First They Came for Andrew Jackson, Now They’ve Come for Woodrow Wilson, So Who’s Next?

The American Spectator ^ | 11-20-15 | Aaron Goldstein

[afraidfortherepublic]

One need not be a fan of Woodrow Wilson to be appalled at the ease with which Princeton University sees fit to erase any association it has with the 28th President of the United States because of a few bullies who have nothing constructive to do with their lives. Wilson, of course, was President of Princeton from 1902 to 1910.

This is no different than the effort to remove Andrew Jackson from the $20 bill. To give you an idea of how deep moral equivalency is imbedded in our university students, I recently attended a Halloween Party where I spoke with several Harvard students (one is at Harvard Law while the rest are at the Harvard School of Public Health) about how Palestinians glorify the deaths of Jews by naming streets, schools and soccer fields after them. In response, one of the students told me, "America put Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill." I dismissed her moral equivalency as fatuous nonsense and this ended the discussion.

Never mind that Jackson and Wilson were Democrats. They must be expunged from history for not adhering to the standards of the 21st century American liberalism.

This isn't to say Jackson and Wilson are above criticism. Far from it. There ought to be a robust discussion about their presidencies both good and bad. But The Left doesn't want a robust discussion on anything. It simply seeks to delegitimize the people who shaped American history. When we delegitimize those who shaped the history of America, we delegitimize America.

~snip~

The Left will succeed. Because The Left isn't going to be satisfied just with delegitimizing Andrew Jackson and Woodrow Wilson. Who's next? FDR? Lincoln? JFK? Reagan? Most likely all of the above.

[ClearCase_guy]

JFK gave us Vietnam.
LBJ shoved destroyed black families and shoved many black Americans into generations of dependency and poverty.

I say those 2 SOBs should be the next villains to feel the wrath of the Social Justice Warriors!

[Behind Liberal Lines]

Don’t forget threats to rename Reagan airport

[Daveinyork]

Maybe FDR for imprisoning the Japanese-Americans.

[UCANSEE2]

They seem to be only going after the white Presidents.

[Sooth2222]

Once in a while they manage to get it right.

Wilson was horrible, but for a number of reasons that are entirely different. I'll cheer if Princeton treats Wilson -- figuratively speaking -- like Oliver Cromwell was treated.

[laconic]

Ever wonder why the tapes of JFK in the Oval Office are tightly controlled by his library in Boston?? Could it be that there is liberal use of the “N” word on them? JFK’s father, JP Kennedy Sr., was reportedly a frequent user of that word and other ethnic slurs.

[cripplecreek]

I'll cheer if Princeton treats Wilson -- figuratively speaking -- like Oliver Cromwell was treated.

I won't. They only want to erase Wilson to hide the true filthy history of progressivism.

[centurion316]

We have a long list of white men who have served as President. Throw in Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton and they have an ample supply.

[Oliver Boliver Butt]

The left should not be allowed to erase their past which, if they are honest, is an embarrassment to them. Woody Wilson and Margaret Sanger the Eugenecists, FDR’s internment camps, the Civil Rights opponents, Robert “KKK” Byrd, and eventually Zero, Al Gore, and the Clinton’s.

[fella]

It’s interesting that they’re both foundations of today’s demonrat party.

[Impy]

Screw those dems, especially Wilson. It’s marvelous to see libs hate on them, absolutely fantastic.

Jackson was kinda a cool dude but probably insane, I’d have voted for JQ Adams/Clay. Put Reagan on the 20, and Coolidge on the dime.

[Impy]

Maybe FDR for imprisoning the Japanese-Americans.

That would be soooooooooooooo friggin sweet.

Then they can do Truman and Kennedy.

[depressed in 06]

Woodrow will get a pass once they figure out he was a Communist.

[elcid1970]

When Andy Jackson died there were seven bullets in his skinny frame that doctors left imbedded as surgery to remove them would have killed him.

He was a force of nature to the end.

[righttackle44]

We're not monolithic in our convictions here. Don't expect me to EVER feel sorry for Andrew Jackson. I had relatives who died on one of the Andrew Jackson Death Marches.

If there was a Bataan Death March. Then there were Andrew Jackson Death Marches.

May Andrew Jackson burn in hell.

[FourPeas]

I dismissed her moral equivalency

Her.

[The_Reader_David]

But they already erased the past. The crimes of Wilson and FDR and the eugenicism of Sanger, the fact that the opponents of civil rights were almost to a man Democrats, that MLK, Jr. was a Republican, Byrd’s KKK membership, and the like are all gone from the hagiographies that pass for history in vast swathes of the academy and popular culture.

The demand that Wilson no longer be honored is actually helping set the record straight.

[Chgogal]

I appreciative of your comment and I am appreciative of your tag line.

[only1percent]

A lot of this year's protest movement have been actively stupid and venal -- defending thugs, attacking cops, the absolute panic at anything resembling free speech.

But the attack on honoring Woodrow Wilson, I got to say I am sympathetic.

You can tell from their acts that our slave-owning founding fathers struggled with the morality of the position of blacks in colonial and young independent America. From their papers, you can come to understand a view of blacks which, while certainly "racist" in the contemporary sense, reflected no animosity. There was an evolution of values then, as now, and it makes sense to be lenient in judgment.

Wilson, by contrast, writing and acting a hundred years later, betrays no sense whatever of a moral struggle over the inferior social and economic position of blacks, and a rather profound animosity towards them and a conviction of the moral imperative of white supremacy.

It's no hit to the First Amendment or the safety of our streets to say, "should this guy really have things named after him?"