From the Wisconsin State Journal:
[O]n June 23, 2020, as protesters battered the “Forward” statue. A deep boom followed as the roughly one-ton bronze piece fell to the ground. Hundreds cheered. Shortly after, protesters tore down the Heg statue....
The night of unrest was prompted by the arrest of a local Black activist earlier that day after he walked into a restaurant carrying a baseball bat and swore at customers through a bullhorn....
The “Forward” statue, a replica of the original that is stored in the state archives, suffered abrasion damage from being pulled through the street, and some of the figure’s fingers broke off when the statue initially fell, [bronze fabricator Jay Jurma] said. The replica was also covered in red paint, a challenge to remove.
The Heg statue was “far more severely damaged,” Jurma said. When protesters pulled it down, one of the legs detached from the rest of the statue, the base became twisted and the whole statue became crooked, as if Heg were leaning forward. At some point the statue’s head came off. What remained of the statue was filled with mud from Lake Monona.
I did not realize the statues were about to be reinstalled. I'd been seeing the empty plinths, covered in plywood, for so long and felt outraged that the restoration had not yet occurred. Why wasn't it more of a political issue? What an awful sight — that blank plywood. What dismal symbolism.
That said, I do understand the protest. In that video and elsewhere, there are expressions of the idea that the protesters were ill-informed about the meaning of the statues and therefore made a mistake in targeting them. Quite aside from whether it's bad to destroy art and to damage public property, the protesters picked the wrong statues because Hans Christian Heg fought and gave his life for the abolitionist cause and "Forward" symbolizes the state's progressive values.
But the protesters had a theory of systemic racism, so the outward appearance of progressivism is part of the problem. To tear down the statues expresses outrage at the veneer of enlightenment that disguises and therefore facilitates the underlying evil.
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To tear down the statues expresses outrage at the enlightened veneer that disguises and therefore facilitates the underlying evil.
isn't that, word for word; Exactly what the Taliban said, when They were destroying statues?
I forget the specifics of the protest (what sticks is images of violence), but the excerpt says it was inspired by the arrest of a lunatic who used a lethal weapon to threaten innocent people in a restaurant. Given that fact, who cares if the protestors have a theory? So what? Everybody has a theory.
Given the cost to the public of this lawlessness and violence, is anything being done to bring the vandals to justice?
The enlightenment makes blacks look stupid, is the problem.
"But the protesters had a theory of systemic racism, so the outward appearance of progressivism is part of the problem. To tear down the statues expresses outrage at the veneer of enlightenment that disguises and therefore facilitates the underlying evil."
Yes, the outward appearance is not enough. One must do more, show more, think correctly, say only what you are allowed to say within the group. I wonder, were there statues pulled down around the country that would have met some standard for approved, history expunging statue destruction? You state the protestors "picked the wrong statues". I am hoping that was sarcasm. Were there more correct statues to be pulled down at that moment?
I mean, nothing says 'progressive' like destroying symbols of your own history and culture. It's been done all over the world by other backward nations and philosophies. Personally, I find it the gold standard for regressive thinking. It is the mark of Pol Pot, Mao, Lenin, Hitler- collectivists all. Noble in their causes for their people. Until they killed so many of their own people that the people longed for those statues again.
Althouse wrote: ...the protesters picked the wrong statues because Hans Christian Heg fought and gave his life for the abolitionist cause and "Forward" symbolizes the state's progressive values.
But the protesters had a theory of systemic racism, so the outward appearance of progressivism is part of the problem. To tear down the statues expresses outrage at the veneer of enlightenment that disguises and therefore facilitates the underlying evil.
This a crystal clear example of how some on the left are extremely bigoted and conservative people, but out of power. When in power all bigots generate the same problems. The moderates had worked with their own to educate and keep this nonsense under control for decades. [But in their minds, Trump made it "okay" to do anything to win.]
