Sara Waggonner

Guest Commentary

“YOU DON’T BUILD TOMORROW BY TEARING DOWN YESTERDAY”

As a member of the first graduating class of JOHN TYLER/ROBERT E. LEE, I feel compelled to respond to the statements made by Triston Ferguson in your June 30th edition of the Tyler Morning Telegraph. It had a heading of “Student who promoted bond package shares his thoughts.” I read the entire article and never read anywhere it mentioned promoting a bond package. He is certainly proud of himself, noting the numerous accolades he listed. I am not familiar with the “Ralph Bunche Scholar“ he mentions. When I graduated in 1959 we did not have any black students attending the white schools. Maybe integrating them, bussing them from one end of town to the other, was not a good thing to do in the 60’s. I do remember when my daughter graduated from Robert E. Lee, she would not go to the bath room until she got home, because some of the black girls would try to take any money she had. Nothing was ever done about that either.

If my memory serves me correctly, Robert E. Lee was one of the greatest Generals ever. He graduated from West Point, 2nd in his class with “0” demerits. Union General Ulleseys Grant also graduated from West Point, being number 32 in his class with “20” demerits. He was also an alcoholic throughout his career.

I am a school teacher who loves my students, black, yellow or white. I want them to succeed and have a fruitful life, and fit in with others. It is up to us to find our own way. That may sound cruel, but it is true. We can all blame somebody or something for us not to be successful to reach our goals in life. Life is something God gave each of us from the very beginning of time. None of us are perfect, but sometimes things don’t work out the way they should. God forgives us. Back in the 10 years leading up to the Civil War, the South grew mostly cotton. They needed all the help they could get to pick the prickly cotton bolls. They used slaves and members of their families. The North was mostly manufacturing, such as making clothes, etc. with the cotton they got from the South. The Civil War was not strictly about abolishing slavery. Most of the Northerners owned slaves, as well.

Under the terms of a 1819 treaty, the United States guaranteed Cherokee land would be off-limits to white settlers forever. “Forever” lasted 4 years. In 1838 President Andrew Jackson ordered the Cherokee Indians from the lands East off the Mississippi to unsettled land in Oklahoma. Over 4,000 men, women and children died on the long walk, which became known as “The Trail Of Tears”. These poor souls never protested, as they knew it wouldn’t do them any good.

There is a global movement to change our wonderful country to MARXISM. All of the rioting, looting, setting businesses on fire, setting up house-keeping in a 6-block Chop residence, is not protesting for Police brutality against blacks. It is a “hate” war on anything that is history, to anyone who stands for the freedoms in this country. Black people need to “pull up their big boy pants” and say to yourself, “I can be anything I want to be”. I know first hand because back in the early ‘70s, I applied for a job that I knew I was qualified for, and after the interview, the man who interviewed me said, “I’m sorry but we have to hire a minority”. To me that was discrimination. But, guess what? I got another job that was more fulfilling.

These people who are “demanding” certain things be changed, are evil, and should not be met with their demands. Those who support that idea, is totally against freedom, and are supporting a war on “Law and Order”. Removing Little Black Sambo restaurants, Nigger Head Oysters, Mrs. Butterworths’ syrup is totally ludicrous!! When is all of this foolishness going to stop. We go to school to learn. If the name of something bothers you so much, go to another school. Of course John Tyler owned a lot of slaves. And, if we change the name of John Tyler High School, then you know what comes next???? The city of TYLER. As I said, “Where does it stop”!!! I guess next Dixie Paper will be up for a name change. We must stop catering to the Left Radicals!!! Most of the people complaining about the name don’t even live here. They are evil, trouble-makers.

Removing our statues and changing names of people in our history is an assault to our heritage and our freedom.

Please think long and hard about changing the names of Robert E. Lee and John Tyler. This is our history, and ‘IT SHOULD NBS-7d16e-429-98BS-7d16e-429-98OT BE REMOVED’ As the saying goes “Changing History will cause it to repeat itself”.

My name is Sara Waggonner and can be reached at (903) 581-5241 (home) OR (903)245-1818 (cell).