What To Do with the Founding Fathers

Let’s talk about plastic. The substance is made from natural materials such as coal, cellulose and crude oil. Since its invention in 1907 by Leo Baekeland, synthetic plastics have been vital to the average American’s daily life. It is found in almost every product. However, the problem with plastic is that it destroys the environment. The fumes from the plastic cause global temperatures to rise, causing increasing natural disasters and rising sea levels. Large numbers of animals die when they eat the plastic that is polluted.  

Despite these facts, plastic consumption and production is still on the rise. It is something that has been ingrained in our culture, and it doesn’t seem like it will stop anytime soon. We are complicit in the climate crisis. Even those of us who advocate for sustainability and more environmental regulations have used plastic at some point in our lives, all of which contributes to the deterioration of our planet. When the generations that come after us realize what we did, they will have judgment. 

But is it really our fault? We were brought up in a culture that prizes consumerism. It is considered normal to throw away toxic plastics on a daily basis. Does that mean that everyone who has contributed to climate change (which is most people) is inherently evil? 

To believe so would be outrageous! We can’t forget all the good that people who have used plastic contributed to the world! Martin Luther King Jr. used plastic. Most presidents since 1900 have used plastic. Plastic is used in life-saving medical devices. The great people of our generation should be celebrated for the good that they contributed to the world. Not disgraced for the normalized evils of society, evils like plastic. 

The same is the case when it comes to our founding fathers. Over the last few years, people have become increasingly critical of our founding fathers. Statues have been removed and buildings and other dedicated spaces have been renamed. Why? Because those whose names were stripped from monuments owned slaves, a horrible crime that should be recognized and not overlooked. They also treated the indigenous people like they deserved nothing. They violated their rights and plundered their people. This seems like a good reason to stop celebrating them, right?

Although these acts are inexcusable, we must remember that slavery and indentured servitude were common practice on every continent by many nations over time. Military conquest was also the normalized way of empire expansion. In fact, military conquest was generally accepted until the end of World War II.

So is it fair that the likes of George Washington should be judged on the evils of slavery, which every other prominent civilization also practiced? I would argue no. Especially considering his amazing contributions to American society. 

The founding fathers laid the building blocks for the freedom that all Americans now enjoy. In the Declaration of Independence, it is written that “all men are created equal.” This principle is the foundation of modern-day American freedom. (However, this principle was definitely not applied equally at the time. Only the property owning white men had the rights laid out in the constitution.)

What makes the Constitution amazing, and the founding fathers by extension, is its ability to evolve. The founding fathers knew they didn’t have all the answers. They had the foresight to see that many of the practices of their time could be viewed as wrong. That is why the constitutional amendment process was added. So far, 17 amendments have been ratified since the original Bill of Rights. Some of which, have abolished slavery, and granted women the right to vote, to name a few. 

When speaking of the founding fathers, slavery and the horrible acts committed should not be left out of textbooks. We need to recognize that the societal conditions of the past were unacceptable. However, we cannot judge them based on the pretenses of modern morals. Instead, we must look past societal wrongs and focus on the individuals who strived to create a better world, those who rose past the sins of their time to create something greater than their surroundings. While the founding fathers fell short, their positive impact was above anyone of the time.  This is why we should never stop celebrating the founding fathers.