If either party stops policing its own, the rise of ignorance and bigotry will doom us to a future of petty tribalism.
Torn down by democrat leftwing brownshirts.
And taxpayers get to pay for it all, whilst Joe Bidens FBI is blaming Trump supporters for being Domestic Terrorists when it has been BLM and ANTIFA all along.
The unfortunate (and unthinking) Madison protesters look longingly at places with actual statues to come down: Stonewall Jackson, Robt E Lee, etc. Oh well, what's an upstanding young radical to do! Any statue in a storm I guess.
I'm glad to see them restored.
You can’t be serious. Their theory was: “This is a statue of a white person. Tear it down.”
AA: Nice effort to try and paper-over the "mostly peaceful" behavior of those targeting the statues.
You missed the lede: your state & city government let all the destruction happen rather than arrest and detain a few riotous black(?) people at the beginning.
But the protesters had a theory of systemic racism, so the outward appearance of progressivism is part of the problem.
Protesting civilization by being uncivilized - what did that accomplish?
To tear down the statues expresses outrage at the veneer of enlightenment that disguises and therefore facilitates the underlying evil.
What underlying evil? That's a serious charge worthy of specifics and clear examples.
That's some deep thinking from Ann, perhaps more than the situation deserves.
A different theory is some people hire other people to break shit to inspire disaffected people to politically support the people that don't prosecute the people that break shit. Our man Hans was just collateral damage.
From the post:
"But the protesters had a theory of systemic racism, so the outward appearance of progressivism is part of the problem. To tear down the statues expresses outrage at the veneer of enlightenment that disguises and therefore facilitates the underlying evil."
I think you're being too charitable toward the people who tore down the statues. I believe their motive was more sinister- something more like extortion. It's as if their statement was 'nice icons you got there...would be a shame if we had to tear down more of them.' This was before the November election, so I see it as a threat against those who would vote for Trump.
I think "me too" mob momentum of human lemming nature resulted in any convenient statue becoming a target of opportunity for pulling down. It's surprising that they are being re-erected on their plinthforms in your crazy town. I used to think of Madison as the Santa Cruz of the Midwest. Now I believe it's more appropriate to call Santa Cruz the Madison of the West coast.
"But the protesters had a theory of systemic racism, so the outward appearance of progressivism is part of the problem. To tear down the statues expresses outrage at the veneer of enlightenment that disguises and therefore facilitates the underlying evil."
That's one theory. Another is that the "protesters" were actually nihilists who were looking for stuff that would be relatively easy to destroy and that they could get away with destroying, and therefore they focused on statues without giving a ton of thought to who the individual subjects of the statues were or what they represented.
It’s difficult to turn “...outrage at the veneer of enlightenment that disguises and therefore facilitates the underlying evil,” into a rhythmic chant with clapping on the streets. “Fu shi up” works better.
Hey, Hey, Ho, Ho, the veneer of enlightenment has got to go!
These protesters, mired in a dim swamp of irrational, nihilistic theory, were protesting the Enlightenment. They are fortunate that the current police doctrine appears to be to let these riots play themselves out. In a different world, they would be picking their teeth out of the gutter. We may get back to that when the elites who fostered this line of thought feel threatened by their own creation.
Now if they would produce a statue of Scott Walker holding up the offensive rock they recently removed, well , i'd travel to see that.
As an outsider, it looks like the destruction of the statues was because a mob was looking to trash something. These statues were visible and accessible. In the same vein, businesses were not looted across the country because the rioters were Marxists and violently opposed to capitalism. They were looted because of the free stuff available with no prospect of punishment.
Or, to use another example, the fact that Capitol Hill riot protestors were beating on cops does not mean right wing ideology is anti-police. It just means that emotions plus the seeming anonymity of a large crowd can quickly lead to incredibly destructive behavior.
Althouse said...
"That said, I do understand the protest... the protesters had a theory..."
I take that as Althouse grasps the mindset of the protesters, not the validity of their 'theory' behind the protest.
