A monument to muddled thinking, asks reader

To the Editor:
RE: “Dr. Solomon Secord monument to remain on Kincardine's main street”

I wish to commend the Municipality of Kincardine’s recent decision to leave the monument, commemorating Dr Solomon Secord’s life and contributions, in place.

To me, it represents a common-sense decision that in these days of revisionist history and personal entitlement, required some conviction. I also wish to recognize Graham Mahood for his clear and accurate description of Secord’s life. The facts are what they are in this instance.

The discomfort expressed by Jeroen Thompson (on-line, in print and in a radio interview) at the mere existence of this monument while appearing genuine, gives me pause for thought.

Clearly, as a recent immigrant from the United States, his education and experience could be markedly different from what we have here in Canada. It could simply be that he is more acutely aware of the ills of slavery than the rest of us by just having lived in the United States. Still, I have never met anyone who didn’t believe that slavery was abhorrent.

I am convinced that we all benefit from different points of view, especially those from newcomers who bring diverse experience and outlooks to our society. This, in itself, is valuable and should always be encouraged.

However, I do wonder how we, as a society, continue to define what constitutes reasonable accommodation for the beliefs or concerns of an individual. I observe a trend toward a culture of personal entitlement. In effect, “If I don’t like it or agree with it, or think it is dangerous, then no one else should be allowed to like it or agree with it or experience it either.”

I am reminded of the parent a few years back whose child had a potential allergy to oak trees and demanded that the York Region School Board cut down all oak trees on all of its properties across the region (208 schools at last count). I digress, I know.

In my view, given Thompson’s visceral hatred of slavery, I would have been more impressed had he been advocating for the complete demolition of the Coliseum in Rome – an absolute monument, in the truest sense of the word, to the evils of slavery. However, what really would have impressed me would have been Thompson’s open advocacy and support for any of the charities or NGOs (non-governmental organizations) that are currently fighting the odious institution of slavery as it still exists today.

If one of the primary benefits that history confers on society is to learn from, and not to repeat, the mistakes of the past, then it follows that the selective removal of historical items, artifacts or facts, is problematic and deeply troubling. My advice is to learn, remember, consider, conclude and go forward.

I almost wish that Secord was around to give his side of the story but since he was a non-combatant physician, I am guessing he probably would not have said much as he likely would have figured he had more important things to do.

Marcus Wadsworth
Kincardine