Don’t demonize Confederacy

We should not selectively demonize the Confederacy and erase all remnants and cautionary reminders of our collective history of societal apartheid. Slavery was widely practiced and condoned in ancient times and subsequently by Biblical references, Christian churches and 12 of our former presidents.

Women, too, are victims of a patriarchal, ignominious, powerless and voiceless past that retarded their advancement. There are countless global combat casualties who fought for phantasmagoric ideals, patriotic zeal (misplaced) and doctored information supplied by those with vested interests. They were financiers, politicians, zealots and media hawks. This resulted in needless suffering and death.

How many idealistic young men and women have been used as pawns to serve those whose objectives are ill-founded, nefarious and self-serving? Rather than dishonor their misguided and unwitting sacrifice, let us rationally weigh moral considerations, consequences, human cost and suffering before blindly following established “traditions,” clandestine motives and designs in the future.

This story was originally published August 12, 2015 at 10:50 AM with the headline "Don’t demonize Confederacy."