The author of the letter, "Stop rewriting history," (March 5), should follow his own advice. His statement that "England has been a comrade to our country since the Revolutionary War ended in 1783" rewrites the historical fact that Great Britain (yes, "England" changed its own name) remained an adversary until after 1812, impressing American citizens into its navy and merchant ships on the high seas, and interfering with American trade. This became a hot war with the young United States in 1812, during which the "English" burned the Capitol building, the White House, the Supreme Court, the Naval Shipyard, and several American warships there, and other parts of Washington, D.C.

Given conservative rhetoric about Jan. 6, 2020, perhaps the author thinks the British were "just exercising their first amendment rights." If changing the names of places previously named by earlier inhabitants is "rewriting history," why isn't the replacement of the original native names "rewriting history," and reverting to native names "restoring history?" The author seems quite offended at anyone else taking offense over historic names. Perhaps he is the one who should "get over it."

Craig Edwards

Mystic