President Obama Does The Right Thing
Presidents have traditionally laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington Cemetery each Memorial Day, and President Obama continued observing that tradition this year. In a tradition that is less known, presidents have also had an aide leave a wreath at other memorials and monuments, including the Confederate Memorial. However, a group of about 60 professors last week sent a petition to the White House asking Obama to avoid a memorial for Confederate military members who died during the war between the North and the South. “The Arlington Confederate Monument is a denial of the wrong committed against African-Americans by slave owners, Confederates and neo-Confederates, through the monument’s denial of slavery as the cause of secession and it’s holding up of Confederates as heroes,” the petition said. “This implies that the humanity of Africans and African-Americans is of no significance.”
The president did not honor that petition; instead he did the right thing by continuing the tradition of honoring fallen Confederate soldiers. President Obama had a wreath delivered to the African American Civil War Memorial as well. The African American Civil War Memorial commemorates the 200,000 black soldiers who fought for liberation from slavery in the Union armed forces.
It would have been very easy for the president to forego sending a wreath to the Confederate Memorial and most people, including me, would have understood his reluctance. However, he chose to do the right thing. I want to salute President Obama for having the courage to continue with a tradition established by past presidents and for establishing what I hope will become a new tradition for future presidents. Thank you, Mr. President.
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About the Author: Bill is a 51 year old IT Professional who enjoys political blogging in his spare time after work and after the daily grind at the gym.