I submit that they were barbarians, criminals and anarchists.
Did any of those Madison criminals get caught and sent to jail?
You understand the protest? They were protesting because some asshole who walked into a restaurant with a bullhorn and a baseball bat was arrested for doing so? I fail to understand that at all. We are heading toward a place where that kind of bullshit is met with a violent response. And when those who are pushing for a race war actually get it, they will be appalled by the bloodletting that will occur. Me, I dread what seems to be coming. I never thought this country would turn into Yugoslavia after the breakup....but I am being forced to rethink that.
I suppose if "understand the protests" is not being used in the sense of "see how the priests are justified" or "condone the protests." That the protesters had a theory of systemic racism, held because they don't see equal outcomes between white and black Americans, doesn't justify their actions any more than, say, a woman's theory that her husband is unfaithful that she forms because he works late night justify her greeting him at the door with a rolling pin in her hand and mayhem on her mind.
It seems to me that -especially in a university! - society has a right to expect that those who hold theories about its innate evil ought to have to defend those theories before they're permitted to try to destroy it. And given the value that society unquestionably holds for keeping people alive and, in our society anyway, largely prosperous, the protesters also ought to have some burden of proof that their alternative to the society they intend to destroy can do that job at least as well.
"...held because they don't see equal outcomes between white and black Americans..."
Hmmm...we may have an input/outcome problem here.
Just to take the focus off white folks for a second, let's consider the individual inputs into cultural development by Asian Americans. Can anyone doubt that those who diligently work hard at developing their intellectual and cultural talents get better outcomes insofar as intellectual and cultural achievement is concerned? How is that unfair?
Now let's look at the NFL and the NBA. What do we see? A lot of athletic talent has been channeled by individuals into the highest levels of achievement in these sports. How are these outcomes unfair?
The whole "racism in outcomes" controversy is an effort to cloud the effect of individual inputs on outcomes.
Howard : "I think "me too" mob momentum of human lemming nature resulted in any convenient statue becoming a target of opportunity for pulling down."
You literally spent an entire year claiming only confederate statues were being torn down and calling anyone who disagreed with you a confederacy supporting white supremacist.
Literally.
Giving cover to violent extremist mobs by publicly stating that their motives are understandable, and by arguing that their error was in picking the wrong targets, is irresponsible, cowardly and indicative, at best, of an ivory tower mindset. What could be the purpose other than to coddle (support?) the mob or to preen?
Oh, I understand there was an expression of outrage, not about the violence but rather the slow restoration! Yes, what dismal symbolism [... to delay the clean-up]. Well, at least judgment expressly was reserved as to whether destroying public property is bad. Wouldn't want to dilute the message that the mob's actions were understandable and that they need to be more careful in choosing targets.
When retribution is brought home to these people and their supporters and apologists, will taking a stand against THAT violence be avoided? Will outrage be saved for the slowness of the clean up? I hope people wake up and stop giving passes for this type of anti-social behavior so we never have to find out. But if we do, it will be understandable.
My great great grandfather (and namesake) of the 2nd South Carolina - Kershaw's brigade of Longstreet's Corp - who fought at Chicamaugua just to Heg's and the Wisconsin Volunteer's left agrees with the decision to replace that brave man's statue. I was there several years ago and was emotionally moved to find it on the steps of the capitol. My Ouija board says all is well for the time being.
How littlie it will take to spark the riots that will bring them down again, and more.....
Their theory of systemic racism was before BLM leaders discovered the joy of million dollar home ownership in white conclaves and million dollar contracts to produce their warmed up Marxist drivel for Hollywood elitists with pangs of white guilt between pumpkin spice lattes. Hustlers always end up in the same place, striving to join the well-heeled lifestyles of Jet Stream Jessie Jackson and tax evading Al Sharpton.
