A Congressional panel has recommended that a plaque honoring the Ku Klux Klan at the United States Military Academy at West Point be reviewe...
A Congressional panel has recommended that a plaque honoring the Ku Klux Klan at the United States Military Academy at West Point be reviewed, but did not go so far as to order its removal.
The Naming Commission, which has been tasked with reviewing Confederate-associated links to US military bases, released a report on Monday recommending the renaming of multiple areas of West Point carrying the name of Robert E Lee, including a building, road and gate.
The panel, however, stated that it could not directly call for the removal of a bronze plaque at the entrance of the academy's Bartlett Hall Science Center, which pays homage to the KKK. The report acknowledged that there are "clearly ties in the KKK to the Confederacy," and called on the Secretary of Defense to address the matter with a "standard disposition requirement for such assets." The final report is expected in October and will be delivered to Congress with proposals to remove Confederate associations from US military bases not mentioned in the previous two reports.
The bronze plaque, which features a man in a hood and cape carrying a rifle above the notorious hate group's name, has been the subject of controversy for years. Many have called for its removal, arguing that it has no place at a prestigious institution like West Point, which is supposed to represent the best of American values.
The panel's decision not to call for its removal has been met with mixed reactions. Some have praised the decision, arguing that it's important to preserve historical artifacts, even if they are controversial. Others, however, have criticized the decision, saying that the plaque is a symbol of hate and has no place at West Point or anywhere else.
The Naming Commission's report is part of a larger effort to remove Confederate symbols and names from US military bases, which many argue are offensive and divisive. The effort gained momentum last year in the wake of Black Lives Matter protests, which called attention to systemic racism and police brutality in the United States.
The report's authors emphasized that their recommendations are not meant to erase history, but rather to ensure that West Point and other military institutions are in line with American values and ideals. They noted that the history of the Civil War will continue to be taught at all service academies, but in a way that is more nuanced and respectful of all Americans.
The final report is expected to include proposals for renaming other buildings and landmarks at West Point and other military bases, and it will be up to Congress to decide whether to implement those proposals. For now, the fate of the KKK plaque remains uncertain, but the Naming Commission's report has sparked an important conversation about the role of Confederate symbols in American society.
No comments