Thomas Jefferson

 So, down comes a statue of Thomas Jefferson. Should we now take down the statues of all the presidents who were philanders, who sent young men falsely to war, who made their wealth off the backs of poorly paid workers or companies which invested in South African apartheid or the exploitation of African workers? Should we remove the names of philanthropists like Andrew Carnegie who grew great wealth off the misery of his workers? We put up statues to honor human beings not gods.

History’s truth must be understood in a fair and honest context. We fear climate change but continue to drive our vehicles and climate control our spaces. We seek equity but want cheap goods made in sweat shops. We talk about compassion but vote down tax levies for better schools and services for the poor. So would the statues of us stand the test of time?