By Jordin Polite
Secretary of Treasury Steven Mnuchin sat in front of Congress yesterday and fielded questions from newly elected congresswoman Ayanna Pressley about changes to the $20 bill. Mnuchin was reminded of the national community effort that went into deciding whose face would grace the front of the new $20 bill. In 2016, it was decided that Harriet Tubman arguably the bravest woman in American History would be the new face of the bill replacing Andrew Jackson in 2020. However, Trump’s Treasury secretary explained the design change to the $20 would be delayed until 2028. When asked why Mnuchin explained, “The primary reason we have looked at redesigning the currency was for counterfeit issues.” Anyone objectively watching got the sense that there was no real reason for the delay other than, this administration not wanting the change to take place under their reign as it might piss off their conservative base, who would probably not want to see a black face every time they withdraw money from their local atm’s. That’s just how hate works.
As a new generation of young Americans continues to grow, and as our beautiful country becomes better, more progressive, and a safer place for all, It’s important to review the legacies of those who we chose to symbolize in our culture. America has a brutal history, and not every part of it should be celebrated unless you’re a white supremacist who wants to Make America Hate Again. American history is full of hate, genocide, rape, torture, and little regard for the lives of non-European people. Although we still have so much far to go, we have done a great job in moving past this history and living together to create a better Country for all Americans. However many people, including those in Donald Trump’s administration would like to preserve the symbols of those who sought to subjugate and erase entire races. Let’s take a quick second to review why Andrew Jackson needs to be removed from the $20 Bill.
Andrew Jackson was a psychopath, this is common knowledge, and nothing about his legacy reminds us of him having empathy towards anyone or anything. Jackson was a slave owner, he built his own plantation in Tennessee as a young adult and grew popularity and admiration because of the sheer amount of slaves he possessed. Of course, he isn’t the only Lunatic President to own slaves. However, in the diverse America of 2019, there should be no room for the celebration of rapists, murders, and human rights violators.
It’s no secret to anyone that Andrew Jackson was an a*shole. However, the worst human rights violation committed by the man was the Trail of Tears in which over 100,000 Cherokee Indians were forcibly removed from their lands, AFTER taking their case to the supreme court and winning! Cherokee Indians won the right to stay on their lands, but Andrew Jackson had no regard for the word, Human, or right. Especially when the words didn’t involve anyone of European descent. It is said that over 7000 Indians were killed during the trail of tears. Jackson was even nicknamed “Indian killer” and “Sharp Knife” because of the sheer amount of Indians he killed. President Jefferson tasked Andrew Jackson with stealing the lands of Creek and Cherokee Indians, after massacring many Indians Jackson ” “recommended that troops systematically kill Indian women and children after massacres in order to complete the extermination.”
Americans have a complicated past and most have trouble dealing with that past and accepting accountability for the actions of their ancestors. However as we become a more diverse Country, we should be careful what symbols and people we chose to canonize and expose to our children. In the recent past, Americas Confederate history was confronted and led to the removal of the statues of Confederate Generals who participated in the Civil War. Now we have more work to do because as far as most Americans are concerned Andrew Jackson belongs in the same company as people like Adolf Hitler, and so we should have his face removed from our Money, as there are many more American’s who didn’t love to murder innocent people who would look better on the 20. Jackson actually detested paper money, so let’s do American and him a favor by removing his face as soon as possible.
