From a column submitted by Melanie Chilson, a resident of Salisbury:

Before statutes of any Confederate nature are taken down, we must first remove all likenesses of slave-owners and their names from cities, states and our nation’s capital. No more Washington Monument or Jefferson Memorial. Remove the faces of Washington and Jefferson from Mount Rushmore.

Washington. Jefferson, Grant, Jackson and Franklin must be removed from all U.S. currency, bills and coins.

But maybe, just maybe, since we can’t undo the past, why don’t we leave everything as is and use the money that will be saved to halt modern-day slavery. According to the FBI, human trafficking is believed to be the third-largest criminal activity in the world, It includes forced labor, domestic servitude and commercial sex trafficking. It involves U.S. citizens and foreigners alike, and has no demographic restrictions. …

Please remember that the Bible, which is one of our most beloved books, in addition to slavery, also mentions love.

John 15:12 — “This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you.”

Also, Galatians 3:28 — “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”