The renaming never ends
‘Lincoln’s name and legend can be used to inspire and carry on the kind of values that the people who are in favour of the schools being renamed actually want to preserve.’
When some time ago there was a mass movement to rename confederate monuments and schools to less controversial names, you may have reasonably assumed that this was because of what these figures represented: slavery, racism and a failed and bloody civil war. Apparently this is not the case, as now schools in San Francisco named after presidents like George Washington and Abraham Lincoln are going to be renamed… to something.
This move is sure to cost already deeply indebted and struggling state schools in the US considerable sums of money for absolutely no benefit and the logic behind the renaming itself is rather shaky. Abraham Lincoln, rather obviously, is a figure that represents the abolition of slavery and the preservation of the United States and whatever you may think of him we long ago ceased to remember Lincoln as what he actually was but as the values he represents; honesty, integrity, strength and a firm belief in the dignity of all mankind is the kind of thing we associate him with.
His name and legend can be used as a great way to inspire and carry on the kind of values that the people who are in favour of the schools being renamed actually want to preserve.
Additionally, it is in political terms handing your enemy mortar shells and then being surprised when they fire them back at you. This kind of thing simply reinforces peoples views of ‘liberals’ or ‘democrats and hands Fox News ammunition to whip up their viewers with. Much better to do the kind of work that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is doing now in Texas, and though of course I would not be so cynical as to say that she is performing this charity work for political gain, it is a great way to remove some of the negative connotations that have been thrown at her and to improve her standing among those who may not feel like natural supporters of her.
Of course, her charity work is commendable and selfless, and seeing it in stark contrast to Ted Cruz fleeing his home state like he was being chased by a Robespierrean death squad makes it doubly so. Her actions highlight the total inadequacy and cowardice of many of our elected officials, and is deeply worrying when it is exactly these people who will have to stand in the face of the inevitable problems and great danger that the future will bring.
