The fight for a better tomorrow never ends…

Richmond will be removing its gigantic statue of Robert E. Lee. Why? Because symbols matter. Symbols are expressions of values, of truths and beliefs, of love and fear. Symbols tell stories and stories are what create our communities. As human beings we need communities — and their stories and symbols — to help tell us who we are and where we’re going in this ocean of chaos.

Almost exactly five years ago, in the wake of another tragic, senseless loss of life, I ranted against the continued use of the Confederate flag, and happily, it resonated with millions of people. I was doing a radio interview while that inhumane flag of traitors was being removed from the South Carolina state capital and it felt like a real step forward. The past week has seen many more steps forward in the long trek toward justice and truth. I believe that the journey is not quixotic, however, and eventually the pain and hardships of the past will be reconciled in the open discourse of our national community. Perhaps I’m wrong, but I sure hope not. It’s easy to be nihilistic when you’re surrounded by hypocrisy. It’s easy to feel hopeless when progress is hidden from so many for so long. But believing in a better tomorrow — not in a sanitized, perfect utopia, but in a dirty, ugly world where we each consciously embrace the constant challenge to do the right thing — is what fuels my own willingness…