Regarding the question of the dismissal of monuments like the Jefferson Memorial, it seems an extreme stretch to expect the disengagement of the same. I suggest, use the monument to teach by presenting the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. As the Bible presents King David in all his glory and all of his ugliness, we should endeavor to do the same with the founders. Present the majestic, powerful words of the founders that proclaimed our national liberty and allegiance to God and, by its side, in equally prominent fashion, display these words of perspective like these uttered by the great and mighty crusader for abolition Frederick Douglass when he contrasted true faith and the slave holding faith of his day:
"What I have said respecting and against religion, I mean strictly to apply to theslaveholding religion of this land, and with no possible reference to Christianity proper; for, between the Christianity of this land, and the Christianity of Christ, I recognize the widest possible difference — so wide, that to receive the one as good, pure, and holy, is of necessity to reject the other as bad, corrupt, and wicked. To be the friend of the one, is of necessity to be the enemy of the other. I love the pure, peaceable, and impartial Christianity of Christ: I therefore hate the corrupt, slaveholding, women-whipping, cradle-plundering, partial and hypocritical Christianity of this land. Indeed, I can see no reason, but the most deceitful one, for calling the religion of this land Christianity. I look upon it as the climax of all misnomers, the boldest of all frauds, and the grossest of all libels."
We need not destroy or hide the ugly facts in our righteous anger. The reality of the ugliness and the beauty of our history should stand together as monuments to warn us of the crushing potential of the angels of our lesser nature and the overcoming power of righteousness. This is truth. This is America!
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