Editor:
Driving down 101 from Eureka’s music festival, while breakfasting at the Eel River Café in Garberville, I read about the disputes over removing the McKinley statue (“Long Road to Nowhere on McKinley Vote,” Mar. 23). Why not keep the statue but add a plaque that creates a learning opportunity? Mention his alacrity in joining the Union army and if there is evidence he performed heroically in combat, include that, too. But then point out the genocide and racism, mentioning how widespread that was throughout society at the time.
Instead of burying history, learn from it. That plaque might be a whole lot cheaper than moving the statue and think of the generations that will learn something from it.
Don Gibbs, San Francisco
This article appears in The Green Issue 2018.
I say ditto. Our best legacy is to make sure future generation is free and can make up their own minds about history. Hiding it begs the statement; ” He who fails to learn from history is doomed to repeat it”. President McKinley was admired enough during his life time to be judged worthy of such.