Our Nation's Stupid Capital

The headline reads "Pastor Sees a Hole on the Mall." I don't know what kind of crazy glasses he's wearing. What I see when I drive past the Mall, or walk along the Mall, is crowding. I'm angry about the World War II memorial, I'm annoyed by the National Museum of the American Indian, and now the Official Clergyman of the Washington Redskins wants a monument to slaves on the Mall.

Get real!

For me this is not about race, or persecution, or the importance of anybody's contribution to America. If you take the tours at the homes of Washington and Jefferson, you get a great picture of the contribution of slaves to American history and culture. It's a rich story that I think is too much to be told in a statue that would break up what's left of what used to be a graceful stretch of open green space.

Today, the Mall is crowded. It wasn't like that when I moved here. I am telling the complete truth when I say that I would oppose a movement to build a monument on the Mall to my precious Lola.

I hate the crowding, and I hate the fact that every special interest group feels like it needs to be represented in this relatively small patch of land, all things considered.

What I'm saying is, fine, build your monument wherever you want. I'd like to see an act of Congress that declares no more permanent constrction on the National Mall.

I wonder if I could get that started?

before - after