Excited About Great Opportunities

As a nation, we're going through a great deal of upheaval and transition!

Perhaps we can focus on getting excited about some GREAT OPPORTUNITIES for positive and exciting change!!

Let's consider a few of the things / structures that could be exciting to change and bring people together!

For instance: State flags-at least the one in Massachusetts. I have to admit, I have paid NO attention to our state flag, ever. It had no bearing, and didn't resonate at all with me, nor was I conscious about how the flag was perceived by Native Americans. But I also understand, now that I've listened and learned, that Native Americans would feel that it demeans them.

So..let's have some fun with it! Let's sort out a new flag. Maybe we can design a flag that exemplifies inclusion! Or..some other history or promotion of our resources? From the Berkshires to the Cape(s) --let's not forget Cape Ann---there are so many resources and vacation spots and history associated with the Commonwealth, let's come up with something new that reflects a message that resonates today!!!

Team nicknames: Again, because I'm not Native American, I've never thought about school nicknames, but now that I'm conscious about the derogatory nature of some of the nicknames, it's a no brainer to change them.

Again, I would encourage towns / cities to have fun with the process! Run a contest or bring the community together in some format to select a new nickname. Don't make it a negative, make it a positive: we're going to select a nickname not based on the past so much as what we want to project now!

Statues--well--I never really loved statues. First of all--they are expensive to have created ( if a community wants a new one ) and even cost communities to maintain them.

Most people don't even know who is being "memorialized" on the statue they are having a photo taken in front of --or why someone or some committee thought it was a good idea to memorialize that individual. Some of the people memorialized on statues are seen, often rightly I would add, as having very tragic or hurtful or violent pasts -to one race or religious denomination or culture or another. I had NO idea and had never given any thought ( I don't travel to speak of outside of New England ) about the possibility that leaders of the Confederacy would be memorialized throughout the nation! Having become conscious ( that's the word for 2020 --conscious ) that these statues exist--how can people of color see them as anything other than a not so subtle form of bullying, of some sort of perverted hope on the part of some for a return to slavery -or at least, the degradation of people of color??!! How can anyone say that the leaders of a movement to maintain slavery should be memorialized?

So, in sticking with the proposition of GREAT OPPORTUNITIES --let's remove all statues. Yes, all of them! Move statues to private museums that want to display them. This would extend to any religious statues on public land. Move them to church / synagogue / mosque / other properties that want them!

Instead of statues, because I think removing them / destroying them will create such depths of emotion that it will be impossible for at least a generation for people to agree about replacing them with any other public figures ( which suits me because I don't particularly think any statue is worth the cost or aggravation ) -- let's create / replace the statues with trees, or gardens, or fountains. All would be far more beautiful than most statues, should create less angst, and be nice spots to take photos in front of!!

Schools: A number of schools around the country may be named after past public figures who we are not excited to hold onto so firmly in our public consciousness --again, make it fun and exciting to pull the community together to re-name any school or public building that fits that category.

Military Bases: That word again--conscious ---I never knew who or why military bases were named, and I still find it difficult to understand why we named bases after Confederate generals or leaders. ( See above-statues ) So, let's quickly get the top military leaders - maybe the Joint Chiefs of Staff(?) together and re-name them!!!

Some will argue that all these "things" reflect our history. Well, museums can display that history--and people can make their own decisions about going to view them. But there is no excuse for underlying, not-so-subtle bullying. There is no reason to continue being derogatory --or nasty--or negative. If you truly believe we are all one nation--let's take joy in making constructive, positive, community changes!!! We can begin the process quickly--involve so many community members--and make it exciting to look at our future instead of dwelling on the negatives of the past. We can - and should --turn this into an exciting and fun opportunity!