January 31, 2024

"If it turns out it was racially motivated, then obviously that is a deeper societal issue and it certainly would make this a much more concerning theft."

Said Bob Lutz, director of League 42, a youth baseball group named after Jackie Robinson's jersey number, quoted in "Jackie Robinson statue found burned, dismantled in Wichita trash can" (WaPo).

The statue, which had stood in a park, was cut off at the ankles, toted away in a pickup truck, subjected to a fire, and left in pieces. It appears to be a bronze statue, so I don't think it's accurate to say it was "burned."

I hope this incident was not an expression of racial hostility. On the "bright" side, I remember an attack on statue here in Madison carried out by people who did not seem to understand the significance of the person depicted in the statue. 

67 comments:

Wilbur said...

Jack Roosevelt Robinson would have been 105 years-old today.

Are the the WAPO commenters are blaming Trump for this?

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...

any bets on a false flag operation? It is an election year.

the fake Maga V Swift war - created by the hack-D NBC-RollingStone corrupt liar left is in full swing.

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...

The white left are desperate to keep blacks in camp Crook Joe.

tim in vermont said...

The Cyber Threat Intelligence League founded by the Biden Administration in the days following the Trump win, and before his inauguration, trains people, at government expense, in conducting false flag psy-ops, we learned from leaked documents. They are also trained in sock puppetry on blogs like this. The supply of actual racists who would do this kind of thing is pretty low in the US, so these kinds of militant white nationalists must be manufactured to help Joe Biden win.

tim in vermont said...

Sorry, it was the Obama administration that created the CTIL.

Kai Akker said...

The antiracists have created a great deal of backlash against their contemptuous judgment of their fellow citizens. Everything they say and everything they do is racist.

Jackie's bronze might be collateral damage. I am so sick of hearing about Jackie Robinson myself, I tune it out as soon as some PR or HR bloviator starts that shtik going again.

Mr Wibble said...

Most likely the perpetrators were leftists, and probably black.

Heartless Aztec said...

Many of our fellow citizens and residents are abysmally ignorant of American history. My guess is that appx 90% give or a take believe we live in a democracy having no idea that we live in a republic or even what a republic is. As an aside, I was in an antique store with my squeeze and found myself going through a box of baseball bats - and lo, there it was - a gem in a field of rocks. A Jackie Robinson 125 Louisville Slugger bat from the 1950's. $10. Done deal that.

Mazo Jeff said...

Can we all agree that there exists in the world a number of people who could be identified by science as being......MORONS! And can we further agree that their thoughts, actions and statements are not indicative of the feelings of the rest of society!

n.n said...

A Diversity (i.e. color judgment, class bigotry), Equivocation, Indoctrination (DEI) motive is plausible, even probable, given diverse precedents in our recent past, present, and in progress.

Wince said...

Meanwhile...

Christian veteran Michael Cassidy, who beheaded a satanic altar in the Iowa capital over the holidays, has been charged with a hate crime.

Not to be outdone...

A 32-year-old Pennsylvania man has been accused of decapitating his 68-year-old father, a federal government employee, then posting a very disturbing video on YouTube to express his anti-government sentiments.

tim maguire said...

The chances this was a racially motivated attack against the memory of Jackie Robinson is somewhere between 0% and 0%. The chance it was a racially motivated attack of any sort is somewhere between 0% and 1%.

The chance it had no specific coherent motivation at all is somewhere between 80% and 90%.

John Borell said...

Jussie Smollett.

Original Mike said...

"I remember an attack on statue here in Madison carried out by people who did not seem to understand the significance of the person depicted in the statue."

They weren't people, they were leftists.

rwnutjob said...

I am deceased!
LOL

Yancey Ward said...

There is a high probability (90% or higher) that the statue was cut down by progressives to hoax a hate-crime.

Mike of Snoqualmie said...

No, it wasn't racial. It was just another metal theft by druggies to fund their addictions.

Big Mike said...

@Althouse, you’re surrounded by lefty elitists there in Madison. Would you and they regard the (attempted) statue destruction as “racial” if it turns out to be in retaliation for the destruction of the statue of Robert E. Lee (or Columbus or some other long-dead individual that the left decided needs erasure)?

Tit for tat, Madam. The lefty elitists assumed everything would go 100% their way 100% of the time. That’s gonna change.

