We hear about it all the time. Some lefty or atheist is upset about a statue honoring somebody they dislike, like Christopher Columbus or a cross in honor of deceased veterans, and they respond by demanding that the statue be torn down. It's awful. It erases our heritage. Many folks assert it is all part of progressives' ruthless "War on History." But, a group in Virginia is showing America that the answer to problematic statues isn't tearing them down, but raising new ones. And that's exactly what the Virginia Capitol Foundation did in Richmond on Monday. The group is raising 12 new statues and began the "Wall of Honor bearing the names of 230 prominent Virginia women etched on glass, with room for more names to be added in the future."
This morning’s sunrise at the Virginia Women’s Monument, seven life-size bronze statues of Virginia women that were unveiled yesterday @VirginiaCapitol. pic.twitter.com/X7QQOWe0as
— Richmond Grid (@RichmondGrid) October 15, 2019
"It’s a monumental day," former Virginia first lady Susan Allen and the chair of the Virginia Capitol Foundation told the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
According to the Times-Dispatch, while living in the governor's mansion Allen would be dismayed all the statues were of men. In short, she felt as if one half of the story was being excluded entirely. Now, she thinks "of the years ahead when people will walk among these statues and learn the story of these women."
Here are some details about who is included in the monument.
The women who were chosen for the monument represent more than 400 years of Virginia history, from Indian chief Cockacoeske to Elizabeth Keckley, a seamstress who bought her freedom and became the dressmaker for Mary Todd Lincoln.
The goal of the monument is to highlight women who have made significant — but often unrecognized — contributions to Virginia. The statues have been installed at eye level so that visitors can walk around and interact with them.
But, still some on the left argued that certain figures, particularly those like Martha Washington, the wife of our first president, shouldn't be included due to her slave holding past. Other women such as Sally Louisa Thompkins, a nurse known as "The Angel Of The Confederacy," is honored. Of course, people say we shouldn't honor confederate soldiers, but overall it seems as if the crowd loved the monuments.
Here's what one mother had to say:
Vinetta Shah brought her two daughters, ages 13 and 10, to watch the unveiling of the monument.
“Finally we have a monument dedicated to the women of Virginia,” Shah said.
She said she has been following how the monuments were selected “through a lens of diversity. I’m looking forward to learning more about these women.”
It's like anything in America related to speech. The answer to speech we don't like is more free speech. The answer to statues we don't like is more statues.
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