Editor, Commonwealth:
Once again, people are yelling, “Get rid of the Confederate flag! No more statues of anyone who fought for the South! It is all offensive!”
I have to wonder, however, if this is right. Yes, the Civil War was divisive. It divided North and South.
I was born and raised in the North and have lived in the South for 26 years. I have heard many references to “Yankees” down here — some serious, some joking. I realize, however, that Yankees and Rebels are a thing of the past.
The fact is, the Civil War was not the only divisive time in American history.
In the Old West, Native Americans and Caucasians fought and killed each other. Shall we erase all traces of life in the Old West?
The Vietnam War was divisive. Many thought we should stay out of there. There were riots and demonstrations. Our returning heroes got a cold reception. Shall we destroy The Wall and pretend Vietnam never happened?
The civil rights movement divided Caucasians and African-Americans. Should we remove every reference to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. or any of the Caucasians who fought during that time?
The past is past. One cannot unbreak an egg. We cannot undo the past. Yet if one is careful, the broken egg can be used for food. And the past can be used for learning what to do or not to do in the future.
We need to accept the past and work to better the future.
Beth Moore
Carrollton
