Statues of Bobby Lee and Stoney Jack will be removed from public property today in Charlottesville, VA. The statues will be protected, preserved and placed in storage. They will ultimately wind up in a museum, or perhaps be moved to a military battlefield or a historical society. Today’s removal comes four years after the statues were focal points in a “Unite the Right” rally that turned violent, leaving one person dead and many others injured.
Of course the statues should be removed from public property. Of course. The key term here is “public property.” Nobody’s trying to “erase history.” This is just a rational thing with me. Not even “radically” so. What possible justification could there be for statues honoring treasonous military leaders of an enemy foreign government to be on display on United States public property? It makes no sense. It has never made sense.
It’s puzzling, but predictable, that the same folks who bray about “preserving history” in the form of Confederate statues don’t want actual history to be taught in our schools. They’re having a hard time keeping their story straight, as they often do.
And speaking of “mixed messages,” c’mon, Pfizer! Not cool. And not helpful. It’s great that Pfizer is working on COVID booster shots. Absolutely. Those booster doses could be needed in the future, and Pfizer’s pre-planning is to be applauded. But it is critically important that pharmaceutical companies and U.S. health authorities speak with one voice. This communications breakdown will just further fuel the paranoia of ant-vaxxers. The immediate issue is not “third doses.” It’s getting more folks to get the first two, so we can avoid what could be a looming Delta Disaster. COVID numbers are again climbing steeply in 27 states. We just refuse to learn.
Oh, let me close with a mini-civics lesson. We don’t “reinstate” presidents. Thank a teacher.
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