Activists are up in arms over statues.
In the US, a statue of Robert E. Lee has to go. In the UK, activists want to take down a statue of Admiral Horatio Nelson. In the Mideast, ISIS toppled the 800 years old Grand Mosque of al-Nuri in Mosul.
Let’s recap the events and work out a logical solution.
Robert Edward Lee Sculpture
Wikipedia on the Robert Edward Lee Sculpture
The Robert E. Lee Sculpture is an outdoor bronze equestrian statue of Robert E. Lee and his horse Traveller. Commissioned in 1917 and forged in 1924, it is located in Charlottesville, Virginia’s Emancipation Park (formerly Lee Park) in the Charlottesville and Albemarle County Courthouse Historic District. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.
in March 2016, Charlottesville’s vice mayor Wes Bellamy called on Charlottesville City Council to remove the statue and rename Lee Park. He claimed that the statue’s presence “disrespected” parts of the community and that he had “spoken with several different people who have said they have refused to step foot into that park because of what that statue and the name of that park represents. And we can’t have that in the city of Charlottesville”
Local NAACP head Rick Turner spoke in support of removal, calling Lee a “terrorist”. Others accused the city council and Bellamy of disregarding Lee’s historical significance and how important he was to Virginia, of sowing division, and of trying to rewrite history. A petition to remove the statue was initiated, with wording saying the statue represented “hate” and was a “subliminal message of racism.”
On July 8, 2017, the Ku Klux Klan held a rally in Charlottesville protesting the city’s plan to remove the statue. The approximately 50 Klansmen were met by several hundred counter-protesters. The police used tear gas to disperse the crowd, and made 23 arrests.
On August 12, 2017, during the Unite the Right rally, clashes broke out between supporters of the statue, who marched under Neo-Nazi flags and shouted slogans including “Jews will not replace us”, and counter protesters. During the rally, counter-protester Heather Heyer was killed and 19 injured by a car ramming attack.
Admiral Horatio Nelson
Guardian writer Afua Hirsch, a proven member of the politically correct crowd writes Toppling statues? Here’s why Nelson’s column should be next.
Wikipedia notes: Nelson’s Column is a monument in Trafalgar Square in central London built to commemorate Admiral Horatio Nelson, who died at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
What did Nelson do?
Guardian Writer Hirsch says “While the US argues about whether to tear down monuments to the supporters of slavery, Britain still celebrates the shameful era.”
Grand Mosque of al-Nuri in Mosul
The 800-year old Grand Mosque of al-Nuri in Mosul had go. It simply was not politically correct.
This video shows what’s left.
Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty inscription reads “”Give me your tired, your poor/Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”
Without a doubt, that statue offends somebody. It has to go.
Street Names
What about street names? Numerous streets and highways were named or renamed in honor of some figure. Those names clearly have to go.
But wait, this gets even more complicated.
ESPN Announcer Robert Lee Transferred to Another Game
In the name of political correctness, ESPN removed Robert Lee from calling Virginia game in Charlottesville due to his name.
Be careful what you name your kids folks, it might offend somebody.
College Campuses
On numerous college campuses across the country, it is impossible to say or do anything without offending someone. Even words like “he” and “she” are offensive.
If you think I am making this up, please consider Cardiff Metropolitan University Bans All “Politically Incorrect” Words: Amusing List of Banned Words.
And please, try to avoid words like “mother” and “father” unless you can say “mother and father” together. Yes, the article states that.
Gee, is there an order for this? Yes, there is. It better be random. Always saying mother first could get you in trouble. The article did not say but the phrase “ladies and gentlemen” clearly has to go.
Political Correctness
In retrospect, my simple solution to the statue dilemma is not quite so simple.
In the name of political correctness, damn near everything would have to go. We would even new standards for allowable children’s name.
Maybe we should abandon my simple solution and try this.
Meanwhile, let’s stop wasting money on government-sponsored statues. No good will ever come from it.
Mike “Mish” Shedlock
