Just read - no comments needed

[L Verge]

I'm pretty sure that I have heard more opinions on the statue issue from African Americans than you have, Rich. I think you might be surprised at how many of the older generation (who lived through the civil rights struggles) and the well-educated, intelligent, and progressive among the citizens find this a media circus and uncalled for. They know that tearing down statues is not going to improve the situation for those who are still being left behind.

For several weeks this past year, I had the wonderful experience of having a middle-aged black carpenter from St. Louis visit Surratt House and then come into my office to ask questions. Over the course of his stay on a job here in the DC area, he dropped by about 3-4 times, and we had great, open discussions about the racial situation.

His views were very similar to my views, and he flat out said that those who were still claiming poverty and blaming slavery were doing nothing to pull themselves out of it - either in St. Louis or among the ones he had met in DC. He blamed the media for creating tensions for the sake of ratings, and he blamed the local, state, and national governments that were not monitoring the supposedly beneficial programs that had been started under Lyndon Johnson. There was more abuse than benefits.

One comment that he made really stuck with me. He referred to the generation of blacks that had raised him as always ready to support and educate the younger generations. Today's parents, however, he thinks fails in doing this. They may have achieved some degree of wealth, own nice homes and cars, and wear fancy clothes to a mega-church each Sunday; but they don't know where their children are half the time, who they are with, and what they are doing -- and really don't care. He also feels that many of those parents are spending their money on themselves and not assuring the future education of their children. I did admit to him that I thought this same trait was present in many white families also.

It was very refreshing to discuss black/white history, civil rights issues, and the such with someone who was reasonable, logical, and truly caring about what is again creating a schism in our country. We have several African American volunteers at our museum who are equally as accessible to talk with. When the monument issue was at its peak, one such gentleman said to me, "Don't worry, Laurie, this too shall pass."