We were told years ago, when rallying cries went up to remove Confederate statutes, flags, etc., that there was no slippery slope; that Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, etc. were safe. After all, the Confederates were "traitors" (I agree) and should not be revered (I agree). One might agree or disagree that Confederate figures should not be publicly displayed. There's not really a good-faith argument that they should be honored. They took up arms against the United States for the purpose of perpetuating slavery.
But we are clearly past the point of any kind of slippery slope. Imperfect figures (they were human, after all) who made enormous contributions to humanity, traditions only tangentially linked (at best) to racism, and cultural artifacts that were once part of the American canon have been threatened.
I think it makes sense to document just how far the efforts to revise or warp history have gone. So, I want to keep a list (with substantiation) of historical figures, traditions, etc. that are threatened with removal in one way or another by the current atmosphere.
And I want to limit this to fairly widespread calls for removal; a few random tweets doesn't justify inclusion on this list.
George Washington - https://www.cbsnews.com/news/george-washington-statue-toppled-protesters-portland-oregon/
Thomas Jefferson - https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/loc...son-statue-be-removed-from-city-hall/2471910/
Winston Churchill - https://www.newsweek.com/churchill-statue-black-lives-matter-protest-1511361
The Eyes of Texas - https://www.texasmonthly.com/the-culture/ut-austin-eyes-of-texas-song-racist/
Texas Rangers - https://sports.yahoo.com/columnist-...nforcement-agencys-racist-past-224820387.html
Gone with the Wind (and potentially other movies) - https://variety.com/2020/film/news/gone-with-the-wind-problem-films-forrest-gump-1234640666/
Gator Bait chant - https://www.espn.com/college-sports...ait-cheer-band-performance-due-racist-history
University professors accurately quoting keystone historical documents (in this case, MLK's Letter from Birmingham Jail) - https://reason.com/2020/06/07/ucla-...birmingham-jail-showing-video-about-lynching/
Star Spangled Banner - https://www.sandiegouniontribune.co...hange-national-anthem-20171108-htmlstory.html
**Uncle Ben's Rice - https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/uncle-ben-s-change-its-branding-part-parent-company-s-n1231329
**Aunt Jemima Syrup - https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-new...change-name-remove-image-quaker-says-n1231260
The name of the City of Austin - https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/31/us/stephen-f-austin-renaming.html
Abraham Lincoln - https://nypost.com/2020/06/15/boston-considers-removing-statue-of-lincoln-with-freed-slave/
Christopher Columbus - https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/10/us/christopher-columbus-statues-down-trnd/index.html
Eskimo pies - https://nypost.com/2020/06/19/eskimo-pies-to-drop-derogatory-name-over-racial-insensitivity/
Junipero Serra - https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/06/20/junipero-serra-statue-toppled-at-golden-gate-park/
Francis Scott Key - https://www.ktvu.com/news/junipero-...ues-toppled-in-san-francisco-golden-gate-park
Ulysses S. Grant - https://www.newsweek.com/san-francisco-protests-ulysses-s-grant-statue-slavery-1512316
Theodore Roosevelt - https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/21/...atural-history.html?smtyp=cur&smid=tw-nytimes
The Masters - https://deadspin.com/we-ve-lived-with-the-masters-name-long-enough-1844121041
Rhode Island - https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rhode-...es-official-name-due-to-slavery-connotations/
Master bedrooms - https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/25/us/master-houston-association-of-realtors-trnd/index.html?utm_medium=social&utm_content=2020-06-26T04:55:05&utm_source=twCNN&utm_term=link
Frederick Douglass - https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...rick-Douglass-hacked-base-damaged-repair.html
John Wayne - https://www.latimes.com/california/...-exhibit-nearly-a-year-after-student-protests
I'm sure I'm missing some. And I'm sure this list will grow.
Note that I don't see much of a problem with removing those items marked by asterisks (**). They still belong on the list as being removed or threatened with removal due to the current climate.
But we are clearly past the point of any kind of slippery slope. Imperfect figures (they were human, after all) who made enormous contributions to humanity, traditions only tangentially linked (at best) to racism, and cultural artifacts that were once part of the American canon have been threatened.
I think it makes sense to document just how far the efforts to revise or warp history have gone. So, I want to keep a list (with substantiation) of historical figures, traditions, etc. that are threatened with removal in one way or another by the current atmosphere.
And I want to limit this to fairly widespread calls for removal; a few random tweets doesn't justify inclusion on this list.
George Washington - https://www.cbsnews.com/news/george-washington-statue-toppled-protesters-portland-oregon/
Thomas Jefferson - https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/loc...son-statue-be-removed-from-city-hall/2471910/
Winston Churchill - https://www.newsweek.com/churchill-statue-black-lives-matter-protest-1511361
The Eyes of Texas - https://www.texasmonthly.com/the-culture/ut-austin-eyes-of-texas-song-racist/
Texas Rangers - https://sports.yahoo.com/columnist-...nforcement-agencys-racist-past-224820387.html
Gone with the Wind (and potentially other movies) - https://variety.com/2020/film/news/gone-with-the-wind-problem-films-forrest-gump-1234640666/
Gator Bait chant - https://www.espn.com/college-sports...ait-cheer-band-performance-due-racist-history
University professors accurately quoting keystone historical documents (in this case, MLK's Letter from Birmingham Jail) - https://reason.com/2020/06/07/ucla-...birmingham-jail-showing-video-about-lynching/
For a well-reasoned counter-argument on the last item, see here: https://reason.com/2020/06/11/prof-...rd-law-on-accurately-quoting-racial-epithets/
Star Spangled Banner - https://www.sandiegouniontribune.co...hange-national-anthem-20171108-htmlstory.html
**Uncle Ben's Rice - https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/uncle-ben-s-change-its-branding-part-parent-company-s-n1231329
**Aunt Jemima Syrup - https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-new...change-name-remove-image-quaker-says-n1231260
The name of the City of Austin - https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/31/us/stephen-f-austin-renaming.html
Abraham Lincoln - https://nypost.com/2020/06/15/boston-considers-removing-statue-of-lincoln-with-freed-slave/
Christopher Columbus - https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/10/us/christopher-columbus-statues-down-trnd/index.html
Eskimo pies - https://nypost.com/2020/06/19/eskimo-pies-to-drop-derogatory-name-over-racial-insensitivity/
Junipero Serra - https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/06/20/junipero-serra-statue-toppled-at-golden-gate-park/
Francis Scott Key - https://www.ktvu.com/news/junipero-...ues-toppled-in-san-francisco-golden-gate-park
Ulysses S. Grant - https://www.newsweek.com/san-francisco-protests-ulysses-s-grant-statue-slavery-1512316
Theodore Roosevelt - https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/21/...atural-history.html?smtyp=cur&smid=tw-nytimes
The Masters - https://deadspin.com/we-ve-lived-with-the-masters-name-long-enough-1844121041
Rhode Island - https://www.cbsnews.com/news/rhode-...es-official-name-due-to-slavery-connotations/
Master bedrooms - https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/25/us/master-houston-association-of-realtors-trnd/index.html?utm_medium=social&utm_content=2020-06-26T04:55:05&utm_source=twCNN&utm_term=link
Frederick Douglass - https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...rick-Douglass-hacked-base-damaged-repair.html
John Wayne - https://www.latimes.com/california/...-exhibit-nearly-a-year-after-student-protests
I'm sure I'm missing some. And I'm sure this list will grow.
Note that I don't see much of a problem with removing those items marked by asterisks (**). They still belong on the list as being removed or threatened with removal due to the current climate.
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