In his recent Street Talk column (Waving the Confederate flag in surrender), Mark LaFlamme asked an excellent question: Where do we draw the line?

Why not remove Andrew Jackson from the $20 bill? When he was president he ordered the removal of scores of Native Americans from their lands. They were forced to march through cold,wind and snow. Many died along the way. Today, this ugly episode in our past is remembered as the Trail of Tears.

Why not order statues honoring Franklin D. Roosevelt taken down? During his presidency, he ordered thousands of Japanese-American citizens placed in internment camps scattered across 11 western states. Years later, President Reagan issued a formal apology to all survivors and families, thus closing the book on that ugly chapter in our history.

Our nation’s history is made up of the good, the bad and the ugly. Erasing or hiding the ugly only serves to cloud our vision of our country’s true past. Taking such action is a huge disservice to our nation and its people.

David Bernier, Lewiston