Blanket Statue Removal is Not Progress
The nation is confused and upset and isn't sure how to respond to the horrific death of George Floyd and similar events happening across the country. One response from several progressives, ranging from national figures like Nancy Pelosi to local petitioners at Texas A&M's campus, is to get rid of statues that might make some uncomfortable.
The common thread binding these complaints together, as stated in several petitions, is the statues are racist, representing neo-Nazism and white supremacy. They argue the sculptures present a roadblock to a "more inclusive future." In the spirit of the movement, on June 9th, pro-petitioners vandalized the statue of a previous Texas Governor and President of Texas A&M University, Lawrence Sullivan "Sul" Ross. Statues are not racist, and attempts to remove them are counterproductive and do not address any current systematic racism in America. We have so much to work on – slavery still exists in the form of human trafficking.
This group's narrative applies a misguided belief that those not with them are racist, namely if they are white. Monuments are a story of America's past --- good and bad. Our country has done terrible things; nevertheless, we have achieved unparalleled freedom and opportunity, envied by the world. We cannot eternally condemn the Confederacy for slavery; rather, we have to accept our nation's mistakes on this issue and recognize the path of liberty our constitution has brought us. Our past, our wounds, and suffering is what makes us resilient and strong. Freedom and equal opportunity have been slow to reach some, but we cannot implode and “cancel” those who advanced our state and nation.
We can continue with standard criteria for evaluating whether or not a historical statute ought to be removed:
Did the person(s) do something meaningfully good?
Did they break the laws of their time?
Some will point to figures, such as Nazi Germany's Hitler and Italy's Mussolini, in support of their argument that all statues of individuals alive during the Confederacy ought to be dismantled. Those fascist figures, however, did not produce good and broke the international laws of their time. Many confederates, on the other hand, despite their shortcomings, did many good things. And while one can argue that Confederates who seceded from the union may have broken the law, the same argument is not necessarily true for the soldiers and generals who defended their new country, such as Sully.
An overwhelming majority of Americans agree that racism is unequivocally wrong, so our natural reaction is to not go against the “cancel” authoritarians when they dub statues racist. In Sully's particular case, the assertions that the monument is racist, fail to take into account essential truths about Sully's history. For those who preach inclusion, their rhetoric is exceptionally divisive.
Texas A&M University is known for its traditions, which promote inclusion and unity in direct contrast to the petitioner’s claims. Sully is the bedrock of Texas A&M’s traditions. They all embody Sully’s characteristics, providing context for why he is such an important figure for the university, historically, now, and into the future. Incoming students learn about the university’s traditions through campus tours and Fish Camp, a four-day orientation for the freshman. Other traditions include the 12th Man, Muster, and the Big Event.
Texas A&M or Texas AMC (Texas Agricultural and Mechanical College) was the first state-funded university established in Texas. Sully plays a huge part in the university's history, transforming a failing college to one with stable finances, increased credibility, and prestige. In some cases the detractors of his statue are right, Sully was a product of his times, growing up in the south and serving in the Confederacy. However, they fail to consider that Sully not only enhanced the education of students; he progressed Texas towards racial equality. Sully established the first state-funded African-American college in Texas.
Furthermore, during his time as President of Texas A&M, women were allowed to attend classes, something absent before his leadership. His legacy was one worthy of honor, rather than condemnation. Many of the student's and alumni's beloved traditions and groups were established during this time, including the iconic Aggie ring, Aggie band, and Singing Cadets. The students started a newspaper, the Battalion during this period (still active today), and the Aggies played football against the Longhorns for the first time.
Sully's legacy ignited the Aggie spirit, creating progress and enthusiasm for what would become one of the top schools in the country. During Reconstruction, there was much blatant racism against minorities through mob killings and Jim Crow. Yet, he focused on increasing the quality of education for students at Texas A&M and across Texas. Yes, there are lessons to be learned from previous generations' mistakes, but we can also learn from the good they have done.
Today, Sully’s legacy lives on – students put pennies at Sully’s feet before finals for good luck (which are collected throughout the year and donated to charity). He is a foundational part of organizations' events and character-building activities. Students still look up to Sully as he exemplifies the Spirit and Tradition of what it means to be an Aggie.
Seeking to change, destroy, or hide our history is not going to help solve systematic racism in this country.
There is a lot of work to address the issue of inequality and discrimination; in the area of criminal justice, the Right on Crime initiative addresses the over-criminalization of daily life and improving officer and citizen relations. There's no question that substantive programs like these will do more to battle racism than tearing down cherished statues ever will.
The charitable spirit of Sully can be harnessed to benefit minority communities in memory of George Floyd. This year's Sully collections could go towards helping African Americans receive a quality education.
Many “do something” advocates prey upon the masses to donate to their specific "causes.” However, if we are to do something, now is the time to contribute to more holistic local organizations, such as faith-based institutions who know their communities and are already working to better them. If everyone who petitioned to tear down Sully instead gave $4, Texas A&M could endow several permanent scholarships for future Aggies from historically disadvantaged groups. Funds could also be raised to construct a statue of Matthew Gaines, a former slave who became a Texas senator. He made a significant impact on education in Texas.
Aggies, Texans, and Americans have a rich history of fighting for freedom and justice. In that spirit, let us continue to seek meaningful change together.
