In recent years there has been a lot of controversy over certain American statues and memorials that honor historical figures who supported slavery and segregation. Similarly, there has been debate over American holidays that celebrate such individuals or dates that are rife with historical inaccuracies and violence. There is a strong divide between whether monuments of this nature should be removed because of their offensive and hateful symbolism or remain because of their perceived historical value. Over 30 memorials have been removed in Texas alone since 2017, with additional states also removing, relocating, or renaming confederate monuments. States like Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North and South Carolina, among others, swayed in the opposite direction by passing laws to hinder or outright prohibit the removing, relocating, or renaming of public confederate monuments. Some other compromises that have been made in several places have been to add disclaimers or more historical facts to the structures themselves or to add more diverse figures from history like women, people of color, Indigenous peoples etc., to balance out historical representation. New York City, for example, has a campaign underway called “She Built NYC” to add more statues of women around the five boroughs.
Since it glorifies enslavement, hegemony, and the erasure of Native Americans, it has become fairly common not to celebrate Columbus Day. Some cities have begun to rename the day “Indigenous People’s Day,” including—in New York–Woodstock, Ithaca, Rochester, Rhinebeck, and several more. Lewiston, New York and Tompkins County, New York celebrate both. It isn’t well-known, but Indigenous People’s Day has actually been around since 1989 where it was adopted in South Dakota and originally named Native American Day.
Similar controversy surrounds July 4th, the day the thirteen colonies declared their independence from the British. While many people revel in having a day off to eat, drink, and relax, they fail to give much thought to the problematic nature of this particular holiday. Like Columbus Day, the Fourth of July dismisses the colonialization, rape, dehumanization, and genocide of Native Americans by the British. The Declaration of Independence, written by slave traders and owners, literally calls Native Americans “merciless Indian savages.” In the document’s famous phrase, “…all men are created equal…” the Declaration fails to recognize enslaved peoples and all women. Many abolitionists and feminists throughout history have attempted to amend the statement, or at least expose the problems with it. One such attempt was made in 1848 at the famous Seneca Falls Convention. Women drafted their “Declaration of Sentiments” which stated, “All men and women are created equal […].” It was never adopted.
Of course there is the other crucial document, the Constitution, with its highly important First Amendment, which grants the Freedom of Speech. Does censoring or removing certain monuments infringe on this essential right? Does reassessing certain holidays that celebrate certain events or individuals border on censorship? These are critical questions to ask, but what is extremely clear is that the history of this nation is a violent and oppressive one. These facts should never be overlooked. Historical figures who supported and perpetuated slavery and the genocide of Native Americans should be recognized as the reprehensible humans they were and not branded as heroes. Holidays that recognize dates in history that discount the reality of this nation should not be celebrated but rather used to remember, acknowledge, and educate on the true history of the United States of America. A false narrative has been created and taught for too long in this country. The history books have been written by only one demographic who have had a very distorted version of the past. This distortion has shaped the landscape of America from who we admire to what we celebrate, our laws to our internalized biases. So, I think that instead of asking if the reassessment of particular monuments or holidays is problematic we should be asking why it has taken so long.
One of The Satanic Temple’s Fundamental Tenets is “The struggle for justice is an ongoing and necessary pursuit that should prevail over laws and institutions.” There are too many people, past and present, who have yet to get the justice and recognition they deserve. The true history of this nation has only begun to come to light. We all must continue the pursuit of facts and acknowledge the many faces of our history. We need to start celebrating the true heroes of this land and rewriting the history books without omissions or half-truths. It will definitely be an ongoing struggle, but a vital and necessary one. It is everyone’s task to bring justice to those who have failed to receive it for so long. It has long been time that the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America finally includes ALL its residents and amend its vile degradation of Native Americans. This Fourth of July, in addition to gathering with loved ones for a day of leisure, take a moment to reflect upon what the day is really about. Take a moment to teach others–never gloss over the true history of our country. We all have the power to make a difference.