Jack Bernhardt: Rogers rides bandwagon

While sensitive to the plight of the Cherokee and having taught about the savagery of the “Trail of Tears,” I find Dennis Rogers’ call for removal of Andrew Jackson from the $20 bill politically correct bandwagonry (“Time to quit honoring Old Hickory,” July 28 Focus column).

While he’s at it, he might call for removal of U.S. Grant from the $50 bill for his genocidal snatch of the Western frontier. Or, how about demanding a name change for Washington and Lee University – perhaps Washington and Sharpton University? And let’s remove the names of slaveholders Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, James Madison, et al., from the Declaration of Independence.

How would military veteran Rogers feel if, some day, protesters demand renaming the Vietnam Veterans Highway, say, the Bernardine Dohrn/Bill Ayers Highway after the Weather Underground felons who violently opposed that unpopular war? Where does it end?

Rather than disparage the hero of the Battle of New Orleans, why not petition Congress to mint a $25 bill? I would prefer the image of Sojourner Truth to grace that currency. I’m sure Rogers would have his preference, as well.

This story was originally published August 1, 2015 at 2:00 PM with the headline "Jack Bernhardt: Rogers rides bandwagon."