The decision of Emerson Hospital to remove the name of Dr. Cuming from their medical building is a cowardly and shameful act of virtue signaling.
Dr. Cuming made significant contributions to the town of Concord and its hospital, which are now being erased without any consideration. While the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Commission of Concord claims to eliminate racism and promote diversity, they are, in fact, erasing history and measuring historical actions against contemporary values, which is unfair.
Our world is now dominated by subjective feelings rather than objective facts, making it harder to reach solutions. Professor Glen Loury, a Brown University professor of economics, rightly points out that this decision is a dangerous path to tread. We cannot erase our history, and we should not be measuring the actions of the past by the standards of today.
It is time for us to acknowledge and appreciate the positive contributions of people like Dr. Cuming, who lived in a different time, and instead of erasing their legacy, we should celebrate their achievements. Emerson Hospital’s decision is not only misguided but also disrespectful to the contributions of Dr. Cuming.
We should not forget our past, but learn from it. It’s time for us to come together and rise above the current trends of subjective feelings and objective facts and promote a more inclusive and respectful society. We must honor the legacy of people like Dr. Cuming, who contributed to the betterment of society in their time.
Although I now live in Salem, I lived in Acton for 40 years prior to my move last spring.
Mike Majors
Washington Street, Salem