I am a bit concerned about all of the recent news reports
about moving or removing Memorials.
I am also empathetic with what I view as a legitimate concern about
recent outbreaks of violence caused by the KKK and other neo-Nazi groups.
There may be Memorials supporting the old days of slavery,
reconstruction and then the development of “Jim Crow” laws created to subjugate
African Americans which need to be removed. I remember a couple of such “removals” that occurred
after the massacre of black worshippers at the Church in Charleston. I believed that they were thought out
and were justified.
Yet, I believe that we should not try to rewrite American
history by taking down all Memorials that someone may find objectionable. I have read from time-to-time that some
find sculptures of Christopher Columbus to be objectionable. What about President Andrew Jackson who,
under federal law, created the “Trail of Tears” where Native Americans were
forcibly marched from the Deep South to Oklahoma? Does that mean that we should eliminate Jackson’s visage on
the twenty dollar bill?
Some of our history as Americans is not pleasant to
remember. I recall a fairly recent
tour that I had of Arlington Cemetery.
At the time of World War I, black Americans and white Americans fought
in separate combat units. Thus,
when they were killed in action, they were buried in separate plots at
Arlington. Their commanding
General, John Pershing, wanted to be buried “with his men” at Arlington. So Pershing’s grave is located so that
it looks out upon the grave plots of both white and black World War I veterans. It is a sad yet powerful reminder of
the days when we had segregated units in the U.S. military.
We can’t reinvent all of our history. As a matter of fact, we shouldn’t. Places like Arlington remind of us of that history, both good and bad.
Take all of this a step further. I was on the Commission directed to find a site, design and
build the National World War II Memorial.
World War II was the pivotal event of the 20th century for
our country. There was probably no
time in our history that the Nation was more united. Yet, our military still
maintained segregated units including separate combat battalions for Japanese
Americans. Despite that, Americans
united in a common effort to defeat totalitarianism in both Germany and Japan.
The cost in human life was incredible. Over 400,000 Americans died in the War,
and millions died in Asia and Europe.
In that sense, the war was a great catastrophe. To end the war, America dropped the atom
bomb. Could a future generation decide
that the Second World War should not be memorialized? Would efforts be undertaken to take down
that Memorial? I would hope not. It stands now, on the National
Mall, as a testament to that time in our history.
Hate groups are always going to find a place to gather. Our focus needs to be on such groups
and their threat to our freedoms and to civilized society. We shouldn’t allow their anger define
or rewrite our common history as Americans.
Rolland Kidder
Stow, NY
