Remove a symbol, don’t erase history

South Carolina was wise to remove the Confederate flag fromits state capitol.

While the Confederate flag did not spur Dylan Roof to murder nine black people in Charleston, S.C., it has been a symbol of racism for years. The flag speaks a thousand words; blacks and whites know what it means. The flag’s popularity grew throughout the South after the Supreme Court struck down school segregation in 1954.

Some activists hope to build on South Carolina’s action by removing all historical monuments that can be connected to racism. Government at all levels should be wary when considering their inevitable petitions.

Do we tear down the Washington Monument because George Washington owned slaves? Do we tear down the Jefferson Memorial because Thomas Jefferson owned slaves? Do we close the Woodrow Wilson home because Wilson was a racist? Do we remove the United States Constitution from the National Archives because its authors didn’t out law slavery?

Taking down the Confederate flag in South Carolina was easy and long overdue. Balancing the flaws of our past leaders with their contributions to democracy is daunting. Proceed with caution before cleansing history.

Mark Shea Brooklyn