Regarding "Cost to bring back Confederate statue to cemetery: $10 million" (Aug. 8 print edition): Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is quoted as saying the Arlington statue "never should have been taken down by woke lemmings. Unlike the Left, we don't believe in erasing American history — we honor it."

While not addressing the ever-expanding application of the term "woke," I'd like to proffer a comment on Mr. Hegseth's words.

I, too, do not believe in erasing America's history. I embrace it. And I honor vast expanses of it. But I also, as any secure patriot would, acknowledge its past transgressions. A mature nation owns up to and learns from its past mistakes without blindly celebrating that which deserves no laudation. And there was and is no honor in defending slavery.

There's a rea

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