Tampa Bay Times publishes Florida Veterans For Common Sense President, Gene Jones‘, OpEd titled, Name military bases for heroes, not racist traitors, says veteran.

Founding Father, Thomas Paine, Revolutionary War hero, author of Common Sense, and the American Crisis.

Robert Smalls, Civil War hero. He stole Confederate ship, CSS Planter, and gave it to the Union.

Excerpts from the OpEd

A debate simmers over whether United States military bases should be named for Confederate generals. Many military personnel pass through the bases in question without realizing the background of those for whom the bases were named. Others know and are disgusted…

Instead of naming U.S. military bases for traitors and white supremacists, they should be named for American heroes and patriots. For instance, we should consider founding father Thomas Paine, a veteran and abolitionist. His political pamphlet, Common Sense, turned the American Rebellion into a revolution for an American government by and for the people. Another good choice is Robert Smalls, an escaped slave who stole the confederate navy ship, CSS Planter, and delivered it to the Union Navy. Smalls went on to pilot the ship for the U.S. Navy and was credited with saving it during an attack at Secessionville.

Paine’s words still ring true: “A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong,gives it a superficial appearance of being right.” It’s simply wrong to name U.S. military bases after traitors and white supremacists.

The full Oped, Name military bases for heroes, not racist traitors, says veteran, can be found in the Tampa Bay Times.

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