Differing Perspectives

Differing Perspective

Atlanta, GE

June 2019

I am in Atlanta with my nephews who are Trump supporters.  They live in a predominantly white,  christian, rural area.  I once asked what was the diversity at their high school and they thought there might be one or two black kids but no Asians, Latino, or other races.  They believe the Confederate flag is about heritage, not hate.

So, we are now in Georgia with my cousin and her husband who was born in Alabama but raised in Georgia.  He is a white, middle aged man with a slow, southern draw.

He took us to Stone Mountain which has a portrait of the Confederate Generals etched on the side of the mountain.  I asked if there was any controversy with this monument.

"Of course", Doug tells me. "Lots of people want it removed.  But I'm OK if they keep it up, just as long as they keep it in context."

One nephew chimes in, assuming he has an allie.  "Yea", he comments, "we can't keep erasing our history by removing all of these things."

Doug continues, "I'm OK with leaving it there as long as they carve in at the bottom, 'These are the traitors who killed thousands of Americans for their own greed.'"

My nephews were stunned. And I loved the moment.