The Teddy Roosevelt statue in front of the Museum of Natural History will be removed, the city said. The decision, in the end, was prompted by a request from the museum itself, according to the New York Times. The statue is on city land.
“The American Museum of Natural History has asked to remove the Theodore Roosevelt statue because it explicitly depicts Black and Indigenous people as subjugated and racially inferior,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement. “The City supports the Museum’s request. It is the right decision and the right time to remove this problematic statue.”
The Roosevelt statue, installed in 1940, has long been controversial because of its depiction of Native American and Black men standing next to the president, who is on horseback. For the past week, police officers have been guarding the statue after a group called Decolonize This Place had threatened to remove it. The statue had also been vandalized with paint. After that incident, the museum did not respond to several requests for comment about whether they believed the vandal should be prosecuted.
The Roosevelt family agreed with the decision.
“The world does not need statues, relics of another age, that reflect neither the values of the person they intend to honor nor the values of equality and justice,” said Theodore Roosevelt IV, 77, a great-grandson of the 26th president and a museum trustee. “The composition of the Equestrian Statue does not reflect Theodore Roosevelt’s legacy. It is time to move the statue and move forward.”
Photo by Wally Gobetz.
Was intrigued that he considered himself a conservationist and loved animals. But also loved hunting. Could never figure that out.
It’s more complicated than that. He believed in hunting only to the extent that it didn’t disturb population numbers. At the time, people weren’t hunting to the extent that they were wiping out species or even impacting them very much so as to disturb local ecosystems. So yes he loved and appreciated nature, but somehow was able to balance that with his love of hunting. It seems odd in this day and age, now that we are seeing hunting so efficient and prevalent that populations are diminished or wiped out, but that wasn’t the case when he was hunting.
Keep in mind that only recently have we, as a civilization, become so removed from death – death in the sense that we no longer kill our food (such as chickens kept in a coop out in the back yard), human death very often takes place in a hospital or at least not in the home, and so forth.
“At the time, people weren’t hunting to the extent that they were wiping out species or even impacting them very much…”
Passenger Pidgeons, Dodo birds, all kinds of whales, the American Bison, wolves, among others.
T.R. wasn’t the problem but your supposition is absurd.
Humans and farming have disrupted normal predator-prey models. Hunting helps restore the balance. Otherwise, deer would overwhelm most ecosystems in the country.
@Jay – I have a hard time seeing how Theodore Roosevelt shooting an elephant helped restore the balance. In 1909 on one safari alone TR and his son killed 512 animals, including: 17 lions, 29 zebras, 27 gazelles, 9 black and white monkeys, 8 hippopotami, 2 ostriches and a pelican. The guy was a killing machine.
First of all.. we are talking about the US. Second, none of those species were endangered in the early 1900s.
Hunting is necessary to balance the impacts humans have had on the environment.
His appointee as the first Superintendent of Yellowstone Park, AA Anderson, invented the hunting season in order to save animals.
Hooray! It’s about time!!!
Excellent. About time.
Bravo the MNH and Roosevelt family. There is still some reasonableness in the world.
It is the most beautiful statue in the City, and a monument to the great man Roosevelt was.
It is not a symbol of subjugation, it shows Teddy as
a leader, a soldier, a frontiersman moving forward into the future together, that has always been my interpretation and I don’t understand these ‘purity’ people, they always choose the negative slant on everything
I agree with you about the statue- I never saw it as depicting subjugation, but rather recognizing and honoring all people of this country united together. Perhaps I’m naive, or perhaps I just have a positive outlook.
Like Polly, I thought that this was a positive and nonracist depiction. None of us can agree on “anything” anymore! Wonder what the sculptor’s intent was? Any history on that???