BTW, the objects of scorn for such activists are always the wrong ones that are on the approved list of the political left. The targets are politically useful for the left while misdirecting scorn and rage from the true source of systemic racism in the teachers unions. But we can’t aim at them - they are among the largest contributors to Democrat politicians and focusing on them might actually solve the problem of systemic racism and remove the greatest issue of the Democrat party.
The people who tear down statues are just useful idiots to the power brokers of the left.
Jamie said...
It seems to me that -especially in a university! - society has a right to expect that those who hold theories about its innate evil ought to have to defend those theories before they're permitted to try to destroy it
which lets me tie into:
Two-thirds of students say it is acceptable to shout down a speaker to prevent them from speaking on campus, almost one in four say it is acceptable to use violence to stop a campus speech
I'm so old I can recall when Lefties were the smart kids on campus.
The night of unrest was prompted by the arrest of a local Black activist earlier that day after he walked into a restaurant carrying a baseball bat and swore at customers through a bullhorn.
The name of this profoundly stupid man is Devonere Johnson.
The people who honored him by pulling down the statues are likewise profoundly stupid.
That said, I do understand the protest. In that video and elsewhere, there are expressions of the idea that the protesters were ill-informed about the meaning of the statues and therefore made a mistake in targeting them.
Everything about the riots was rooted in ignorance and power politics. Those who wanted power manipulated the ignorant.
"Protests".... yet "We live in luxury".
That's how stupid these "protests" are.
the left - "We are such good anti-racists. We rip down all history to prove it, just in case. we are woke, we are superior, and we are progressives!"
I've got a theory, too.
The theory is that in the next wave of "mostly peaceful protests" they'll be coming after what they see as your rich, entitled, privileged white ass and property.
Maybe you'll understand that, too.
Why are they called "Protestors" instead of "Left-wing protesters"? Or "black supremists"?
Its impossible to keep commenting on the "double-think" of our elites. They've made it clear that vandalizing public propoerty is OK as long as they agree with it. OTOH, if they don't agree with it, they will crush you.
BLM/Antifa can riot, loot, and cause the death of 60 people. PUnishment? A slap on the wrist. A few Trump supporters walk into the Capital and steal Nancy' computer and its an INSURRECTION! and people are still rotting away in jail for the crime of Tresspassing. A man in DC was recently sentenced to 3 years in jail for Stealing a BLM flag. Mitt Romney and Liz cheney applaud.
“ But the protesters had a theory of systemic racism, so the outward appearance of progressivism is part of the problem. To tear down the statues expresses outrage at the veneer of enlightenment that disguises and therefore facilitates the underlying evil.”
You forgot the sarc font.
Serious question: what is to prevent the next vandals from doing it all again? Will there be armed guards? Razor wire? Security cameras? Because the symbolism of tearing them down *again* will be even more powerful than the first time (which could be explained away as an act of passion due to the treatment of the moron with the baseball bat and bullhorn). However, the symbolism of guarding the restored statues will be just as bad as a second assault. “Dear fellow citizens and taxpayers: we don’t trust you.”
Almost every possible course of action here—failing to restore the statues, restoring them and guarding them, restoring them and not guarding them and having them wrecked again— is depressingly bad.
MANDATORY RACISM: UW-Madison department to faculty: participate in annual ‘anti-racist’ experience, or lose your pay raise.
https://campusreform.org/article?id=18183
"...the protesters picked the wrong statues...."
So that future mobs can be better informed, which are the appropriate statues for destruction and defacement to protest forcibly removing a deranged person (armed with bullhorn and baseball bat) from a restaurant.
Perhaps the statutes could be pre-identified with placards on the plinth.
If he tried that here, he’d be shot and disarmed, It’s nice to live in a civilized place. So how are your little thugs going to pay for the repairs? They’re not? That won’t be a burden on a nicely pensioned law professor, but I couldn’t make eye contact with the lady who stacks shelves in the grocery store, babbling this shit. I’d love to hear the reaction of ordinary people — except no sane ordinary person can dare speak out.
