Someone called me a “Commie” yesterday.
Yes, a commie. Which I am assuming stands for Communist. While I have visited Russia, it was only for three days. So I don’t think that qualifies, albeit I did fall in love with St. Petersburg.
The name-calling happened on Facebook. The man also said that I wished to destroy history. I was, I think, a “Polly Stalin” he said.
This line of talk resulted from a post I made, which reported that the banning of the Confederate Flag at Ohio County Fairs was rejected by our representatives in Columbus.
I didn’t mind being slandered, for some reason. I felt no need to fire back, or even get ruffled because I knew it wasn’t true. I love the United States of America. I love living here. And I defend our founding documents and all they represent. Most of all, I feel that I am a steward of history. I try my best to find accurate information and tell those stories whenever I am able.
William Barr, our Attorney General made a comment a few weeks back concerning history. He said, “History is written by the winners.” Supposedly, Winston Churchill said this years before, or similar, with “History is written by the victors.”
Regardless. I disagree with both of them. Here is the truth as I see it.
History is written by anyone who will tell the story. It may fall on different ears, but history is passed down by anyone wishing to give an account. As long as the story is kept alive, the history will exist.
As we grew up learning about history in our schools, largely influenced by the white population, we heard history from a white point of view. History books, written by white men. But all around our country, in kitchens, and around campfires, other stories were also being told. Stories passed down from generation to generation. Black histories, Native American histories, Women’s histories, Gay histories, and the list goes on. These are the stories we all need to hear, not just the white histories.
Right now in our country, there is a huge movement that is addressing racism in our country. Racism, which is deeply embedded in our history. And the truth is being told. As a part of this movement, statues are coming down, Confederate flags are being banned, and people are being asked to take an honest look at our age-old system.
But let’s get to those statues, that flag. The supporters of those things, the ones who are upended by the removal of these symbols, say that we are “erasing history” by these actions.
Again, I disagree. No one is saying that the Confederate Army did not exist. Not one person has denied that there was a Civil War in the United States. And certainly, no one is purporting that Robert E. Lee was not the leader of that army, that Jefferson Davis was not the President of the Confederate States. I have not heard one person deny those facts. Not one.
But I have seen the need to stop idolizing these men who were enemies of the United States. The people portrayed with these statues, believed that keeping black people as slaves were their right. They believed that they should be allowed to own other humans beings, to force them to work. They believed that they should be able to whip them, beat them, hang them from trees, at their will. And these people, for years, have been idolized, made heroes, icons, in our society. It is time for these tributes to end.
That. Is not erasing history.
That. Is the beginning of awareness.
White privilege is prevalent in America.
White supremacy is alive as well.
These need to be stopped. It is time to listen to history. It is time to hear its truths.
I am not a Communist.
I am an America, who believes that all people are created equal.
I am a keeper of history.
I’ll continue to tell my stories.
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“If you don’t know history, then you don’t know anything. You are a leaf that doesn’t know it is part of a tree. ”
― Michael Crichton
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“The first duty of a man is to think for himself”
― Jose Marti
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“Those who do not move, do not notice their chains.”
― Rosa Luxemburg
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