Proposes honoring new Mississippi heros
With the recent news of Virginia removing their statue of Robert E. Lee from the U.S. Capitol, I am once again calling on Mississippians to reconsider our statues in Statuary Hall. Just like one has to ask why Robert E. Lee best represents Virginia, why do we still feel that Jefferson Davis and J.Z. George best represent Mississippi? And why is the act of replacing of a statue such an insult as opposed to the honoring of another hero? New paintings cannot be displayed if we do not take down the old ones. New heroes cannot emerge if only the values and talents of old heroes are considered. I know many people may not agree with the reasons why we should remove Confederate statues, but our values and priorities change over time. Who we honor today is a reflection of us, not just the individual being honored. Every state needs to consider this from time to time. Think about who is not represented in the U.S. Capitol building: Clara Barton, Jonas Salk, Jane Addams, Eli Whitney, Harriet Tubman, Thurgood Marshall. From Mississippi: Elvis Presley, William Faulkner, Ida B. Wells, Fannie Lou Hamer, Medgar Evers, Walter Payton and Eudora Welty. Are they not heroes, too?
Nichole Cancellare
Columbus
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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