Joani, I liked your question about intent. The Museum has several insights on the artistic context:
https://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/addressing-the-theodore-roosevelt-statue
In terms of being positive or negative, I too struggle with reshaping my ordinary way of thinking, to be mature enough to go outside of myself to validate and consider what others see that I missed. That will no doubt expand my personal context in my setting. However, part of my ordinary that I can’t shake is, if this sort of leadership gets out of control, we can find ourselves admiring the faceless ones. No one is perfect. Respect and Faith is a two sided coin. One without the other is like being at Thanksgiving Dinner table where some family members get picked on while the favorites walk on water. It just doesn’t work and the children know it.
Thank you for the link Big Neighbor. James Earle Fraser’s intent was to show the Native American and the African as either gun bearers or guides representing the two continents that he hunted on. It was never meant to demean or dehumanize them.
Did you ever look at Fraser’s most famous sculpture – End of the Trail? It depicts an exhausted Native American on HORSEBACK depicting the damaging effects of advancing Euro-American settlements on the indigenous population.
It would be nice if people stop and learn about the origins and sculptors of statues and monuments before tearing them down.
This great work of art by a renown sculptor is being torn down by cowards influenced by an ignorant mob.
It’s clearly involved with the idea of primacy over others.
Replace it with a statue of Teddy, alone.
Agree.
In fairness to TR, he didn’t design the statue.
He also was the first American president to invite a an African-American to the White House, for dinner-Booker T. Washington.
If Teddy, the native American, and the black person were all riding horses it might make more sense to say that he’s leading them and they’re all on the same team — though I’m not 100% sure that really solves the problem, because “white guy leads the native Americans and black people into the future” is still juuuuuust a bit problematic.
Or maybe, he is on a horse because he was known for being a rough rider (volunteer calvalry unit) and most people of the time did not ride horses (contrary to the cinematic representation of the time).
Alfonse,
there were no African American horse riders? you haven’t heard of the Buffalo Soldiers? And there were no Native American horsemen? You have an interesting sense of history.
Not to mention that the Black man is mostly naked, while TR is fully clothed. Were African-Americans routinely naked in the 1890s -1910s?
there’s a lot of good things to say about TR. But is it really so hard for people to imagine how hurtful this statue would be to Black person, or a Native American?
Do you think that TR would have been presented with no clothing?
You can only consider this statue beautiful if you think that the subjugation of people is beautiful. If you think that racial subordination is beautiful. I have always felt offended when passing this statue. What is “negative” is the white supremacy represented by this statue.
Very gracious of TRIV, & also very realistic.
Sad one of this country’s greatest leaders. He was a war hero, reform commissioner of the NYPD, president of this great country who was responsible for the establishment of the National Parks and building of the Panama Canal. The Museum caved to false political correct pressure. SHAMEFUL
I think ny city has gone nuts…. I agree with JOey. I am a passionate wildlife lover, especially from Africa, and I understand that Teddy was a hunter, but that statue doesn’t reek of racism. The museum will take it down because of the expense of protecting it in these crazy troubled over the top reactive times
I saw this statue a million times, never paid attention to it. It is clearly racist. It should go.
I totally agree with you,they are not even aware they have truly gonr nuts
Agreed
I agree, I mean who voted these people into power? No one!
Who voted the trustees of a private institution into power? The person you’re looking for is Albert Smith Bickmore. If you’d like to give him a piece of your mind, you’ll find him in the Bronx — specifically in Woodlawn, Cypress Plot, Section 47/60. I understand he’s a good listener.
What about the Great White Whale inside?
Rodger,rest easy: the Great White Whale is deep in MOBY DICK and he’s not going anywhere.
Rodger, it’s worse – it’s a blue whale.
In my view, there are both admirable and terrible aspects to Teddy Roosevelt’s presidency and to his life as a public figure. But this doubly racist statue had to go. Excellent decision and admirable for Theodore Roosevelt IV to say so.
All of these statues should be in museums in their proper context showing the *real* history of America. It’s counterproductive to vandalize or destroy them. They already exist. Use them as a teaching tool.
This statue will not see the light of day in our lifetime, it will sit in the Indiana Jones Ark of the Covenant storage facility. I’m going to visit it tomorrow to have a final look.
