Confederate statues are the legacies of the KKK

The Sun’s letter writers often insist we must not erase our history by removing our Confederate statues or similar artifacts. The overwhelming problem with that advice is that Texans never learned their own history.

Actual history has long ago been erased from Texas schoolrooms. For generations, Texas State School Boards have maintained their own modified version of history by editing, selecting and purchasing textbooks which all Texas schools are required to use. Books, research papers and official documents were/are removed from libraries if they contained negative information about Texas or its culture. It takes effort and dedication to find, understand and accept the facts.

A primary target of the successful effort to sanitize Texas history and culture was the power and reach of hate-filled activities of the Ku Klux Klan in Central Texas. In the 80 decades between 1836 and 1916, Texas KKK was ranked number one in the nation with 150,000 members, including one senator, a governor and many commissioners, sheriffs and ordinary citizens. The National Imperial Wizard was a Texan. The Klan was able to attract thousands to witness their brutal, ghoulish “executions” of black men. The Klan is a forceful, hatefilled, big part of our history.

Confederate statues are the legacies of the KKK. Designing, promoting, raising funds, choosing sites, purchasing and installing was done by the Klan. The statues are their footprints, prints meant to survive the shifting sands of time. No white sheets or burning crosses. Just a Confederate soldier protected by an ignorant populace.

BILLIE REANEY

Texas Drive