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You can't change the past, nor can you live in it. How would your hardworking ancestors feel to know that you were ashamed to see them potrayed in any part of history. You did not want to see them at all because it made you feel degraded? Grow up people, everyone regardless of the color of your skin has the right to become whatever their heart desires. Isn't that what the potrait really potrays, The men and women who made YOUR future possible.

Why is it; everytime African Americans want to remind the "evil white man" of the persecution and "degrading" they say they have suffurred, they bring up slavery. But even when something as innocent as a picture depicting history, African Americans say I'm being offended and "degraded" by bringing up slavery. First of all as a White Man, I have never owned a slaves. My family never owned slaves. My family was share corpers, they were not rich enoungh to own a slave if they wanted to. And I can also say African Americans today have never experienced being a slave (except only in your own minds). It is time for African Americans to GET OVER IT. Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps and stop blaming something that you yourself have never experience on the "evil white man". I can safety say there is a racial divide in this country and you (the African American race) are the cause of it. STOP BLAMING EVERYONE ELSE.

I do not feel that the mural is down grading anyone. I have great respect the the colored race and I was rasied by many as babysitters and day care givers. I learned alot about survival in everyday life from the great ladies that helped raise me. They taught me repect of every and all races no matter what color your skin is. It is time that some of the younger and middle age people open their eyes and stop thowing the past back into the eyes of the white race. We need to remember that there are more than the black race that were slaves. We need to pull together and make the world better and stop complaining about the past. That is history, this is the present.

NAACP: National Association of Always Complaining People.

How can something bring back "painful memories of slavery" to somebody who has never been a slave? The black people who are offended by this mural make other black people look bad. What do they want as compensation for being offended? Money? Call Al and Jesse. And by the way....that are NOT "African Americans". They are Americans.

I'm a black female originally from Eden, and I've seen this mural. There is nothing degrading about it; as a matter of fact, the first time upon returning home and seeing this mural, I commented on it's beauty. I'm not sure why we are eager to dress up the past, as if it never happened or was more glamourous than the reality. There are some that get upset if whites forget the past and don't acknowledge the brutality of it, and now we run into those who want to glamourize the past and put the truth in a little box, never to be spoken of again. Am I the only one that sees the hypocrisy in demanding that society acknowledge the contributions of blacks to building this country, but only if the past in wrapped in a pretty little pink box? Newsflash--history wasn't kind to the true founding fathers of this nation. It wasn't pretty, and we demean those contributions by refusing to acknowledge the boatmen and the mammies that were integral to development of these United States of America. You can not change history when its convenient to do so, and you can't expect other people to accommodate your revisionist history when it benefits your cause. This argument is assinine and infuriating. Taking something as benign and beautiful as this artistic piece of work and making it into some political fight that has no merit--shame on people. I'm embarassed for the people that have this one-dimensional POV and I'm even more concerned that these invalid complaints are coming from the mouths of supposed "leaders" (sans the NAACP who get it). The sheep might want to consider a revolt against the shepherd in this situation. Makes me thankful that I only "visit" Eden sporadically these days.

I would rather see a mural depicting gangsta rappers.

Nitwits Are Always Causing Problems

It's this kind of drivel over what really, that totally discredits anything African Americans choose to be offended by.

I'm offended by the pea minded . . .

History is just that..history. No we can't change what happened many many years ago, but a mural like this is not degrading. It is simply a history lesson in paint so that all people of all races can view it, admire it and understand it for what it truly represents.

There are many things in history that were offensive to many people, but if this mural is offensive to a "select few" of Eden's business people, then I suppose that they should work towards removing all history books from the schools and libraries and get legislation passed that history is a subject that can no longer be talked about or studied.

Now, isn't that a ridiculous statement? Yes, about as ridiculous as this mural being offensive to the narrow minded people who scream everytime something new happens that they can twist into a racial argument.

Racism does unfortunately exist in our society, but that is largely due to the constant racism shown by blacks who are always stirring the pot and blaming the white race for everything.

I am a white female originally from Eden. When I came home for a visit with family and first saw the mural, I immediately considered the fact that some black people might find it offensive in its depiction of them. Even if it is historically correct, if it makes anyone unhappy or uncomfortable, is it serving its function of "beautifying" downtown Leaksville?

I was born and raised in Eden also, and when I first seen it my mouth dropped. No one is blaming anyone about slavery and its very easy for a white person to say "GET OVER IT" when the un-backbreaking part of slavery was in your past and the beatings and lynchings were in ours. Do you think Jews want to be reminded of the holocaust? I dont think a mural with slaves is "learning about or history". If they wanted to display something it should have been put in the Eden library. And as far as the NAACP saying that they were involved in it and people should be apart of something is just ignorant because the NAACP does not speak for everyone and cant decided what everyone wants. It should have been a city meeting about it where everyone had a chance to vote on it because the citizens have to look at it everyday and get reminded of slavery. I think they knew it was going to bring controversy and they didnt care. Nothing about slavery is beautiful to me. And if it's "history" are these real people with real names in the picture? Tell me what book I need to buy to get a lesson on Edens black history.

