Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve sat back, combing through the debates about the removal of “Fame” and the irony of Salisbury’s first Black, female mayor acting as a mediator of this hurtful legacy left behind by the confederacy. I will not mix words in this piece nor try to appease any acting party in this matter because the idea of such a fixture left in any of our nations small towns is appalling to me. It is just as appalling as a blond hair, blue eyed, ivory skinned Jesus. It is just as appalling as a cartoon “Red Skin” on a NFL team. It is just as appalling as a nazi symbol tattooed to one of your sons or daughters. There is no beauty to this statue, for what it represents is the genocide of my people. It’s pseudo angelic wings are as guilty as Lucifer. And that there is not up for debate. If you contend that it’s part of your legacy, then your legacy is craved out of our nations racist and horrific past.
I have to be honest, when I heard Mayor Al Heggins, a woman who I hold in high regard, was trying to bring the NAACP and representatives from the United Daughters of the Confederacy and the Sons of Confederate Veterans together, I thought it was a good idea. To understand where everyone was coming from reminded me of an Oprah episode back in the 80’s but when none of them showed, when they wouldn’t even take a seat at the table my view quickly shifted. Then I remembered Oprah couldn’t cut through that hate. Maybe one understood but for the most part they got there 5 minutes of “Fame”. Take the statue down and stop wasting our time. Put it in a museum where it belongs but not in the middle of town. Stop playing Black folks for fools. NAACP, as an active member, I demand you to reclaim our time.