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- Aug 15, 2015
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I don't think you ignore history but I absolutely agree you have to remove the lens of relativism and trying to judge individuals or societies by today's standards. Very little in history will pass under that type of lens.
That said, that does not mean that as we live, learn and evolve we cannot reconsider the actions of those that got us here under the context of not condemning them but learning from them.
And we should avoid the extremes on all sides.
I think few would argue that statues and monuments to Hitler should have remained because at one point his people thought him a great leader. Things can and should be reconsidered in some circumstance and even Hitler statues do have a place even if only in War Memorial museums as part of the education but as I said prior we must avoid the wholesale condemnation of individuals who reflected the broader society of yesteryear when that entire society was not as evolved or enlightened (or whatever words you want to use) as we are today. Sir John A with a simple plaque added noting the good he did but the challenges that persist for the next level of politicians to sort out, would probably go along way.
