I’m getting tired of people who are saying the people who are protesting and demanding that white supremacy monuments are trying to erase history.
They aren’t.
Unless you believe that yours is the only version of history that matters.
The more I listen and read, the more I realize the history I was spoon fed in school was whitewashed—cleansed of the rich heritage of others. BIPOC history, with all it’s richness, was swapped out for a misrepresentation or ignoring of how land was gained and jobs got done. Assimilation was the mandate.
As we discussed this over breakfast, my mother made a comment that was insightful. She said that white supremacy didn’t start once people landed on these shores. Nope. I came on the boats. And our founders didn’t stray far from their roots. They may have tried to hide behind the words in their documents, but they didn’t mean that everyone was created equal, or deserved life, liberty, and happiness. No. That was reserved for those whose skin was like theirs.
What if instead of being afraid of what really happened—or continues to happen—we truly educated ourselves on what transpired, on what has been denied or ignored. What if we read…and listened. What if we made room for others.
Maybe we really could learn something from history.
Pot of Manna 
So true. I suspect that our (white) reluctance to look history in the face springs from our reluctance to admit our shame.
And this issue is making me understand a little bit of the truth that sin can be a generational thing. What our ancestors did does stain us, whether it feels fair or not. And we do have power to confess and repent of their sins, even though we have not ourselves consciously participated in them. I would have strenuously denied that ten years ago, but God has been opening my eyes and heart.
LikeLike
Very insightful response. Thank you.
LikeLike