Check and mate. Those offended by anything that could possibly, by any stretch of the imagination, be construed as "racist" can now chew on this.
The National Park Service (NPS) told MRCTV in an email that the agency will continue preserving and protecting all statues and monuments, whether they're of the Confederate variety or not.
"Unless directed by legislation," NPS said, "it is the policy of the National Park Service that these works and their inscriptions will not be altered, relocated, obscured, or removed, even when they are deemed inaccurate or incompatible with prevailing present-day values."
Here is NPS' full statement:
Across the country, the National Park Service maintains and interprets monuments, markers, and plaques that commemorate and memorialize those who fought during the Civil War. These memorials represent an important, if controversial, chapter in our Nation’s history.
The National Park Service is committed to preserving these memorials while simultaneously educating visitors holistically about the actions, motivations, and causes of the soldiers and states they commemorate. A hallmark of American progress is our ability to learn from our history.
Unless directed by legislation, it is the policy of the National Park Service that these works and their inscriptions will not be altered, relocated, obscured, or removed, even when they are deemed inaccurate or incompatible with prevailing present-day values.
While many government agencies like the EPA have bent the knee in the past to public outrage and political pressure, the NPS seems determined in their quest to preserve history.