It is a sign of the times that the most meaningful monument — known as the Reconciliation Monument — located in Arlington, Virginia’s Arlington National Cemetery — has been scheduled for removal on December 18, a week before Christmas.
Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, who provided reconciliation between God and sinful humankind and the opportunity for reconciliation between individuals, nations, and people.
President William McKinley, who served from 1897 to his 1901 assassination, created the Reconciliation Monument to celebrate a reunified nation’s success. This nation fielded a navy and army of officers and enlisted men from the Northern and Southern states, who fought effectively to deliver a shockingly swift U.S. victory in the Spanish-American War of 1898.
The three presidents — Teddy Roosevelt, Howard Taft, and Woodrow Wilson- supported the theme of reconciliation and respect between the southern and northern states.
Each of the presidents believed in the significance of celebrating the reconciliation and reunification of America, although it was several years after a divisive and bloody Civil War.
The Reconciliation Monument was unveiled by President Woodrow Wilson in Arlington Cemetery in 1914, where he proclaimed, “The monument represented the best of America — a freedom of reconciliation, democracy, freedom, heroism, and patriotism.” — there was very little criticism of the impressive monument; an intricate and unique bronze sculpture. The monument is a total of 33 feet tall.
The Reconciliation Monument captured the motto of the United States — e pluribus unum — out of many, one was first conceived in 1776 at the writing of the Declaration of Independence. The motto was incorporated as part of the United States Great Seal.
However, it all changed with the 2020 Woke Revolution.
Congress felt the necessity “to do something” after the massive destruction of property and urban riots that swept across the United States after the unfortunate death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Despite the matter that most Confederate statues had already been toppled and destroyed during 2020’s spring, summer, and fall.
Despite enforcing the law with the rioters that destroyed property, Washington dealt with the issue by telling Congress to form a “Naming Commission” to “remove all names, symbols, displays, monuments, and paraphernalia that honored or commemorated the Confederate States of America…” as though the move would satiate Antifa and Black Lives Matter (BLM).
Despite the fact the monument wasn’t conceived to pay tribute nor commemorate the Confederacy but instead celebrate and honor the spirit of reconciliation and reunification of the South and North, the Democratic-dominated Naming Commission decided to embroil the Reconciliation Monument in their push to remove all vestiges of anything related to the Confederacy.
What is astounding for many observers is America’s betrayal of the recognition of the United States as the leading country globally that is comprised of diverse races and ethnicities.
There is a willful effort to elevate human nature’s divisive and dark side while lessening the virtuous side that embraces tolerance and respect.
For decades, societal characteristics have played a critical part in Americans from diverse backgrounds working and living together cohesively.
Nowhere is this camaraderie more crucial than it is in the military, whose single aim is to maintain training, morale, and teamwork to deter war. When that fails, the goal is to fight in battle and win.
When the Naming Commission disbanded in the autumn of 2022, many people wondered why Lloyd Austin, U.S. Secretary of Defense, had been so determined to remove the country’s only monument dedicated to Reconciliation from Arlington.
Many observe the armed forces of the U.S. have been permeated by an officer corps and ideology shaped by Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).
These initiatives have removed merit as a criterion for promotion and have replaced it with quotas and categories of oppressors and oppressed.
During Austin’s tenure as Secretary of Defense, reverse racism and critical race theory has continued to be an integral part of the training in each military branch. This has undermined the solidarity and morale of enlisted women and men.
Additionally, demoralization in the military is the number one cause of the paltry recruiting shortfalls presently in every military branch.
Americans are flipping the script when the woke in powerful positions seem to prevail. During the past four months, there have been two public hearings on matters of procedure regarding removing the Reconciliation Monument.
Each of those meetings had over 100 people turn out, and at each meeting, it was more than 100 to 1 who favored leaving the Reconciliation Monument in place.
In addition, a massive grassroots movement has been lobbying Congressional members, resulting in the House taking action to prevent funding for the removal of the monument in Fiscal Year 2024’s Department of Defense Appropriations Act.
On December 11, 44 Congressional members signed a letter sent to Defense Secretary Austin, “demanding that the Department of Defense immediately suspend all removal activities of the Reconciliation Monument located in Arlington National Cemetery until Congress completes the Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations process.”
Although the battle isn’t over, the tables have turned, and momentum is spreading.