This is a beautiful mural that displays the history of how our country has overcome adversity. I wish this wasn't a part of our history but it is, and it played a part in making America stronger as a people. Shame on the people that still use the terms "us and them." We are all Americans period.

What memories of slavery are they remembering? None of those so-called "offended" people were ever slaves. History....is history. That is the way it was, whether you like it or not and since most black people continually want to bellyache about the past, why complain about something that they should embrace. Between a habitual loser wannabe politician and a barber that used to be the butt of alot jokes in law enforcement, their opinion has no more weight than anyone else. If the mural depicts the beginnings of early freed negroes as business owners, then celebrate their accomplishment instead of stripping them of the respect and honors that they rightly deserve.
Grow up people and quit trying to rewrite the past to suit your tastes.

I totally agree with watcher50. Exactly whose memories are being remembered?

It's a real dilemma: if you ignore the contributions of blacks (voluntary or forced) then you are "whitewashing" history, but if you represent that part of our nation's history then you are some kind of a bigot and causing emotional trauma. Once and for all, which is it?

Janikia Woods says "No one is blaming anyone about slavery" and then she turns around and says "the un-backbreaking part of slavery was in your past". Sure sounds like she is blaming me (a white man) for slavery. As I stated in my first post, my family nor I ever owned slaves. Janikia also says "the beatings and lynchings were in our past". If it is in your past why do you keep bringing it up like it was yesterday. Have you been a slave lately? I would dare say not. That is why I can very easily say, GET OVER IT, it is in the past. I never said forget it. We should learn from our past. But you have NOTHING to be offended about, when you see a picture of a slave, because you have never been a slave. So the "beatings and lynchings " are NOT in YOUR past, because you didn't experience it. It is in America's past. Was Slavery wrong? Yes, without a doubt. But if you think I'm going to apologize for slavery, which I never had a part in, to you, who has never experience being a slave, then you will wait a long time, because that apology will NEVER HAPPEN. And I am getting tired of slavery being held over my head, when a lot (actually most) of the problems in the African American community are of your own making. So, GET OVER IT.

As a Jew, I find Janikia's comments very concerning. I WANT to be reminded of the holocaust, because it reminds the world of the brutality that is possible. It reminds us that genocide still happens and that we still haven't fully learned our lessons of the past. Just how this mural reminds us the racism and slavery still exist. Mass murder is in the past of my people and I have "gotten over it", meaning that I don't hold a grudge or resent Germans because the vast majority of Germans alive right now were not involved. "Getting over it" doesn't mean forgetting the past, it means learning from our past and moving forward towards love and understanding of everyone. If you are going to live your life resenting an entire race of people for the misguided actions of a few, then you are just as prejudiced as they were.

Why, why, why must everything that is said or heard or done in the Triad turn out to be about race? Can't we just rejoice in our diversity and take pride in our cultures? I'm ashamed to say I live here just for this reason.

I will not try to reason with others on this post- they feel the way the feel and nothing will change that. So I'll just speak my peace for the reader-

I believe those of Jewish descent want to be reminded of the Holocaust, so another Holocaust never happens again.

Since I've moved to the south I've notice a trend of the locals to portray history in a benign (romanticized) manner .

The truth: slavery is rape, dehumanization, misery, maiming and suffering all in the name of profiteering .

Lastly- and I want every reader to understand this, the south lost the war.
Nothing can change that.

Lastly, forums like this cause me to wonder if we are the nation of iron and mirey clay.

I'm white, and I am so sick of ignorant white southerners who keep saying "get over it." I'm sick of those words. We should never, ever get over injustice that has occurred our history, or we will be condemned to repeat it. The words "get over it" are part of the same culture of denial that pervades the southern white mindset, and gives our state and region a reputation as ignorant and backward. Cigarettes don't cause cancer either. Oh yeah, and global warming is a hoax too. We know that's true, because the oil companies tell us so.

