Society & Politics

Why We Honor the Founding Fathers and Not the Confederate Leaders?

I would have thought this was obvious. But apparently it is not to some people. So I want to fully explain this, so that there are no more misunderstandings about why this is plain ole common sense.

We honor the founding fathers, even though they had slaves, because they wrote the American Constitution. Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence. George Washington was easily one of the greatest military generals in American history and single-handedly defined the office of the President. The Founding Fathers were not perfect. And even they seemed to know that.

"I shudder to think that God is just, when I look at the evils of American slavery." Thomas Jefferson.

Why we honor the Founding Fathers and not the confederate leaders?

The confederate leaders on the other hand, aren't really known for anything else. I think that should speak for itself. They are only known for an armed revolt to form a racist theocratic state. That's it.

"Our new government is founded upon exactly this idea; its foundations are laid, its corner- stone rests upon the great truth, that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery -- subordination to the superior race -- is his natural and normal condition. This, our new government, is the first, in the history of the world, based upon this great physical, philosophical, and moral truth." Alexander Stephens.

Why We Honor the Founding Fathers and Not the Confederate Leaders?

So why should there be public monuments that at funded by taxpayers to honor them? You can do whatever you wish with your own private money. I am sure there are many multi-millionaires and billionaires willing to fund such projects. But public funds definitely should not go to any of these statues nor should they be on public property.

Too many times in this debate, the argument is switched or watered down into this confusion about who owned slaves and who did not. That is simply not the issue. This nation was not just guilty of the crime of slavery. Many societies had that issue. This society created the concept of a slave race. And that concept had to be destroyed. The confeds created an armed rebellion to defend that concept. And again, that is the only thing they are known for.

I don't understand why this debate gets bogged down into these silly tangents.

1. This is an insult to "White" people.

Wrong. More "White" people fought against slavery in this war than for it.

2. Many Northerners did not see "Black" people are equals either.

Yes. What does that have to do with anything? We went to war over slavery and the very concept of a slave race.

3. Many Southern people were good folks only fighting for their homes.

You can say that about Germany or Japan during WWII. We cannot publicly celebrate people who on the wrong side of history simply because the people of their community thought they were decent.

4. And the most ridiculous, slavery was accepted in many societies around the world and still is in many places.

Everywhere slavery was accepted people fought against it. Everywhere slaves could, they rebelled and killed their masters. And even today, people fight against it as an immoral and evil practice. You cannot justify evil by claiming someone else is doing it too. That's the logic of a two-year old.

For one time and one time only, I am allowing anonymous posters. Because I guess the material is sensitive. A lot of people don't like to come out and say publicly how they feel. But they are much braver when they can post without anyone knowing who they are.

So. . .let's get on with it.

Why We Honor the Founding Fathers and Not the Confederate Leaders?
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