Hi Tim, You have some great points and arguments. I would love to hear you delve deeper into the historiography and memory ideas.

We need shared stories if we are ever to find a new unum out of our e pluribus.

David Blight's work on the Memory of the Civil War has been crucial to my understanding of the topic.

I also have had some conversations with top historians about Conor Cruise O'Brien's take down of Jefferson.

As you mentioned, history is complicated. He did include a paragraph in his draft of the Declaration criticizing slavery. It was removed by the editors.

I have been teaching students in the North about this controversy for years, especially as it relates to Columbus.

The problem with excising Columbus is that his "day" was a ritualized inclusion of Italian Americans. That is why we have the Knights of Columbus etc.

Tearing down statues of Columbus is part of why we have our current and maybe "inevitable" political backlash.

Reintegrating the atrocities against Native Americans was perceived as insulting to the children and grandchildren of Italian immigrants.

For us to have a truly shared story we must not rush to a new narrative. First we journey through the hard work of listening and dare I say "repenting" and "repairing." Public apologies and payments to acknowledge wrongs are needed steps towards healing.

I think the biggest risk is replacing one flawed myth with a new one.

Debates over memorials engage students and the public and should continue at historic sites, on the media, and in classrooms as we re-excavate forgotten parts of our history.

Thanks for your commitment to being part of the process.