George Washington Church Pew Goes Generic — Plaque Removed As Political Correctness Seeps In?

George Washington purchased a pew in a Virginia church and this is where he sat for Sunday worship during two decades of his life. The first president of the United States, who is also known as “the father of our country” is a celebrated historic icon in this nation, but times seem to be changing, cites Fox & Friends Weekend on Saturday morning. A plaque indicating George Washington’s presence centuries ago in a historic church was making people feel “unwelcome” and “unsafe,” so it’s slated to come down.

The name of George Washington is engraved on many plaques throughout various locations across the nation indicating many of his stops during his lifetime of travels. Colonial inns whose former owners from a bygone era once played host to the first president of this nation proudly indicate with a sign that states, “George Washington Slept Here.”

The Church of Christ in Alexandria, Virginia, once proudly displayed a plaque indicating that George Washington once sat there, but it seems to have fallen victim to the wave of political correctness that is wiping out mention of historical figures today, such as General Robert E. Lee. It seems that Lee also happens to have a plaque at that church that is being removed along with Washington’s plaque.

George Washington’s face appears on the most circulated currency and there’s a portrait of him in just about every government building, courtroom, and school around the country, making him one of the most celebrated American presidents. As Fox & Friends Weekend hosts suggest on Saturday morning, our country has past sins and while you can’t erase your past, you can learn from it.

George Washinton might have “slept here” or “sat here,” but with the way things are going, it looks like future generations will be left with nothing but their best guess on where these locations might be. Political correctness is festering around the statues, monuments, memorials, and now church pews throughout the nation and seemingly wiping out signs of some of the nation’s most important memories in history. Where does it stop? This is a question asked by the Fox & Friends Weekend cast, who are wondering if the Washington Monument might be next in this wave of political correctness.

A letter from the vestry of Christ Church went out on October 26 announcing their intentions of removing the George Washington and General Robert E. Lee plaques in their church. This is being done to prevent the churchgoers from feeling “unsafe in the sanctuary,” reports Breitbart News.

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The Hill reports that the church officials said, “Some visitors and guests who worship with us choose not to return because they receive an unintended message from the prominent presence of the plaques.”

While the 13 members of the governing council of the church signed the letter, they do acknowledge that George Washington and Robert E. Lee lived in eras that are “much different than our own.”

“Today, the legacy of slavery and of the Confederacy is understood differently than it was in 1870. For some, Lee symbolizes the attempt to overthrow the Union and to preserve slavery. Today our country is trying once again to come to grips with the history of slavery and the subsequent disenfranchisement of people of color.”

With that said, they also go on to inform the congregation.

“Many in our congregation feel a strong need for the church to stand clearly on the side of ‘All are welcome — no exceptions.’ Because the sanctuary is a worship space, not a museum, there is no appropriate way to inform visitors about the history of the plaques or to provide additional context except for the in-person tours provided by our docents.”

As far as George Washington’s plaque being removed, the church officials suggest it is being done to “balance” out the look of the inside of the church. Breitbart News reports, according to the church officials, “both plaques are being removed because the two occupy opposite areas of the sanctuary and would ‘unbalance’ the aesthetic look of the church if only the Robert E. Lee plaque were to be removed.”

So, does that make the removal of the George Washington plaque a way to fix feelings of being “unwelcome” or “unsafe,” or does it make Washington just a victim of a balancing act under the umbrella of aesthetics? Or could it be George Washington’s memory in that church has fallen to the latest political correctness trend in this country?

[Featured Image by Everett Historica/Shutterstock]