The public square
In the recent battle over government-sponsored prayer in city and county council meetings, the advocates of such prayer have referred to "the public square," saying that they have the same rights to speak there as anyone else.
They are correct, in as far as that goes, but government-sponsored prayer is different from individuals speaking in the public square.
The public square would be the forum used by citizens in their individual or group capacity. It means that anyone can stand before the commissioners and the public and say, "As a Christian, I believe we should set aside more money for the poor," or, "My faith teaches me to be compassionate." They have the right to do that, and no one would ever stop them.
But there's a difference between that and our government leaders allowing and endorsing sectarian prayer as part of the government program. Doing so leads to the government advocating religion. In the case of Christianity, it would reinforce the myth that this is a "Christian nation" that gives preference to Christians over other citizens.
But asking government to play fair doesn't disqualify any citizen from participating in the public square. Prayer advocates still have the same rights as anyone else, which in this case is the right to keep government from advocating a religion not of their choosing.
PHIL RONALD TURNER
Winston-Salem
Painful memories
The debate over the statue of the Confederate soldier at the old courthouse ("Fate of Rebel statue unclear," Feb. 1) is interesting as well as frustrating. I know that the Civil War evokes painful memories, but it is part of our history.
Leave the statue. It is an opportunity to engage in conversation about history. It is wrong to expect people to be ashamed of their families. Most of the Confederate soldiers didn't own slaves, and while racism was rampant, Northern liberals are hypocrites to honor their racist ancestors who served in the largely racist Union army while disparaging Confederates. Racism was and is a national problem, not a Southern one.
JIM WILD
Rural Hall
Partisan differences
Patriotism is not one's opposition to other countries but devotion to one's own country. Something that the United States of America lacks is patriotism and support. Regardless of partisan differences, support is needed for the political figure in office for progress to occur. In America's current situation, many bills are proposed only to be shot down by the opposing political party.
In President Obama's State of the Union Address, the ideas set forth by President Obama were thought through and potentially beneficial to the welfare of the United States, yet obvious opposition could be observed and was well displayed by Republican Speaker of the House John Boehner. This opposition was not due to the components of the proposed ideas, but because of partisan differences and disapproval. If the two parties could set aside the benefits of having a Republican or Democrat in office and set their eyes on improving the current economic and foreign policies, then imagine the possibilities of progress and the achievements this wonderful country could accomplish. All it takes is a splash of patriotism and a little bit of support.
MATTHEW SMITH
Lewisville
Improving orchestra
Congratulations to the Winston-Salem Symphony for the success of its new marketing strategy ("Symphony sales hitting high notes," Jan. 31) — but this is just part of the picture, albeit a tangible one.
As important as retention of subscribers is the clear improvement of the orchestra in recent years. Maestro Robert Moody and his musical crew (include also staff and board) are obviously doing the right things musically; for the most part, new hires are better than the musicians they replace and add positively to the sound of the ensemble.
Maestro Moody also tries to balance the musical appetites of the conservative (and wealthy) patrons with works that appeal to the younger "plugged-in" listener in his choice of programs. Recent programs (like the Cello-bration in January) have been among the orchestra's best.
Now, could we hear more from the Triad's superb composers?
PETER PERRET
Clemmons
Perret is the former musical director of the Winston-Salem Symphony. — the editor
Finish the Thought
Briefly complete the sentence below and send it to us at letters@wsjournal.com. We'll print some of the results in a few days. Only signed entries, please, no anonymous ones.
"The Confederate statue in front of the old courthouse in downtown Winston-Salem should be …"
LTE #1... "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall." I know the Cold War evokes painful and fearful memories, but it is a part of our heritage. They should have left the wall. It was an opportunity to engage in conversation about history, not. Removing an historical symbol of oppression and enslavement of people whether communist or confederate (not all Russians were communists, just like not all southerners were slave owners). is just the right thing to do. You are correct that most southern soldiers were not slave owners, they were just poor men fighting a rich man's war, as is always the case. I would also agree that probably a majority of northerners at the time were racist, that's just a guess, but the Civil War was not about race, it was about slavery, even some abolitionists had racist views. I'm sure all the confederate symbol supporters would also support Russians flying the hammer and sickle beside the Russian flag on a Kremlin cupola as a part of their heritage too.
ReplyDeleteActually, parts of the Berlin Wall have been preserved as monuments and memorials, as have the most important NAZI death camps…they draw millions of visitors every year.
DeleteIn the US we have done the same…even the Manzanar concentration camp where our government illegally interned American citizens of Japanese descent during WW II. After the Civil War, thousands of monuments and memorials were erected across the land.
