Over the news comes word of protestors burning statues of George Washington. In one sense this seems right, as Washington was a slave owner who at one point owned 200-plus slaves. From another point of view the outrage is disingenuous, as in Washington’s time slavery was practiced by most, if not all, societies around the world. European whites, blacks in Africa, American Indians all took slaves when they had the opportunity. My own ancestors, according to the Bible, were slaves to the Egyptians.

    When looked at historically Washington, along with Jefferson and others, was part of the slow human evolution away from age-old race conscious to a new human idealism that every human being is equal, regardless of race or creed. At the same time this new truth was beginning to impress itself on whites, the essential sense of it was being made real to blacks.

    The light from the burning statues of Washington today, in addition to causing rejection to what is objectionable to our to our modern sensibilities, should be seen as a tangible living spirit of what is still held out as an unfinished project.

                                                                                                                Max H. Peters
                                                                                                                Publisher and Editor