To honor Teddy Roosevelt, if that, indeed, is still the goal of the Museum, then the Directors should commission another statue – one that reflects TR in an historically accurate situation. It is time to gather together historians of that age and the greatest sculptors of our times, to create a new image that inspires our generation to greatness, denigrating to no one and inspirational to everyone.
I agree with Jeff; TR was a great man of his time who moved the culture forward.
Attacking corruption during a thoroughly corrupt age was only one of his accomplishments. The conservation legacy of Theodore Roosevelt is found in the 230 million acres of public lands he helped establish during his presidency.
Much of that land – 150 millions acres – was set aside as national forests. Roosevelt created the present-day US Forestry Service in 1905, an organization within the Department of Agriculture. The idea was to conserve forests for continued use.
An adamant proponent of utilizing the country’s resources, Roosevelt wanted to insure the sustainability of those resources.
Roosevelt was also the first president to create a Federal Bird Reserve, and he would establish 51 of these during his administration.
These reserves would later become today’s national wildlife refuges, managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Today there is a national wildlife refuge in every state, and North Dakota boasts the most refuges of any state in the country.
This was a great man whose accomplishments we all enjoy today… maybe the statue is offensive to modern day eyes, so come up with something that truly captures this adventuresome outdoorsman who was not only highly respected but well-loved in his time, that is also inoffensive to modern socially aware sensibilities.
Get rid of the Statue of Liberty next, she is looking down at us, and that is wrong. Remove it Mayor, its all you are good for.
This beautiful statue has been up 80 years and just NOW they discover it might be offensive? Unreal!
They’ve been debating he statute for decades. It didn’t “just now” become controversial.
Love how the convo has shifted from “decline of UWS” to “yes, that statue was racist & offensive.” The museum should take a step back and LISTEN to POC NYers organizing for change. While this change is just a symbolic one, it’s a meaningful step in the right direction. Maybe AMNH could explore the possibility of building a memorial to the Lenape people who inhabited Manhattan before the Dutch, a celebration & acknowledgement of indigenous peoples history.
Good idea!
Wrong to remove this statue. Put a bronze plaque in front listing Pros / Cons. Why are New Yorkers erasing history? It it’s not there then it didn’t happen? Sinister forces at work in City Hall. This is the Mayor’s wife at work as she is head of the Committee to Remove Statues in NYC. Where is tolerance? Where is historical perspective? Next to go, the US Constitution as it was written by White Slave holders.
That’s disrespectful to a former President who did mor good than bad.
Yeah, tell me how this is going to help blacks in the city. Oh what, they’re now going to get better paying jobs, get their kids a better education, better housing because a bunch of statues are being torn down?
Clueless, gutless and clumsy fixes that will do absolutely nothing for blacks in this city!
A statue is a thing…and things change. Get over it, let things change. Maybe what comes up next will stand the test of time (probably not – because things change). I guess there could be a Museum of Things That Were Found to Be Distasteful at Some Point, but I’m certain there would be an objection to that. Let’s move forward and get on with it. New art is always a good thing.
BTW…it’s the American Museum of Natural History, not the Teddy Roosevelt Memorial. Teddy can be honored for his contributions to the museum in many ways, I’m sure. Let’s not forget the Night at the Museum movies. Teddy is portrayed once again as a hero. Teddy’s family knows what A great man he was in his day and the legacy he left, let that stand for itself.
Maybe one day we’ll find out that books and torches were subjugated and the Statue of Liberty is lifting her hemline and showing a treatment of those things that have historically hindered their ability to advance. But as of today, that sounds ridiculous. It’s hard to imagine that statue as inappropriate because of the content of that statue are symbols that depicts the ideas of knowledge, truth, and enlightenment – a beacon in the darkness. Maybe that’s a better image Than glorifying a man as some demigod that lead the poor and suffering people into a new age. (Which, by the way, hasn’t materialized for folks yet!)
