This editorial raises some important questions. Are they coming after George Washington next? Must all of America's founding fathers who were slaveholders be toppled from their pedestals?
No one named a school or a city after Thomas Jefferson BECAUSE he was a slaveholder. No one raised monuments to him or put his face on our currency BECAUSE he was a slaveholder. He is honored because of his many accomplishments in promoting American independence, democracy, national sovereignty, religious freedom, and civil liberties. And those accomplishments stand, regardless of his personal views and practices regarding race relations.
Here's one simple suggestion. While it will not satisfy the purists who refuse to honor anyone -- or at least any dead white male --who is not perfect according to today's standards, it may help clarify why we honor whom we honor:
Append a written statement to every statute, building, or monument that honors someone explaining WHY we honor that person.
We do not honor Thomas Jefferson for being a slaveholder or for his relationship with Sally Hemings. We honor him for the part he played in establishing the United States as a free and independent, democratic nation.
