A bad idea in a long list of bad ideas

Amidst all the political rancor surrounding Statues, the Civil War, and monuments to the war dead, I needed to take a historical walk this day so as to solidify a belief I have that some elected leaders from all sides of the debate are reacting in a manner that lacks clarity, real understanding of the issues, and knowledge of history.

I will provide you a local example that I believe fails on all points.

Loudoun Supervisor Ron Meyer has suggested that the Statue of a Confederate Soldier in front of our courthouse be relocated to Balls Bluff Regional park. For those new to the area, Balls Bluff is a battlefield in which Union Soldiers were handed a defeat as they crossed the Potomac river from Maryland scaling the Bluffs into Loudoun County. The results were very devastating for those attempting the assault. They were handed a sound defeat. Men from both sides of the engagement met their death. However, it was the Union Soldiers who met death in far greater numbers.

There are 26 graves atop Balls Bluff. All with the exception of one were Union Soldiers from Pennsylvania and points north. The sole grave marker dedicated to a Virginian was relocated to a family plot in Western Loudoun County.

Balls Bluff is a Union Cemetery in Virginia. The men buried here mostly unknown and never returned north to their homes. They died and were buried here in Loudoun County.

I for one find it to be an extremely bad idea and a disservice to the dead that for short term political gain born from expediency and ignorance that we advocate relocating the statue of a Confederate Soldier to stand above these men as they rest. Just as I would never suggest, and consider it to be in both poor form and taste, to erect a ssstatue of Ulysses S.Grant amidst the graves of fallen Confederate soldiers, be it in Virginia, or any other Southern State.

It matters not where you are on the issue of North v. South, the Civil War, and removal or relocation of statues and war memorials, history matters.

I hope those of you who live in Loudoun County will in no uncertain terms tell Supervisor Meyer and anyone else who thinks this a good option to reflect and reexamine their understanding or lack thereof of the issues at hand. There seems to me a real misunderstanding as to what these monuments and grave sites mean to all involved.

This is a bad idea in a long list of bad ideas.