The most impressive memorial at Gettysburg, the State of Pennsylvania Monument, contains, among others, a statue of Union Major General John F. Reynolds, who was killed on the first day of the battle. There is heavy irony involved, because General Reynolds was killed by a Confederate sharpshooter. As the story goes, that sharpshooter's father and uncle worked at the Mount Airy granite quarry. The monument is built of Mt. Airy granite.
Many in the north were paid for by the states and the federal government. Most of the ones in the South were paid for by the United Daughters of the Confederacy or other private groups who took up collections from the local citizens.
The purpose of all such war monuments and memorials is the same…to pay tribute to those who suffered and to remind us so that we might avoid making the same stupid mistakes again.
Our own monument was erected in 1905 by the James B. Gordon Chapter of the UDC. It is not a statue of Jefferson Davis or Robert E. Lee. Nor does it have anything to do with slavery or the Confederate States of America.
It simply portrays a young man with a rifle, representing the young men from Forsyth County who gave their lives for their country, which at the time, was the Confederate States of America. They had no choice in the matter, just like the thousands of young men who died in another stupid war in Viet Nam.
Those who go into a rant over the monument have no idea what they are talking about. They are the same people who hysterically attack Mark Twain's novel Huckleberry Finn as "racist". Either they have not read the book, or, if they did, they didn't understand it, because it is the very opposite.
I should add that parts of my above post were cribbed from my good friend's much more detailed e-mail sent to members of the County Commissioners and other interested parties regarding the sale of the county courthouse site.
DeleteHe didn't, however, know about the General John F. Reynolds statue, which tickles the poop out of me. I rarely score on him when it comes to area history. Of course, I had the advantage of counting General Reynolds among my distant cousins, Yankee Division.
I really don't think it's about expectations of shame for one's own family. I had family members on both sides. Instead of feeling shame for my ancestors, I feel a sense of progress as humanity continues to rid vestiges of a barbaric past when one human thought it ok to own another human.
ReplyDeleteSince this site appears to have died on its feet, this may be extraneous, but I do agree with Bob that it is ludicrous to feel shame for one's ancestors.
DeleteNot only do we not bear responsibility for them...our link to them is extremely tenuous, because we are all accidents of conception and birth.
If the phone had rung or someone had knocked on the door at just the wrong (right) time, we would not have been here.
But once we are here, I think that it is important that we know how we got here. A friend of mine, not Jewish, recently remarked that her grandparents were on one of the last trains out of Czechoslovakia in early 1939. Since she is descended from one of their children born in Morocco in late 1940, she is well aware of how iffy her life was and is.
Died on its feet? Well, it has been a bit slow, as I continue to be plagued with time demands, but I will seek to invigorate it. I fear I tolerated Bucky's extremes more than I should have.
ReplyDeleteInteresting comment re accidents of birth, reminds me of the line, "People cause accidents; accidents cause people."
Also interesting re Gen. Reynolds. Perhaps I am kin, as well?
Human interest news: I spoke with the news vendor who works the median at Reynolda and Fairlawn, asked about Daniel, the Stratford Road vendor whom the idiot truck driver overran. Daniel is on the mend and has married. He is a good guy, always greeted me cheerily when I drove by him when I worked over that way.
Fairly often, observing a car or truck in passing, my father used to say "There goes an accident looking for a place to happen." I suspect that he was right more often than wrong.
DeleteThe Reynolds connection is not likely...that comes from my father's family in Georgia...some renegade New Jersey Yankee who married into that family around 1770. Why anyone would move from Georgia to Jersey is still a much discussed matter in the family.
Shame for ancestors: I recently learned that at least one of mine may have owned slaves, in Person County. This disappoints, but I cannot change the past. Dealing with slavery now and tomorrow is a different matter.
ReplyDeleteMy mother's family never owned anybody from their arrival in NC in the 17th century through today.
DeleteMy father's family got involved in the slave trade around 1750, buying slaves in Charleston and selling them throughout the South. When the Constitutional ban on importing slaves kicked in in 1808, they became slave breeders. The very idea disgusts me. But I am not them.
It's hard enough just taking care of your own life. Why add anything else?
OT, I noted the filing dates for the offices, would greatly like to run for school board, but cannot fulfill obligations and run. Maybe next cycle.
ReplyDeleteWith the Muse case coming up for the school board and the sale of the courthouse case coming up for the County Commissioners, maybe we will get some change in November.
DeleteOne can only hope. I know that there are people working to make that happen.