To Dan the Man. you dont know who I am and how slavery has affected me. When my great-great grandmother was a slave is that not part of my history or my past? Honey please trust and believe im not bitter at all. I have a right to feel how I feel when I pass by it everyday. I am not mad about slavery im sad about slavery. Yes it happened I just cant "Get over it". Its not falling off a freakin bike or not winning a contest. Lives were lost and people suffered. I dont care how many years ago it was and what race it was anyone with a heart knows that it was sad time in black peoples lives. No one wants to be reminded of something that was tragic in their past. Yes my past. I am black and I am part of a race. So whatever happened back then I am a part of whether you see it different or not. When people are having a debate or discussion on something since when does putting down someones character have to do with anything? Ex-Policeman or wannabe politician doesnt have anything to do with it because the last time I looked they help make up Eden and they pay taxes. They have a right to their opinion, dont be mad because you were not interviewed. We can all agree to disagree. No one can tell anyone how they should feel, or how much time it should take for something to heal. If some black people are still affected then they are still affected.

It's history that really happened. If you pretty it up or make it conform to your 2008 mindset it's no longer history, its a whitewash of the real thing (no pun intended).

Yes slavery happened, but also remember we fought a national war to end it (I know that was not the exact legal reason for Lincoln, but the primary consequence of the end of the war was the end of slavery).

We are still by far the best place in the world for a black person to live. If you don't think so, try reading Keith Richburg's "Out of America: A Black Man Confronts Africa" sometime.

to Janikia Woods & Laura
I refuse to be misquoted. I did say "GET OVER IT" and I stand behind that statement. Those who can't GET OVER IT, do so just to hang all the faults and failures of African Americans over the heads of the white race. Get it through you heads, IT IS NOT MY FALUT, I had nothing to do with slavery. And as far as how "slavery has affected" you. It hasn't affected YOU. You dishonor you great-great grand mothers memory when you even suggest you have been affected by slavery. Your great-great grand mother was the one who was affected. When you live through slavery like your great-great grand mother did, then you can have the right to say you have been affected. With the many opportunities that you as an African American woman has today, it is beyond me how you can compare how your life has been affected to what your great-great grand mother lived through. Stop listening to the Jesse Jacksons and the Al Sharpton who make a living trying to stir up racism. Slavery is over, too bad you can't see it. Your life would be much happier if you didn't live in the past.

I live in Eden, just a few blocks from this wonderful mural. It is extremely well done and I do hope the artist used the best paint on a properly prepared surface so it will last a very long time.

OK, Lets rewrite history & change all of those people depicted on the mural to white! I guess then the whiners will be crying because there is not enough diversity in the mural. You can never please these whiners. Everything they want is never enough!

OK, Lets rewrite history & change all of those people depicted on the mural to white! I guess then the whiners will be crying because there is not enough diversity in the mural. You can never please these whiners. Everything they want is never enough!

How about a mural honoring all the victims of black murderers? It would cover every building in Eden.

Of all the comments, I'm most concerned that Cindy Vernon referred to African Americans as "colored".

I grew up in Eden and when I came home and first saw the mural I too thought that it was racist and a painful reminder of our past as African Americans. Everything in this country seems to somehow have a root in playing the race card. Its always a black and white thing and reguardless of how whites may view our actions, we were and still are affected by slavery. But the thing is, what does not kill us makes us stronger and even though slavery was a painful part of our past, we are a strong people today in 2008 because of that. I wonder if Dr. Martin Luther King ever thought a black man would be running for President with a good chance of winning.
Somewhere down the line, we have to be strong enough to overlook the past and move on towards the future. I don't think that the city intentionally tried to remind African Americans of slavery but I agree that they could have found some other way to get their point across. Knowing this, when I see the mural now, I think of how much stronger I am as a woman, a mother and an African American because of it. I think thats what we all as African American citizens in Eden should do. We're not going anywhere, White people aren't going anywhere so learn to love each other as God's children and keep moving forward. This mural is nothing for anyone to get bent out of shape and upset about. We have way too many other issues going on in our society than worrying about a mural painted on the side of building in a small town that we call home.

We can never move forward until people like Tameka H stop referring to themselves as "African Americans" . White people do not refer to themselves as "European Americans", and we should all strive to be "Americans", people of all races living in "One Nation."

Unfortunately slavery is a part of history, and it should be viewed as just that, History. People who are living today are not affected by slavery just because they may be decendants of someone else who lived during those times. It in no way impacts people in the modern era today, and it's time for people of the black race to stop using it as a crutch. We are all equal and if everyone wants to be viewed and treated that way, then people must stop using things that happened in history and applying it to the world today.

History must be viewed and kept in perspective. As much as any one of us may not like it, it is something that we cannot change. We learn from history and work to make sure that history does not repeat itself. I say this to say, "Learn from it, accept that it did happen, and don't blame people living today for what happened hundreds of years ago."

It is the racist attitudes of the black americans today that continue to keep controversy like this going. Stop blaming the white race and lets all move forward so that we may be one unified people living in America as "Americans." Until that can happen, the healing process can never begin.