity that evoke too much power and too broad an interpretation so as to invoke not just a sense of history but also fear, intimidation and even a desire to ‘keep people in their places’. This is anathema to the very foundation of our nation and all we stand for, all we have fought for.

      Let the discussions begin, let the self evaluation, introspection and examen start in favor of growth and an unlimited inclusion that this nation was founded on. Destroying a statue does not destroy history and the process itself is one that speaks to our glorious tradition and purpose as a nation.