Definition of History (taken from Miriam Webster Dictionary, online)

a: a chronological record of significant events (such as those affecting a nation or institution) often including an explanation of their causes

b: a treatise presenting systematically related natural phenomena (as of geography, animals, or plants)

c: an account of a patient’s medical background

d: an established record

Does rewriting historical accounts have the potential to actually change the past? Can an event that occurred fifty years ago be eradicated by the removal of that event from all recorded sources? Is it really possible to change history by rewriting history?

Let’s suppose as a young adult, a certain individual decides to marry that person he/she really believes is the person with whom they would like to live the rest of their lives. They are happily married for ten years, and then decide they no longer are right for one another. So, they decide to end the marriage and go their separate ways.

The separation and divorce is rather ugly. When the papers are finalized and the relationship is legally dissolved, they begin removing everything – pictures, videos, sentimental reminders, etc. – of their years together. They are sincerely trying to forget, to wipe any remembrance of that relationship out of their minds. They never call the other person’s name, and will not tolerate anyone mentioning that name to them.

Will this rather extreme behavior actually change the past? Will the attempt to forget past events eradicate the reality of those events from history? Certainly not! The historical events of the past cannot be eradicated, and cannot be changed. What happened yesterday, or last week, or last year, or fifty years ago, is now part of history: personal history, family history, national history, world history.

History should be very important to each of us. A study of historical events helps us understand much about who we are. My personal history would include, but not be limited to, things such as: ethnicity, philosophical tendencies, religious beliefs, political leanings, theological persuasions, etc. A genealogical study would reveal my heritage: where my ancestors originated; how they came to America; why they settled in the Carolinas; what motivated them to choose their livelihood; etc.

National history is also crucially important. Our nation has a history that extends more than 240 years into the past. Two hundred forty years of a rich heritage that has progressively transformed us into what we are now. History should be a tool that helps us better ourselves as we learn from the past. We are, to a large degree, what we are now as a result of the long, rich, progression of the historical events which have transpired.

Personal history, national history, world history, are all important realities that should help us better understand who we are, why we are who we are, and how we can better ourselves as we learn from past mistakes and decisions. The systematic removal of all historical vestiges of the past – statues, flags, documents, etc. – will not change the past. It will, rather, enflame more bitterness and hatred between those who seek their removal and those who stand for their prominent place in the historical development of this nation.

History is just that: history. We can loath our history, lament our history, or embrace it and learn from it. I’m sure there are historical events recorded in the annals of our nation that we all wish were not part of our heritage, but they are there, and they are real, and they did play a part in the ongoing development of the United States.

So, for what its worth, allow me to close with my personal observation. Let’s leave the statues of those heroes, or villains, of our historical past where they are. Let’s allow the flags of our rich heritage to be prominently displayed as a reminder of our national development. Let’s recognize that those statues represent individuals who made an indelible impression on the progressive development of our nation. Let’s learn from them, but not be enslaved by them.

A statue of Robert E. Lee? Jefferson Davis? A confederate flag? Documents associated with the government of the Confederate States of America? The Ordinance of Secession of the Confederacy? These are all tied insolubly with the history of our beloved nation. They are history. They deserve a prominent place in the historical records of our past.

If we are to maintain an understanding of who we are now, we must remember from whom we came. Let’s not rewrite history, but let’s embrace it, learn from it, and allow it to help us better ourselves to continually and consistently improve our ongoing desire to better understand each other. We are not white America; we are not black America; we are America. We are not the Confederate States of America; we are the United States of America. The Declaration of Independence states definitively, “All men are created equal.” It’s time we live by that statement of truth. It’s time we put aside those things that divide and cause dissention and divisiveness, and embrace those things that bring us together.