July 19, 2020: 

Roy,  (my friend since the 5th grade) sent me a forwarded copy of an email he received and desired to share for my thoughts. 

my response to his email.

Thanks for sharing Things I Don’t Understand by Joseph M. Valenzano.  Not your average email in terms of length.  Since I value our friendship and since you forwarded it to me, I will share a few thoughts.

At first this appears to be a list of 15 things Mr. Valenzano doesn’t understand but instead includes 29 questions. Looks like the questions are rhetorical, but it’s possible he might benefit from a few answers.

Since he doesn’t cite his sources, it’s not clear to me how reliable they are.  I made it a practice as a teacher to only use credible source material and cite my sources which I’ll do here so you can determine whether or not I’m just blowing smoke.

Let’s start with why the New York Museum of Natural History just decided to remove the statue of Teddy Roosevelt which has stood at the entrance of the museum since 1940. 

Mr. Valenzano writes: "It seems that young revolutionaries want to rewrite our history, but how is that possible? You cannot erase history; you can only learn from it. George Santayana once wrote, " those who ignore the lessons of history are condemned to repeat it." So, I am wondering, if we consciously try to erase history and rewrite it as we believe it should have been, how will we ever learn of the mistakes we made in the past so that they will not be made again?"

My reply to one Mr. Valenzano's rhetorical questions but I wonder if he has ever seen the Roosevelt statue at the New York Museum of Natural History. I'd never seen it but I quickly found it on line.

So why is the New York Museum of Natural History removing the statue of Theodore Roosevelt from the entrance?

Philip Deloria, Harvard history professor is featured in this video: The Meaning of a Monument.

Andrew Ross, director of American Studies at New York University. 

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/statue-theodore-roosevelt-removed-reexamination-racist-acts-180975154/

Memorial statue controversies: https://books.google.com/books?id=FUE5EBdYseUC&pg=PA83&lpg=PA83&dq=john+russell+pope+%22controversies%22&source=bl&ots=fcjM_cgSsr&sig=ACfU3U1yi2KZhp28LjdIGKWhZ8kZtBbZvQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi3p-C47r7qAhXIqZ4KHQc-Bl4Q6AEwDHoECBAQAQ#v=onepage&q=john%20russell%20pope%20%22controversies%22&f=false

Let's take a closer look at a statue

that's been contested by activists for 50 years.

What's your first reaction?

My first reaction: Has Theodore Roosevelt taken two prisoners? If this statue commemorates an event including Native and African Americans. I'd mount them on horses along side Roosevelt.  So it's not clear what the artist intended or was commissioned to portray. 

One visitor commented:  "The african man is almost completely naked, we're calling them a primitive society?"

To be factual, the two walking figures were to represent two continents where President Roosevelt hunted, they represent possibly, his guides.

To quote Mabel O. Wilson, a prominent scholar: 

“Here was Theodore Roosevelt, great American figure, stalwart, riding on his horse. I mean he’s holding the horse, it’s reined,” 

“It always to me seemed like a narrative of domestication. Like the horse has been tamed, the Native American, the indigenous populations had been tamed. The conquest of the African continent was also about sort of taming the savage, right? The savage beast,” Wilson continues. “And that was the narrative that was communicated to me.”

Roy, now that you've seen the statue, please take time to share your thoughts.

I remember reading Black Elk Speaks and Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee at the beginning of my teaching career.  Both books gave voices not represented in high school American History text books. A deeper knowledge of Native American History might lead to a better understanding the sentiments of those wanting to have the statue removed.

Mr. Joseph Valenzano, I recommend these two books to you and look forward to discussing your thoughts, and look forward to our chat after you view the video above.

Toby, another point to discuss.

 

Political correctness currently running rampant in our culture…

https://www.youtube.com/embed/hiU20QjKPCo

My good friend Bill and I benefit from our exchanges so much that he forwarded to me this link featuring George Will.

I followed the link but wondered about Prager University.  I found that Prager U is not a college so why they are masquerading as a university?  I postulate that they intend to lend academic believability to their organization and media consumables. Made me wonder: why their attack on Political Correctness?

There was a recent protest on the steps of the New York Public Library where demonstrators pressed again for the removal of the statue of Theodore Roosevelt. I wondered about the controversy and discovered these photos. Turns out demonstrations for it's removal have been going on for decades.

Though the term Political correctness, PC has taken on a meaning beyond it's literal dimensions, here's my take on the removal of the Roosevelt statue: I imagined sitting atop Harney Peak with Black Elk, a Lakota Medicine Man,d telling the story of his native american ancestors. Then I imagined standing with him across the street from the New York Public Library.  Then a question came to mind: Would Black Elk want the statue moved to a non public space, like a private collection?

It is a magnificent monument celebrating President Roosevelt but I'd commission a sculpture celebrating three commanding men on magnificent horses.

Harney Peak now Black Elk Peak: What's In A Name

Name officially changed August 11, 2016.