The History of Slavery and Public Statues

Let me start with the obvious – Slavery is a totally disgusting and unacceptable crime against humanity. Slavery was embedded into America as both a colony and a nation until the Civil War ended the practice. When you see the news and protests in America about slavery and early important American leaders who owned slaves, it is easy to get the false impression that slavery was a uniquely American invention. Unfortunately, slavery has existed for thousands of years before America existed. It has existed on every continent including Africa. Some African tribes had slaves. Some African tribes sold people to the slave traders from Europe, America, and South America. That's right – Blacks in Africa had slaves and Blacks in Africa sold Black people into slavery to White slave traders. The obvious conclusion – nobody has clean hands when it comes to slavery. History cannot be changed no matter how much we protest. It should not be hidden either – Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. We only can change the present and the future.

That said, logically, every Confederate soldier and politician was a traitor to America and they should not be honored by statues in public view. However, don't tear them down by mobs. Let all of America have a say and therefore do it legally. It will mean a lot more historically if the majority of Americans stood up and were counted in this process.

What about statues of very important leaders such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Andrew Jackson who birthed our nation and preserved it through the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 where America's existence was far from certain, but themselves owned slaves? America owes them their existence so give them their fair due. Be grateful that the Founding Fathers, when they could not after vigorous debate, convince the Southern colonies to give up slavery, gave America the means to amend the Constitution in the future. George Washington did free his slaves in his will, the only slave owning Founder (not all the Founders owned slaves) to do so. Keep their statues, they earned them, but remember both aspects of their history. As to the Lincoln statue with the slave that by some is regarded as demeaning, remember that the statue was erected and paid for by former slaves. Obviously, those former slaves saw nothing wrong with it. Respect that and leave it be.