There's been ample analysis of Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke's move, working with City Attorney Wade Hinton, to distance the city from the Confederate Cemetery in the wake of the despicable Charlottesville protests and violence by white supremacists. But many citizens have been able to see this as a shallow political move to capture headlines and voice disgust about the Confederacy, suddenly so offensive.
The Berke-Hinton move on Aug. 18 was made more embarrassing by the dignity and respect paid last Tuesday at the Chattanooga Convention Center by more than 500 people coming together to support the Charles H. Coolidge Medal of Honor Heritage Center.
The "Celebration of Valor" reminded attendees that Chattanooga is the birthplace of the Medal of Honor, the highest and most prestigious personal decoration awarded to recognize military service members who distinguished themselves by acts of valor. Not only were the first Medals of Honor awarded to men fighting in the Civil War battles from Chickamauga to Missionary Ridge, but some of the original recipients are buried in the Chattanooga National Cemetery.
The lunch event raised funds for a permanent Chattanooga home for an interactive center not only to commemorate the recipients of such distinguished selfless behavior but also to engage people of all ages in a character development curriculum that teaches six common traits found in the nearly 3,500 recipients of the Medal of Honor. The shared characteristics - courage, commitment, sacrifice, patriotism, integrity and citizenship - were present in every story told by a living hero and guest speaker.
Robin SmithJimmy Blackmon, aviation commander of the 101st Airborne Division during the Afghanistan battles in which four Medals of Honor were earned in the very valleys where the attacks of 9-11 were planned and rehearsed, shared raw details of conflict that featured the best of "ordinary men doing extraordinary things." That phrase was repeated by the featured speaker, Charles H. Coolidge Jr., who made remarks on behalf of the entire Coolidge family and his 96-year-old father and medal recipient who was in attendance, and by a young man interviewed about the character development curriculum that will be part of the heritage center.
Sadly, in 2017, too many view angry opinions expressed on social media with hashtag hysteria as "courageous." So perhaps in the minds of some, it was "courageous" for Berke and Hinton to "renounce" municipal ties to a plot of land, deemed historical, which holds the remains of men and women who lived during the Civil War era.
What a contrast. On Friday, the priority of Chattanooga's mayor was to condemn a cemetery of fallen military members and their families from the mid-1800s. On Tuesday, a packed room of supporters of all races sat in awe of the stories involving true courage that honors the best of humanity through sacrifice and devotion to America.
Which will have the greatest impact on the character of the next generation and provide lessons from history for us all to learn? Will it be those rewriting history, removing century-old statues and reaching back to refight the Civil War? Or will it be those devoted to preserve history's artifacts and accounts, good and bad, that focus on courage and integrity and serve as a model for generations to come?
Robin Smith, a former chairwoman of the Tennessee Republican Party, owns Rivers Edge Alliance.