Robert Smalls house a treasure for all
One could easily argue that Robert Smalls is the most consequential citizen in Beaufort’s 300-plus-year history. He is our “George Washington.” I can’t understand why the Historic Beaufort Foundation is not working to make the Robert Smalls house an accessible tribute to his legacy instead of fighting twice a week walking tours to the property.
We recently took out of town guests to the National Park Headquarters and participated in such a tour. Our friends loved learning about Beaufort’s history and especially the Robert Smalls story. There are all kinds of tours going through the Old Point neighborhood on foot, golf cart, van, horse carriage. Why object to this tour?
I understand there is an easement on the property restricting its use, but legal experts could work to ensure that the house can be used by the National Park Service to tell this amazing story. The Robert Smalls House is a treasure that we should use to proudly tell the story of our hometown American hero. Come on Historic Beaufort Foundation, help us do that!
– Kate Joy, Beaufort
Dickson could use self-reflection
Jim Dickson’s “1984” editorial brought to mind a familiar Biblical passage, “First take the beam out of your own eye and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” (Romans 2:1.)
Jim, it’s not the Biden administration or the Democrats who are lying about Jewish space lasers and pizza parlor pedophile rings. It’s not the Democrats who are lying about voter fraud and a stolen election.
It’s not a Democratic Congressman who lies about his military service, dresses in women’s lingerie and attempts to take concealed firearms on planes. It’s not Democrats who deny climate change and evolution. It’s not Democrats who denied, downplayed and dismissed COVID-19, resulting in many thousands of unnecessary deaths.
It’s not Democrats who believe that every economic problem can be solved by decreasing taxes on the wealthy and deregulating business, no matter how many times these “solutions” have failed.
Jim, I could go on all day, but you probably get my point. Maybe next time before you start slamming others you might want to engage in some self-reflection. And maybe you might have more credibility if you called out some of the egregious lies coming from the far right. If these lies go unchallenged, then we really will find ourselves much closer to Orwell’s 1984.
– Peter Birschbach, Port Royal