You silenced the citizens. You took their rights away by not demanding, as a public figure, that the felons be caught, punished and made to pay. You had a responsibility conferred by your status, and you literally praised the thugs. I hope store owner who had to replace their glass store windows know about how much that amused you.
Think about it: you couldn’t do anything? Why not? Fear, or something far more pernicious?
"...the arrest of a local Black activist earlier that day after he walked into a restaurant carrying a baseball bat and swore at customers through a bullhorn"
That's illegal in Wisconsin? I do that all the time.
I did not realize the statues were about to be reinstalled.
Maybe they kept it quiet on purpose......
So what is Devonere Johnson up to these days. Don’t see that mentioned in the article.
""Forward" symbolizes the state's progressive values."
So, the mob knew what it was doing.
Why weren't the cocksuckers who tore it down arrested? They could have paid the bill to fix the statue.
If you ever want to know who (left or right) is on the side of the angels, just look to see who is hell-bent on destruction...on tearing everything down.
It's not difficult.
I'm outraged too. Open borders, rampant crime, covid lock downs, covid mandates, inflation, business failures, labor shortage, civil unrest, Haitian invasion at the southern border, Biden corruption, leftist trampling of the constitution, defunding the police, trashing of our values, stolen elections and election fraud. Yeah, I got some outrage too.
Hanlon X. Gritzkofe @ 9:32: “… Perhaps the statutes could be pre-identified with placards on the plinth.”
I think the way they do this now is, Antifa* tweets a message on when and where to meet, with what equipment, to take out which monument (or police station, department store, etc). Flash mob. There may be a secret list of targets but there is no need to tag them beforehand.
I see no easy way to stop that kind of destruction except with extreme violence. Infiltrating the Antifa* cells may work but it’s slow going. Andy Ngo wrote a good book on this last year.
*”Antifa” is just a placeholder name. BLM seems to operate in similar fashion at times. There is no shortage of wannabe vandals and looters that can form and disperse at will.
Hey, that could work for the Capitol protest: outrage at the enlightened veneer that blah blah blah...
Now that the racial and progressive goodness of these symbols has been explained calmly and rationally to those who tore them down, what is the over/under on how long the statues remain standing?
But if it happens again, the painted murals on the plywood covering the broken windows will make it all better again. So profound and beautiful!
they don't see equal outcomes between white and black Americans,
There are about 2.5 times as many white people "in poverty" as there are black people in poverty:
(.76*.08) / (.13*.19) = 2.46
they don't see equal outcomes between white and black Americans,
There are about 2.5 times as many white people "in poverty" than black people in poverty: (.76*.08)/(.13*.19) = 2.46
"You state the protestors "picked the wrong statues". I am hoping that was sarcasm."
It was my characterization of what people were saying. I proceed to explain why I think that was wrong.
It's a separate question whether vandalism is okay as a protest. That's easy and it's not my topic here. I am addressing those who are saying the wrong target was picked. I'm not being sarcastic. I am explaining the serious meaning of the belief in systemic racism.
So Heg came back to you?
I've seen your picture.
Your name in lights above it.
This is your big debut.
It's like a dream come true.
So won't you smile for the camera,
I know they're gonna love it, Heg.
If the state does not keep putting up statues, how can the righteous keep pulling them down?
Not everyone of conscience could make it to the first destruction. Or the 33rd.
"Forward" symbolizes the state's progressive values.
All the better to avoid prosecution.
Prof. A: “…I am explaining the serious meaning of the belief in systemic racism.”
Thought so. And you did a good job. Which exposes the invincible fatuity of the belief. It’s Marxism in blackface, attracting every troublemaker for miles around.
I don't live in Madison so I don't know what's changed there. I'm not particularly encouraged by the symbolism of the restoration of order. Is sytemic racism now sufficiently defeated and removed so that you can now tolerate the veneer of Enlightenment?