Robert I find MOMA distasteful at best using the same reasoning should they burn all the art in there and only display sensitive art they is anti-offensive to all?
“I take the western view of the Indian. I don’t go so far as to think that the only good Indian is the dead Indian, but I believe nine out of every ten are, and I shouldn’t like to inquire too closely into the case of the tenth.” — Theodore Roosevelt, speech, 1886
It was always a disgraceful statue to have stood for so long. The only thing missing was the leash.
Pretty much the point. There is no leash, no chains, no white supremacy, no subjugation. The Indian and African man look proud, noble and strong. They are not afraid and cowering. Instead, they are WITh Roosevelt, not symbolically “beneath” him. Yes, he’s above on a horse but that was a way for the artist to depict his identity. I see them all as a team together.
TR was literally the first president to invite a black person to the white house for dinner.
Shane,
That is true, TR was enlightened in his time on relations with Blacks. (Native Americans, not so much, based on quotes above.)
But that is not what this statue depicts. When Roosevelt had Booker T. Washington as a guest in the White House, Washington didn’t show up naked.
I am all for a statue of TR. that is not what this is about. Please put yourself in the shoes of an African-American or Native American viewing this statue. is that so hard to do?
“The American Museum of Natural History has asked to remove the Theodore Roosevelt statue”. Who has the authority at the museum to do this? Is it one person? Is it a vote of the board of directors? Because I am connected to this field, I know how corrupt things are behind the scenes of most museums on a variety of issues, I would love to know how this was decided and by who(m).
The property and the monument is owned by the City of New York. The museum made the request (they have no power in the matter beyond recommendation) and the city (most likely the mayor’s office) chose to act on it. The situation is similar to the removal of the “Civic Virtue” (name of the monument) that was removed from the grounds next to the Queens Borough Hall. Times and perceptions change. We all grow and change with them hopefully.
Statues (of historical persons) are depictions of artistic mythological versions of that person. If T.R. Is to be removed from his prominent perch in front of the A.M.N.H. then we ought to consider the removal of ALL statues of historical person. General Sherman on 59th Street made war against civilian targets and Eleanor Roosevelt on 72nd Street was (at least as a younger woman) an anti-Semite. There are no persons with whom fault cannot be found.
It’s the statue itself not Teddy’s resume that is disgraceful. It reeks of white supremacy and subjugation. Given their position next to TR, are the American Indian and the African American pets? Where’s the leash? Or, Lewis Sternberg, would you take their place beside Teddy’s horse? If so, what honor are you enjoying by being there? Can you really not see this statue for what it is?
What does the city do with the statues removed?
Do they get destroyed or are they in storage somewhere?
why not rewrite ALL unpleasant history-all of it
It’s true that symbols are just symbols, and removing them (or retaining) them does not in itself change history or solve a problem. At the same time, when a symbol stands for real harm done to a group of people, and especially when that harm has a lingering contemporary legacy that we still haven’t completely eradicated, then removing the symbol represents a important modern-day commitment to ending it once and for all. Swastikas, confederate flags, and representations like this one all fall into that category. If you belong to the group that wasn’t harmed, you don’t get to decide that everyone else should just get over it. Excellent and intelligent decision by the Roosevelt relative. Robert E. Lee’s descendant did the same thing when the Lee confederate memorial was taken down in Richmond.
What’s next? MLK & Gandhi cheated on their wives, VW was created by Hitler, Mercedes funded the gas chambers, Roald Dahl & Henry Ford were anti-semites. IBM supported the holocaust. Elvis, Charlie Chaplin, Chuck Berry,& Schrodinger were pedophiles. Shall we rid ourselves of their memory, their legacies, their technology, and music?
Michaelangelo’s David should be destroyed because David murdered Goliath – should a murderous act be memorialized as a work of art?
You are missing the point
Excellent points. Will the virtue mobs demand removal of anything associated with those people?
