[1964Alum]

Yes. What those who insist on having public monuments to preserve their "history and heritage" seem to completely overlook is the fact that Blacks and other oppressed groups have their own history and heritage that has been passed down to them in stories of the past just as we have had ours. But theirs is a very painful, oppressive and dehumanizing one and one that often resulted in death. It IS as if the Civil War is not over and is being fought over and over again. And this despite laws passed in the Civil Rights era of the 60s. I can remember some of my family members and associates protesting that while laws can be passed, that no one could legislate how they felt. And they continued to perpetuate the mythology of the Southern glory. So we have had two very different narratives being perpetuated for generations. As far as I am concerned, the Civil War is a stain on our country that needs to STOP! There is no future in it for any of us and certainly not the foundation of our national values today.

We settled the issue of Nazi racial superiority in WWII. Do we really want to go back to that?!! I am sickened by the displays of White Supremacists and was horrified by what happened in Charlottesville, just on the other side of the mountain from where I live.

My mother BTW would have washed my mouth out with soap had I ever used the N word.