Or will there be a next time when political activists incite riots and perhaps the statues will be completely destroyed by the protesters? Or will the police decide to move in more forcefully to prevent this kind of pointless destruction?
I hope instead that there will be some attempt at rectification or condemnation of violence by the Democratic Party and BLM. But I'm not optimistic since the vast destruction incited by BLM and Antifa was called mostly peaceful protests and the focus of official condemnation moved on to right wing Trump supporters.
But the protesters had a theory of systemic racism, so the outward appearance of progressivism is part of the problem. To tear down the statues expresses outrage at the veneer of enlightenment that disguises and therefore facilitates the underlying evil.
Notable that the only time ideological labels are applied to left-wing violence is in commentary of news articles on left-wing violence. We see "progressivism" mentioned here, and the post gets the "left-wing ideology" tag, but the article? The folks behind this are ideologically neutral "protesters."
It is a trait of left-wing journalism that left-wing actions never be labeled left-wing. Readers must believe that all bad people come from the right.
DUSTER said...
Now if they would produce a statue of Scott Walker holding up the offensive rock they recently removed, well , i'd travel to see that.
-----
you mean like Atlas?
I would advise him to shrug.
"...the belief in systemic racism."
What is "systemic racism?" For there to be "systemic racism" there would needs be a system behind it. The largest, most prevalent and potent "system" involved in the issue is government. Government demands to know at every encounter: "What race?"
All of government at every level, it seems, quantifies and calibrates largely by the metric of "race." Government demands, often at pain of fine, imprisonment, or loss livlihood that individuals and businesses trouble themselves to do the same.
Yet SFAIK government has yet to publish a table of standards wherein "race" is defined and can be determined.
So... If if diminution of "systemic racism" is an objective, our first action should be to tamp down government. Put the squeeze on it. Choke it back. Deny it funds to operate. Yes, keep the police, but defund most of the rest of government.
==============
Now it could be that what has all these people's panties in a twist is not "systemic racism" but rather "inherent racism." That would be the natural human disposition to place a stranger, at first encounter, on a spectrum of likely friend <> possible threat, based on how much or little the stranger looks, speaks, and acts like oneself.
The key word here is "inherent." It is built in to the human genome. Everyone does it. Like it or not, it is unnatural to not do so.
I am explaining the serious meaning of the belief in systemic racism.
---------
Professora - as cruelly and neutrally as possible - how does mere racism guide target selection?
The whole "racism in outcomes" controversy is an effort to cloud the effect of individual inputs on outcomes.
I said, "they don't see [rather than "there are unequal outcomes"] equal outcomes [rather than equal rights and opportunities] between white and black Americans," in, I believe, the same sense that our host says she "understood" the protests. Basically I'm giving the other side as much benefit of the doubt as I possibly can, to avoid thinking my fellow Americans are knaves rather than just fools.
I kind of think our host was trolling us... but I promise, I was not. Just trying to be a slightly better person than my nature would tend to allow.
To tear down the statues expresses outrage at the veneer of enlightenment that disguises and therefore facilitates the underlying evil.
-----------
I sense an emotional high
- you still have not bothered to identify who is wearing this disguise you speak of!
- it is also not clear if you are claiming/granting that enlightenment inevitably imbues racism in the enlightened.
- if you are saying enlightenment can be faked what would be the test ?
"Forward" symbolizes the state's progressive values.
Your state's progressive values are the values of decay. Decay is a forward moving process. Societal entropy. Those are your state's progressive values...
Yes, Duster,
Bring back the rock.
the protesters had a theory of systemic racism, so the outward appearance of progressivism is part of the problem.
Theories are like assholes. Everybody's got one, and most of them stink.
"But the protesters had a theory of systemic racism, so the outward appearance of progressivism is part of the problem. To tear down the statues expresses outrage at the veneer of enlightenment that disguises and therefore facilitates the underlying evil."