Also, Yale University was founded by a known slave trader. Rename it? Close it? Mob, what say you? Also, maybe the pyramids should be demolished since they were built by slaves? Where does it end??
for some reason my interpretation was that he was
together with the young African American and American native
Moving toward the future together .. I guess I completely miss- understood the piece .. to me that’s what I see, ill miss the great piece and what my interpretation was ..
I see the statue as depicting a man who is marching together with the other figures in a mutual mission, a love of the great outdoors. I am curious as to what the artists intentions were and what the assignment was for the statue. Roosevelt on a horse gives his figure artistic importance, a figure of height and significance and the horse is beautiful. He was an equestrian and he could have just been shown alone a horse but the artist is saying something about his relationship to others which I see as respectful.
Susan,
That’s how I saw it, too.
I just don’t understand how people see injustice in everything. Must be looking for it. As an artist myself, I know most artists seek to uplift in their work. Certainly not to create something negative and derogatory.
And I always thought that Roosevelt was mounted on a horse because he was a Rough Rider and war hero.
I always thought that Roosevelt was mounted on a horse because he was a Rough Rider and a hero of the Spanish-American War.
Same interpretation I always had. TR is on a horse because of his leading the Rough Riders during the war in Cuba, not because he is above the Native American and black man. You cannot reason with people who see what they want to see, are uneducated, and have no interest in learning about history. All history. We are creeping towards the Mao Chinese revolution, where all of history must be destroyed, and we start anew, with “Year Zero”.
Roosevelt is mounted on a horse because he was a Rough Rider and hero in the Spanish-American War.
Perhaps each of the three figures could have his own pedestal in re-thinking of this work.
97 shootings in the city already this month but this is a priority for liberals. Pathetic.
It’s a sad day indeed that the AMNH fell prey to the likes of Decolonize this Place, the woke mob, and “Duh Blasio” politics. They had the perfect opportunity to let the TR statue remain intact and to use it as an educational sounding board. They could have used the statue to inform others of past mistakes and of how not to repeat those same mistakes. Instead, they chose to erase history. I’m not a fan of Cuomo, but I’ll give him this one. At least he stepped up to the plate and had the balls to preserve the Christopher Columbus statue at Columbus Circle. The board of the AMNH needed to grow a pair and do the same thing. Rather, they chose to lie down and let Decolonize this Place, the mob, and corrupt politics walk all over them. I guess everyone has their price. For the past several years I have contributed annual charitable donations to the AMNH. Those days are forever over for me.
Yes, it’s unfortunate that many individuals and companies that still exist today participated in oppressive practices in the past.
The situation that we are discussing here is not one in which we have done detective work on a historical figure that leads us to condemn past positions. We are discussing the taking down of a present-day, visible, physical representation of those positions.
Although we do not pretend that we can change the oppressive history that is depicted, we do affirm the progress that we have made since then, and which render their physical representations unacceptable in contemporary society.
Bravo! And thank you Theodore Roosevelt IV
What a relief!
I only wish the Museum had thought to remove the statue decades ago. We all thought of it each time we brought our young children up the steps to the great Museum.
Good riddance to this embarrassing and offensive statue!
Whether or not you agree with the removal (I certainly do not), I can at least appreciate that this is how statues should be removed: thoughtfully and with discussion about the rationale, not pulled down by a mob and burned/hung.
Oh like they treated the indigenous people and black folks in America?? No let’s not do that to the statutes. Let’s treat the statues better than we treat each other. Great recommendations!! Keep them coming.
Superficial fix! Tell me how tearing down this statue is going to help blacks in this city? I’m sure out of work blacks are so grateful right now.
And do you really think the racists living among us will stop and think twice now that Teddy is no longer in front of the Museum of Natural History? Congrats, you just made him a martyr among white supremacists!
100% agree Marcus. That’s the most rational and reasonable response so far. If such an offensive statue should be removed, it should be put to a referendum so the public can have a voice. These virtue-signaling politicians who bow to the screaming mobs shouldn’t be able to wield such power. I know the Roosevelt family is for taking the statue down, but their opinion isn’t absolute, nor is others’. A referendum makes the most sense, for removal of any statue.
