Lately a small group has been criticizing the Shenandoah County School Board for reversing a previous School Board and once again naming Stonewall Jackson HS and Ashby Elementary, as they had been named for many years. They call this racist. Say that no one should ever name a school or any building after any racist traitor.
However, who determines who is a traitor? Or a racist? George Washington, according to the laws of the day, committed treason against Great Britain, and he owned slaves. Should we be getting rid of everything named Washington? Do we rename Washington DC? Of course not. Why? Because while George Washington owning slaves was a despicable act, we know (or should know) that things are often very complicated, and do not often go as they should. And George Washington stood up to the tyranny of the British Empire, won a great victory, was our 1st President, and ensured that we were a Constitutional Republic, and thus will forever be remembered as a champion of freedom, even if he didn’t always practice this in his own life. (Reminder that George Washington freed his slaves in his will upon the death of his wife Martha.)
Pretty much everyone can agree that Adolf Hitler was one of the most despicable persons of the 20th century. From his hatred of the Jews, Gypsies, murdering of anyone he didn’t agree with, his love of eugenics, and about 100 other things that we don’t have time to list. We can all agree the name Hitler is synonymous with the word evil.
We can also agree that without Winston Churchill’s strength and determination during the dark days of World War II, the world may be a very different place. Winston Churchill is one of the great men of world history. Most would not argue this point, and most would also agree that the buildings and locales named after Churchill are well deserved.
One little problem however. Churchill was a big fan of eugenics. From Churchill’s own words – eugenics can solve “race deterioration”. Churchill believed – as did Hitler, in the confinement, segregation, and sterilization of people he would have called “feeble minded”. From the Mentally Deficient Act of 1913, which Churchill helped write – this meant anyone who the government deemed “mentally deficient” could be confined for life.
The concept of eugenics is beyond the teaching of any major religion, and is pure evil at its best. Churchill later in life conveniently forgot that he supported eugenics at a younger age. The Churchill Society’s webpage talks in great detail about Churchill’s support of eugenics. https://winstonchurchill.org/publications/finest-hour-extras/churchill-and-eugenics-1/
According to the same people as those who want the schools named back to Mountain View and to Honey Run ES – they should also be clamoring for Churchill College to be renamed, and for Churchill Place in London to be renamed. Of course no one is calling for this to occur. Why? Because most know that each human being’s legacy is complex at best. Yes Stonewall Jackson owned slaves. Yes that was a moral wrong and a crime against humanity. But Stonewall was a great general who was a Son of Virginia. And the Supreme Court didn’t declare secession illegal until 1869, 4 years after the end of the Civil War. J Edgar Hoover was one of the most despicable people in American history. But like it or not, he built and made famous the FBI. FBI HQ should be named the J Edgar Hoover Building.
It is proper that the FBI building is named the J Edgar Hoover Building. And like it or not, Stonewall Jackson and Turner Ashby were famous figures in the Shenandoah Valley, and deserve to have schools named after them. And why we must honor their memories – even if it troubles some.
6 comments
The past is the past.We cannot in modern days change what has put pride in our country or what was a disgrace to our country.I am a descendant of the Cherokee Indian.What the country did to the Indian nation ,by taking their lives and their land,I had no part of. But it’s my history. It’s America’s history. Bad things happened and will happen. But that bad history taught us something .Some will say a color of skin is a reminder,others say a name or a monument is a reminder. But as we have evolved,we can put bad things in good places. From eating a forbidden apple,we have evolved to today ,not by cutting down all the apple trees,but enjoying the fruits of our labors with each other worms and all.
We live in a democracy and democracy prevails, for better or worse.
Four men with my last name fought for the North, and won.
That said, I can admire men like Jackson and Lee, who. despite all the odds against them, fought valiantly and with honor.
We’d all do well to remember that despite the terrible losses on both sides, Abraham Lincoln to his credit was gracious in victory. Not vindictive.
I agree with you leave names monuments alone. It’s history even if it was bad still history
These are good points, but unfortunately, many of us live in the land of woke revolutionaries (i.e., Fairfax and Loudoun counties) where rationality is not valued. Rather, it is despised as a racist construct.
Having been born and raised in Arlington I feel your pain. Keep up the good fight. We need you.