The outward appearance of everything is part of the problem, right?
They should have just dumped all the broken pieces of the statues in front of the plinths.
A reminder to the citizens of what it's like when good men do nothing.
So they have a theory.
Yeah Ann. Vandalism isn’t important until they trash you pretty little yard, and you pretty little house.
Disgusting.
Ann,
I'd been seeing the empty plinths, covered in plywood, for so long and felt outraged that the restoration had not yet occurred. Why wasn't it more of a political issue? What an awful sight — that blank plywood. What dismal symbolism.
Why "dismal"? The symbolism is exactly what the protesters wanted and got: hastily boarded-up plinths surmounted by . . . nothing. The symbolism is, in fact, ganz perfekt. I wouldn't change a thing.
I’m sure that this re-enstatuation and consequent refutation of the mighty bronze relocation efforts of the minority students will make them “tired” and will require professors to excuse them from homework due dates.
The night of unrest was prompted by the arrest of a local Black activist earlier that day after he walked into a restaurant carrying a baseball bat and swore at customers through a bullhorn
Gosh, I can't possibly imagine why someone might be arrested for doing that!
Especially a highly racially privileged black male. I mean, aren't they supposed to be free to do anything they want, no matter how often a white male would be arrested for doing that?
And I can totally see why protesters would destroy a bunch of statues to opposed the injustice of a black male being arrested for harassing people!
/sarc
Anyone taking odds on how soon the statues will be pulled down again? Because they will.
Sven sells Ole a chainsaw tells him he will cut three times as much wood. Ole comes back the next day says I only cut one third as much wood. Sven says there must be something wrong with the saw, let me see it. He starts it up. BARRRANG. Ole jumps, "What's that noise?"
Lots of people have theories. They also have lies they live by. The statue warriors said they "didn't feel safe" around those statues. So they tore them down. The war on statues is stupid.
"These protesters, mired in a dim swamp of irrational, nihilistic theory, were protesting the Enlightenment."
Yeah, I regretted that word choice shortly after publishing this post. But I didn't change it. What is "wokeness" but enlightenment? Now, as back in the days of THE Enlightenment, people were pronouncing themselves loftier than those other people.
What most makes me want to edit that last sentence is the use of "veneer" with "enlightenment." "Veneer" is a thin, solid material glued onto a surface to make it seem as though an object is composed of that material all the way through. Light isn't material at all but energy, and it works with our vision to enable us to understand what we are looking at. "Enlightenment" is experienced in the brain when we see and understand. "Veneer of enlightenment" was supposed to mean that the government is doing superficial things to look enlightened when it is not. But we're looking at the government trying to look enlightened and we're tricked by whatever this superficial stuff is. But — sorry to take so long getting to the point — the stuff that composes the veneer is not enlightenment.
Anyone taking odds on how soon the statues will be pulled down again? Because they will.
Shortly after the BLM starts complaining about the systemic racism of our grocery stores because none of the food packaging has Black faces on it.
Gahrie,
Shortly after the BLM starts complaining about the systemic racism of our grocery stores because none of the food packaging has Black faces on it.
Or Native American faces, for that matter. Only white faces are permissible on food containers. So The Colonel is OK for KFC, as Little Caesars' squished Roman is for their pizza. But a Black, or Hispanic, or Asian visage is right out.
"In that video and elsewhere, there are expressions of the idea that the protesters were ill-informed about the meaning of the statues and therefore made a mistake in targeting them."
This made me think of the GK Chesterton's thoughts about tearing down a fence. “If you don’t see the use of it, I certainly won’t let you clear it away. Go away and think. Then, when you can come back and tell me that you do see the use of it, I may allow you to destroy it.” I think we would do well to apply his advice to statues as well as fences.
Sorry Ann. This isn’t about semantics. You praised the destruction. Maybe start a fund for local businesses that suffered.
Also, denounce the violence, despite the personal cost.
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