Are you sure George Washington is an unnameable person? Or, how about something unusable.
Over the past few years, a campaign has taken aim at America’s history. “Out with the old” has been its mantra.
And as slaveholders and alleged racists from the nation’s past have been canceled, a countdown has begun: How long ’til they aggressively go after Washington?
“Washington Redskins” was labeled an offensive name, but while the second word was whacked by the woke, the first remained a room-packing pachyderm.
Perhaps the wise are now getting out their elephant guns.
One example: A Washington Post opinion piece.
In “George Washington University Needs a New Name,” pre-law student Caleb Francois shoots straight:
GW has had a history of racism. At the university’s founding in 1821, enrollment was restricted to White men. The first president of the university was in 1954. [Cloyd Heck Marvin] employed numerous efforts to preserve segregation, arguing for a ‘homogenous’ group of White students.
He makes a list of the topics:
- Black enrollment hovers around 10%
- Black students “struggle for community”
- There’s a dearth of “adequate minority representation”
- Black professorship remains low
- Fewer black teachers = “a campus culture in which European studies and White perspectives are favored”
- It is not possible to teach African languages.
Caleb’s pinpointed the source:
These problems stem from systemic racism, institutional inequity and white supremacy.
It’s an interesting idea: The evil of past segregation looms, as the offered solution is — if I adequately understand — segregation. What other word, after all, would describe a paradigm in which students of a particular race will only have “community” if more of the same join in?
Regardless, he’s finagled a four-point plan:
- Curriculum for decolonized universities
- Blacks are now more popular
- Selection of an African American president
Lastly:
- The university was renamed
These days, decolonization’s all the rage:
University Orders Professors to ‘Decolonize’ Math, Think Twice Before Citing ‘White or Male’ Mathematicians
University Gives Students Antiracist ‘Tips and Tricks’ so They Can ‘Decolonize’ Campus
Oxford University to Rewrite Its Music Program in a Decolonizing Move?
He loves the paper that a college student wrote about racism in creamer coffee.
As for Washington, his name isn’t the only problematic moniker mucking up the GW area:
Just blocks from the main campus is the Mount Vernon Campus, named for George Washington’s former slave plantation. Everyday, thousands of Black students visit the Mount Vernon Campus named for George Washington’s former slave plantation. These and many other sites are marketed as GW’s glorified mementos. It is easy to forget the indignity of these sites. These memorials glorify the racist ideas of Winston Churchill, James Madison, and other leaders by naming buildings, programs, and displaying statues.
Caleb insists the “controversial Winston Churchill Library must go,” and “even the university’s name, mascot and motto — ‘Hail Thee George Washington’— must be replaced.”
It begs the question: How will America feel if George Washington dies?
If the father of the country is taken out, what remains of our orphan Republic’s history?
There’ll be a lot to remove — Washington state, Washington D.C., the One Dollar bill…
How about the last name “Washington,” which — I believe — isn’t uncommon among black Americans?
To use a woke word, where does the “erasure” stop?
Wherever that is, it’ll presumably be too short for some.
Meanwhile, Caleb has a suggestion for the university’s rebranding:
Frederick Douglass was an American statesman, diplomat, political scientist, and feminist. Douglass’ efforts for equal justice and social reform make him a great candidate to become a new name. Douglass and Sojourner Truth were among the others who helped transform the United States through their fight for Black freedom. These heroes should be honored and represented at GW.
Malcolm X makes a strange choice. If figures are to be preserved over racist comments, then consider a quote.
“For me, my ‘X’ replaced the white slave master name of ‘Little’ which some blue-eyed devil named Little had imposed on my parental forebears.”
Malcolm gave up racism after a transformational experience in the Middle East. His later remarks would be offensive to modern cultural caregivers, which is odd.
“I saw all races, all colors, blue eyed blonds to black skinned Africans in true brotherhood! In unity! Oneness! As one worships! No segregationists, no liberals; they would not have known how to interpret the meaning of those words.”
“I am not a racist. Every form of segregation and racism is unacceptable to meI reject all forms of discrimination. Human beings have my faith, so all of them should be treated as such. No matter what their colour,.”
Perhaps Caleb hasn’t read Malcolm X: The Autobiography
Maybe one day it’ll be required reading — at Malcolm X University, located in Frederick Douglass, D.C.
Oh — and one more bound to bite the dust: the not-necessarily self-aware Washington Post.
-ALEX
You can find more of my content here:
Wokedom’s Newest Confection Takes the Cake: Introducing ‘Cake Gender’
Nature Journal Rips America’s National Park Names for Honoring ‘White Supremacy’
WATCH: Climate conscious Oscar Nom Glues himself to Starbucks Counter, so Minorities can finally afford fake milk
All my RedState works Here.
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