I completely agree with the statement that the statues for people who personify precisely some negative actions do not quite fit the city in order to be the center of attention. But I also want to say that in the modern world the statues themselves do not have such a colossal significance for all children. Many are not interested in the origin of this or that statue. But at the same time, from an aesthetic point of view, the statue looks pretty beautiful. And there is still such a moment that you will not please everything.
What I know about TR off the top of my head, is that He charged up San Juan Hill… Did he do that in a Ford Bronco? … No it was a bucking Bronco, a horse. The statue depicts a time and a place in History, and is marked to remember “How it used to be.” Open minded people realize that’s how it was…. and learn from that, and apply it to their lives, today. But when you remove the stature, you are saying, what happened then, doesn’t count anymore.
Ms Futter,
The “hierarchical “ statue of Teddy Roosevelt is an integral part of our history as New Yorkers and is an exquisite work of art and craftsmanship
It is a symbolic work designed to highlight the outdoorsman aspect of Roosevelts persona
Instead of depicting him alone, a handsome man of 2 other races in America are included to convey their importance as integral parts of America.
part 1
Part 2
His life as a naturalist of his times in addition to being the Commander inChief (thus portrayed hierarchically mounted as an illustrious hero).
The 2 men are not on horseback because THE MUSEUM HONORS ROOSEVELT AND HIS CONTRIBUTION.
Duh !!
We enjoy the story of him sparing the baby bear which gave birth to our calling small bears “Teddy”.
You are acting as an ignorant Maoist iconiclast in succumbing to the hypersensitive PC mob and its a disgrace.
Ava please run for Mayor.
Very bizarre time to be alive lately, we have everything to be happy and yet, people are turning into each other, get mad at statue and everything that has been achieved in the past, looking on one side of the story or should I say the only side that fit the narrative… it’s very bizarre to watch knowing that everything, past, present and future will have good and bad, it’s just part of humanity, I wish there were more acceptance and gratitude for the incredible lives we have already.
Perhaps I am naive but my take on this statue was that the two people next to TR were helping him and that he couldn’t have achieved what he did without them – I see it as a sign of multi-cultural teamwork. It’s not like they are on their knees shining TR’s boots or cleaning up the horse’s mess.
I am all for the removal of statues celebrating defeated confederate generals and the like, but I think we are going a bit to far with some of these.
Yup…very naive.:)
This should have been done years ago.
Please read the rest of the thread. I am clearly not the only one who sees it this way.
I learned in art history classes that art is subject to interpretation – that is the beauty of it. I can see why those who are upset might see things their way, but my interpretation also makes sense and should be considered. I think we are swinging too far from completely ignoring interpretations such as those that are leading people to want to take the statue down (and I truly respect their being upset about this) to quickly jumping to conclusions. There is no interpretation that a statue of Robert E Lee should go down – I am all for it. But this is more nuanced.
Based on your comments here, it seems like everyone must align with your interpretation of everything or else you will badger them to death. Hence, the demise of the Democratic party as we once knew it.
I’m not sure that some of the folks posting in the comments actually read the full article. The statue wasn’t removed to disappear Roosevelt from history, or even as a statement on his own political history; it was removed because the statue itself is offensive, reductive, paternalistic, and condescending. I mean, even his own great-great grandson (who, by the way, is 77 and a museum trustee) advocates for the removal of the statue because it **dishonors** the memory of Roosevelt! As per the article, he says: “The world does not need statues, relics of another age, that reflect neither the values of the person they intend to honor nor the values of equality and justice… The composition of the Equestrian Statue does not reflect Theodore Roosevelt’s legacy. It is time to move the statue and move forward.”
Theodore Roosevelt was in many ways a remarkable man. The city should commission another statue to honor him and one that promotes equality of all races.
