As the city of Lexington and the surrounding Rockbridge County continue to confront their history, a fiery debate has emerged. Disagreements over whether places named for Confederate generals or other individuals seen as racist should be renamed have brought contention, and a popular new yard sign to Lexington. 

“Retain The Name” read the signs created by the group The Generals Redoubt, which is advocating for the retention of the name of Washington & Lee University. The school has stated that they will announce whether or not the name will be changed before the start of the next school year, which has raised concerns amongst some about how a change would impact alumni donations. Others feel that a change is unnecessary because they believe the name isn’t hurting anyone. Still others believe that names like Washington & Lee help us to remember an important, if not unsavory, moment in history. 

The debate over changing these names is largely caused by differing perspectives. A person of color living in Rockbridge County has a completely different perspective than a white person living in Rockbridge County, and as such may feel differently about the display of Confederate names and symbols. For many, these names serve as a reminder of a long history of oppression that is still continuing today. Seeing figures that actively aided in this oppression being honored with buildings, parks, and schools can be hurtful, or even traumatizing for this reason.

One of the common arguments against changing names like Lee Chapel, which recently was renamed, is that “it’s just a name.” The issue with this argument is that it is true, but only for certain people. Because of the differing experiences of white people and people of color in our community, it is unfair to say that something is “just a name” because it does not acknowledge the systems of oppression that these names supported, nor does it acknowledge the damage done to marginalized communities by glorifying those who worked so hard to discriminate against them. 

At the end of the day, it is true that changing a name does not do much to truly create a safer or more comfortable space for the residents of a city or students of a university. What it does do, however, is show a willingness on behalf of the agencies in power to begin creating a more comfortable and safer space. Changing a name is a simple and powerful display of dedication to the goal of creating a more equal and accepting community.