Statues Fallen

We should blame the people taking down the statues, make them pay to put things right--so said a "friend." But perhaps we should blame those who left the statues standing for so long; blame ourselves, who let our silence tell others what they ought to feel when they knew they were hurting.

(Ah yes, and who told me "You like that; it's good" when I was too helpless, too young, too insecure to say no? Should I put a statue up of him?)

We should let the statues tell our history, warts and all, because those who don't remember are condemned to repeat it--so says the friend. But I'd rather museums and text books tell all, while public monuments celebrate the good instead of glorifying evil.

We should silence those whose oral histories have accentuated the bad. Alas, my friend can't hear how sad... Perhaps we should open the ears of those who have aurally ignored the bad.

And perhaps we shouldn't blame, but should listen and CHANGE.

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