Regarding Philip Kennicott’s Aug. 11 online Art column, “How an enslaver’s statue became the center of Trump’s exhibit at Freedom Plaza”:
Some Americans may never have heard of Caesar Rodney, but he played an important role in securing our country’s freedom from England. He rode all night from Dover, Delaware, to Philadelphia to cast the deciding vote for Delaware in support of the Declaration of Independence. This helped ensure that the Declaration would be passed unanimously by all 13 colonies. Kennicott, however, appears to believe Rodney was not worthy of memorializing because he was an enslaver.
And by presenting historian Woody Holton’s beliefs about the Revolution, Kennicott appears to argue that the Declaration of Independence itself is not worthy of memorializing. The column noted that during the Revolution, slaves in the South “saw the best chance for freedom and equality by serving the British.” It also said that the English limited “seizing land beyond the original colonies,” while U.S. independence allowed slavery to spread beyond those limits. But the English were not opposed to slavery. They freed slaves during the Revolution because doing so weakened the forces of the rebellion. And anyone who believes the English would not have eventually permitted westward expansion from the 13 original colonies is ignorant of British imperialism.
The problem with attempts to cancel memorials to the enslavers who secured American independence is that the history of our country is messy. The same people who displayed great courage and made great sacrifices to secure and maintain U.S. independence were complicit in the atrocities and hardships imposed on Black and Indigenous people.
Cancellation of this history is not the solution. Rather, it is vital that we should teach all of American history so that we can be inspired by the good and vow never to repeat the bad.
Matt Estes, Vienna
Protect children from racial harassment
The Aug. 10 front-page article “Inside school investigations frozen under Trump: Racial slurs, sexual harassment” on the Education Department’s suspension of investigations into racial discrimination in public schools in Michigan and elsewhere was extremely troublesome. Readers should note that the cases involved blatant, repeated racist attacks on young children. This case had nothing to do with collegiate diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
When attacks are ignored by school districts with the tacit support of the federal government, innocent youngsters suffer lasting trauma with no redress. The Education Department’s position flies in the face of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and common decency.
Howard Feinstein, Bethesda
Leadership means taking responsibility
The Aug. 6 front-page article “Trump, Hegseth clash over weaponry” noted that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended himself and blamed his deputy, Stephen Feinberg, for the munitions shortages during the Iran conflict and “for not ensuring Trump was fully apprised of the issue.”
Though Hegseth touts his military service and promotes the “warrior ethos,” he certainly didn’t learn much about leadership. One of the fundamentals of military leadership is to take responsibility for your actions. Regardless of what Feinberg’s role in the munitions issue may have been, Hegseth, by shifting the blame to his deputy, demonstrated that he lacks the moral courage to take accountability for his own actions.
Irwin M. Jacobs, Montgomery, Ohio
The writer is a retired U.S. Army colonel.
Who really stood by Biden
Jim Geraghty wrote in his Aug. 12 column, “The Biden cancer news summons uncomfortable realities for Democrats”: “You know who didn’t have anything to do with the Democratic Party’s bad decisions in the 2024 cycle? Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), along with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) and other left-wing voices in the party.” Not quite.
In July 2024, weeks after Joe Biden and Donald Trump’s debate, Sanders wrote in a New York Times op-ed, “Joe Biden for President,” that while “Mr. Biden is old, is prone to gaffes, walks stiffly and had a disastrous debate with Mr. Trump … he will be the candidate and should be the candidate.” Sanders added that Biden was running on “a strong record,” an “excellent record” and “a record of real accomplishment.”
Ocasio-Cortez said in July 2024: “Joe Biden is our nominee. He is not leaving this race. He is in this race, and I support him.” She added that “the matter is closed.” Other members of the House Democrats’ left flank, known as “the Squad,” agreed. Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Massachusetts) said of Biden in July 2024, regarding the possibility of his leaving the race, “he’s our nominee, and I think we’re losing the plot here.” Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minnesota) added that “outside a few outliers I think everybody’s supporting the president” and that “he’s been the best president of my lifetime, and we have his back.”
Put simply, Geraghty’s explanation that increases in support for “left-wing and Democratic Socialists of America-aligned candidates” dates back to the left defiantly breaking with the establishment regarding Biden’s viability as a candidate doesn’t match what really happened in 2024.
James Schapiro, New York
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