The discussion about removing the Statue of Christopher Columbus has come up again.

While the discussion is useful and reminds us of the Columbus' flaws that should not be forgotten, destroying or removing statues that remind us of demoralising aspects history does not change the past.

What's that old saying that by ignoring history we're bound to repeat it?

Should we erect statues honouring Bahamians? Of course, and three of my Bahamian heroes that deserve a statue are, Dr. Cleveland Eneas Sr, Jackson Burnside and Patrick Rahming.

I do wonder if future generations will find the flaws in the personalities of the "heroes" we "honour" with statues today unacceptable?

Columbus had some very good traits that it seems he was honoured for. It is doubtful he was honoured with statues all over the world for his flaws?

A couple articles to consider:

Dr. Cleveland Eneas Sr. on Discovery Day…

While Dr. Eneas does not sugar coat what the Spaniards did to the original inhabitants of The Bahamas, he points out that "…anything that has changed the world as much as Columbus' discovery has, is worthy of great adulation."

Columbus Day Celebrates Western Civilization…

We need not evade or excuse Columbus’s flaws–his religious zealotry, his enslavement and oppression of natives–to recognize that he made history by finding new territory for a civilization that would soon show mankind how to overcome the age-old scourges of slavery, war, and forced religious conversion.

Thus, the deeper meaning of Columbus Day is to celebrate the rational core of Western civilization, which flourished in the New World like a pot-bound plant liberated from its confining shell, demonstrating to the world what greatness is possible to man at his best.

I would bet dollars to donuts that should private committees (note that's plural and I didn't say a government committee) start fundraising drives to erect statues of those they think deserving they will find donors willing to contribute toward the construction costs.

Sure, we might not like some of the choices but so what? Some people think Sir Lynden should be honoured and some people think Sir Roland should be honoured. With private donations both can be built, unfettered by Government dictates and politics.