Alicia Preston Xanthopoulos: The stunning hypocrisy of defending the Flynn historic marker

Elizabeth Gurley Flynn was the leader of the US Communist Party in 1961 who, albeit a founder of the American Civil Liberties Union, got kicked out of it because of her devotion to communism and communist regimes. She was imprisoned in 1951 for advocating for the violent overthrow of the U.S. Government;  cherished dictator Joseph Stalin—who murdered more than one million of his own people during his “reign”; and adored the Soviet Union so much, that when she died while hanging out there during the Cold War in 1964, they loved her back with a state funeral in Red Square. Oh, ya, and there’s a brand new state historical marker put up this month in her honor, in her birth city of Concord, NH.

Why is the State of New Hampshire honoring this person? Apparently, because she was supporter of labor rights and was a good feminist. Which I find odd considering her beloved Communist Party and Stalin revoked many of the rights of women shortly after he took over the Soviet Union.  I know Flynn didn’t have Google back then, but, you’d think she would know about that tidbit.

Those who support the placard note how she did a lot of good things for women's rights and the labor movement, so the other stuff shouldn’t matter. Y’all have been removing Thomas Jefferson statues.  I don't want to hear that hypocritical argument.

Progressive activist Arnie Alpert, who was one of the people who originally requested the marker noted of this controversy, it “doesn't mean we have to agree with people who are of great historical significance..but it makes sense for us to understand things that have happened in the past.” Well, Jefferson Davis is a traitor of “great historical significance" and, well, see above. As a matter of fact, so is Hitler. Is “great historical significance” really the only benchmark we want to apply for who gets honored in this state or this country? I certainly hope not.

Concord City Councilor Zandra Rice Hawkins hopes the state doesn't reverse itself and remove the marker now that people are upset about it. “I’d be disappointed if the state removed the marker and tried to whitewash history.” This is the same Councilor that fought to have Columbus Day replaced with Indigenous people’s day. I thought we weren’t gonna whitewash history. (For the record, despite its repeated misuse, “whitewash” has to do with painting over something, not race.)

This controversy came to light at a recent meeting of the Executive Council, when Councilors questioned why this historical marker went up. The City of Concord says it’s the State who did it, the State said the city requested it, which it turns out is absolutely not true, it was citizens who requested it from the state and the state requested the City…it goes on. It’s basically a childish blame game at this point.  It’s on state property, it is state property itself.  Just take the damn thing down.

What this whole situation brought to light, other than outlandish hypocrisy, is what a flawed system the state has, while using taxpayer money, to approve and erect historical markers to honor someone. There’s apparently nearly 300 of these around the state and according to the state agency that produces and erects them, there’s no approval process.

New Hampshire Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Commissioner Sarah Stewart told the Governor and Executive Council, “Our agency is not in the business of approving or denying the markers. We check for factual accuracy, and we help make sure that the text fits on the space allocated on the marker.” Say what now? I’d say that's passing the buck, but, she didn't pass the buck to anyone.  The buck is just hanging out passed out of her hands and into the wind. Can I get 20 people to sign a request to put a historical marker on the beach to honor me? As long as the message is accurate on my marker and fits the allotted sign space, that's is the entire process, according the Commissioner of the agency that deals with these things.  Email me if you're willing to get me a marker.  Actually, that’s boring, I want a marker for my dog, he's more worthy. His name is Atticus. Thank you.

Meanwhile, as of this writing, despite the state's effort to Pontius Pilate the responsibility to the City of Concord, the agency is still touting it on their website, like it’s their own thing: https://www.dncr.nh.gov/news-and-media/rebel-girl-receives-nh-historical-highway-marker

“The N.H. Division of Historical Resources is pleased to announce that a New Hampshire Historical Highway Marker honoring Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, a well-known labor, women’s rights and civil liberties activist, has been installed at the corner of Court and Montgomery Streets in downtown Concord, near the site of her birthplace.”

For his part, Governor Sununu wants the marker removed and is rightly calling for a review of the state’s historical marker program. But, removal, like anything in government, has a process and takes time. So, I have an idea: Governor, I’ve got some spades and shovels. I’ll come up and we can dig it out ourselves.  Sure, it's a crime, but, if we get arrested, you can always just pardon us.

Alicia Preston Xanthopoulos is a former political consultant and member of the media. She’s a native of Hampton Beach where she lives with her family and two poodles. Write to her at PrestonPerspective@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Alicia Preston Xanthopoulos: Remove historic marker honoring Communist