Where did I get the narrative that the statue honored the guides that helped Roosevelt on his Western journeys? That is how I always saw it. Honoring not subjugation. Roosevelt on horseback only to signify that he had been President of the US. What I do clearly recall is that one of those journeys helped him overcome a deep depression. I loathe this cancel-culture writing the good a President accomplished out of history.
Once the statues are down, let’s go after the presidential libraries and burn all the books! Yea, George Orwell for giving us the model to follow.
Look, I’m not going to say that statue wasn’t problematic (sure the native people look noble and are walking, which was hugely race forward for 1940, but it’s still clear that Teddy is above them), but if AMNH is going down that road, they’d have to lose half their collection.
I’m all for removing the statue as a symbolic act. But it is just that and very little else. It also pisses people off, but what’s new? It doesn’t change any of the real issues that are happening now. Looking back at our history though is an active process. The whole Museum, in a way, seems to me an embodiment of Theodore Roosevelt and the era that he himself embodied, with with its dated dioramas, its elitist lodge sensibility, the inscriptions on the walls of the entrance hall, etc and those who worry about his legacy being destroyed don’t have to. Just the statue in front.
If it has taken the AMNH all these years to acknowledge their error, that they are a racist and cowardly institution, I will in political correctness no longer support this institution. Bye Bye AMNH. It was nice knowing you,
Veronica says, “If it has taken the AMNH all these years to acknowledge their error, that they are a racist and cowardly institution, I will in political correctness no longer support this institution.” Thank you Veronica. Maybe it will be a bit less crowded with you not going. Now if we could only do something about the vast crowd of tourists…..
Love him. Hated the statue. Hoping for the same president erected without the poor concept of the designers.
When my young daughter asked about the people in the statue and what they were doing it was a teaching moment but one I was not proud of. I’m glad the statue is going, hopefully to a place with the historical context it deserves and where people can choose to see it – not to a public space where by itself it also only stands for accepted racism.
In order to strike a balance and to be fair to all, why not remove the name of Malcolm X Boulevard. If asked, he would proudly describe himself as a racist.
Hi Susan/Karen – POC can’t be racist against white people. Racism is structural.
If a person of color, were to be prejudice against a white person it would likely have no broader systemic impact on the white person’s power (the white person would not lose income, face policing, be denied a job or access to education). If a white person were to do the reverse to a POC-it would likely have a larger structural implication (inhibit a POC from getting a job, accessing education, or criminalize them via police, etc).
This Malcolm X analogy is problematic and honestly, racist. Malcolm X was a black segregationist not a racist. Please be mindful of your statements and the racist implications (i.e. directing your anger at a decision erasing white supremacist imagery by suggesting the city should erase a symbol of black power in a historically black community of Harlem).
I ask that you and all the other commentators on this thread to step back and consider why you’re so angry about this decision. Is it really because of a statue? Or is it because a change like this reflects a broader societal shift in power? A shift in power in which your white supremacy, class privilege, and social hierarchy is being problematized and called into question. The anger on this page is about so much more than a statue. That much is evident.
To Native Upper West Sider-
My opposition to removing the statue has nothing to do with white supremacy, class privilege, etc. I see it as a tribute to a man who did a lot for our country with 2 other men who I see as looking strong & proud. Have you looked at their faces? They’re beautiful, uplifted. TR is on a horse because that was part of his identity. Why see subjugation? I see none of this negativity that others complain about.
If you look to be offended you always will be.
I see it as beautiful sculpture & I hate to see art destroyed.
I’d say he was indeed racist (if we follow the current definitions being thrown about). If you’ve read the writings and speech transcripts of X and his mentor Elijah Muhhamad, you would agree. Anti-semetic to the nth degree – believed Jews, as a people, were the lowest of the low. Pretty racist if you asked me.
They’re doing this to distract from the fact that their collection, like most of the museums in this city, are made up of artifacts plundered from countries around the world during times of colonialism. If you think we’re going to stop at the front door because you took one statue down to placate us, you’re deceiving yourself.