When I look at my genealogy, I find people with various stories. I see a family in Baltimore in a house holding ten people. I see a man who declares he is from "Bavaria", a woman whose husband died the year before leaving her to raise her children alone. I see my great-grandmother, who came here from Germany at sixteen on her own, and the first Pearce, a man who came as an indentured servant on one of the first ships to Maryland.
What I don't see is anyone who was a slave. And I say that with the pride I have in knowing each of my ancestors' stories. I say that because to have a history of slavery means to have had a family history that was lost. And when I consider that loss, when I consider that realization of the suffering of some peoples' ancestors at the hands of a willfull nation, I understand the resentment some hold towards the Betsy Ross flag.
I love my nation, with all of its road bumps, hiccups, and horrible parts of history included. Our constitution is designed to be amended and I believe that we as a society should have that ability as well. Certain things from our nation's past are painful reminders to some people in our country, some that I love dearly. And for that reason I totally understand why some would choose not to want to buy or sell shoes with that flag on it.
History has its place in textbooks and museums, but the dialogue over how to honor that history should be done so with respect to the people whose voices were
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