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The Reluctant Optimist's avatar

Thank you, Heather, for reminding your readers about the historical thread of political lies, conspiratorial deception and treachery. I have always felt it unfair and dishonest to pardon crimes against the state, while we shrug and forget the millions of mostly low-income folk who are incarcerated for being caught with a few ounces of marijuana.

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Robert McTague's avatar

Yes Heather, exactly. I served in the U.S. Army for 24.5 years. It galled and shamed me that we still, 1) have so many installations named after notorious, official traitors to our nation and 2) still cater--so openly, overtly, and inappropriately to Southern attitudes of "the Lost Cause," "states rights," etc. (a good friend/mentor, African-American, denied purchase of the official print commemorating his Command and General Staff Class years ago. Why? It was a painting of a conference of Confederate Generals. This is typical symbolism in our Army, a large number of whom are from what is called the North Georgia Military College-Texas Axis. It simply never occurred to his mostly-white fellow officers that such a thing might be deeply offensive. True story) Only now, in the year 2021, have we decided to change that (the Army can be, alternately, amazing progressive and mind-numbingly regressive, depending on the issue). But hey, at least we're doing it.

But to your larger point: this is exactly correct. God willing, if we get past this crisis without bloodshed or further dismantling of our institutions, we MUST purge this--this incredibly-resilient shard of our most-shameful heritage--from our existence, forever. All of its lies (the Lost Cause is a whopper lie, AKA myth. If anyone reads history NOT written by Confederate sympathizers, this is readily apparent), law-breaking and other efforts that threaten--for the second time--to destroy our country. Not on my watch.

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