Leland said...

If it wasn’t thrown in the trash, I would think it was just an attempt to steal as scrap metal. This is the silliness of “hate crimes” because the damage is the same.

Ann Althouse said...

Who hates Jackie Robinson?

Aggie said...

So let's see here: If a mob of fat people dressed in black, with day-glo hair, rip down statues after publicly declaring it's because they represent 'old white guys', that's 'not racist'. But if a statue of Jackie Robinson is torn down for unknown and unstated reasons in the middle of the night, that's 'automatically racist'. Is this the approved 'take'?

Rocco said...

John Borell said...
“Jussie Smollett.“

Well, they *did* find a subway wrapper nearby.

Rocco said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
rrsafety said...

I bet “burned” is the wrong word here. “Tried to melt down” is much more likely.

RoseAnne said...

Blogger Joe Biden Is Corrupt said...
any bets on a false flag operation? It is an election year.
--------------------

That's my bet. My only visit to Wichita was brief but the people from Wichita I met were proud of their history being displayed in diverse places simply rather than overpriced displays in centralized locations.

ccscientist said...

During the 2020 riots, in Chicago they had to protect a statue of Lincoln. A statue of Joan of Arc IIRC in New Orleans was attacked. Statues of Mary in church grounds were attacked many times. Perhaps they are destroying false idols?

Kai Akker said...

--- Who hates Jackie Robinson?

People who are sick of the creeps who use him in an agenda to make all white people racist and all black people victims of them. Also, people who watch or attend sporting events -- because, if you do, you know how Jackie Robinson and 42 are used as endless promo items in the aren't-we-wonderful sweepstakes by the kind of phonies who would have much more likely dissed him when he was alive. Don't question anything we do, we are so gooood, see -- 42! See! 42!

Bob Boyd said...

Whatever the motivation turns out to be - whether it's white racists, black racists thinking the statue was a white slave owner, white surrogates thinking they're helping black people, a tit for tat thing or the FBI - the perpetrators are no doubt mentally ill.

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...

who likes to destroy statues?

The white left Antifa progressive extremist left.

n.n said...

Most likely the perpetrators were leftists, and probably black.

It's a statue, abort. Why, because. Forward and downward.

PoB, perhaps. PoL, probably, with diverse precedents.

Temujin said...

We're hoping for complete ignorance as opposed to just plain racism, which...is pretty much complete ignorance.

I think we've found our bottom.

RigelDog said...

It's almost like when you encourage people to attack statues, more statues get attacked---including the ones that you want to stay just the way they are.

wendybar said...

Probably another RACE HOAX, like most of them are. They are trying to shove the "white supremacists" line before the election to scare their voters.

wendybar said...

Probably another RACE HOAX, like most of them are. They are trying to shove the "white supremacists" line before the election to scare their voters.

wendybar said...

Probably another RACE HOAX, like most of them are. They are trying to shove the "white supremacists" line before the election to scare their voters.

n.n said...

Celebrating Sylvania: NPS Moves to Remove Statue of Penn

This did have a diversity (e.g. racist) motive.

Old and slow said...

They underestimated the heat needed to melt bronze. A forced air foundry is simple to build, and a 20kg crucible will only cost you $70 or $80, but handling that volume of molten bronze can be a risky business if you don't have proper tools and PPE.

J L Oliver said...

Mike of S and Leland, the first thing I thought of was metal theft. Maybe it was too hard to break down for the metal monger or maybe it proves it a stupid, “Look how powerful I am” moment like graffiti or it was another fake hate crime. Choices, choices.

cassandra lite said...

“…people who did not seem to understand the significance.”

In 1997, the 50th anniversary of Robinson’s color-line achievement, the LA Times sent a reporter to interview black Dodgers and players from other teams for comments about Robinson. Half the players interviewed, said the reporter, didn’t know who Robinson was.

gilbar said...

wasn't this "robinson" fellow an Uncle Tom, that kowtowed to THE MAN??
was jackie EVER a nation of islam member?
did jackie ever riot, and loot, and burn, and murder?
did jackie ever OD on fentanyl while resisting arrest and become.. a HERO?? i DIDN'T THINK SO!!

Next thing you know, you'll be saying we should praise RACISTS like the ML King racist guy!!

gilbar said...

America: where tearing down statues is stunning and brave unless it’s a Satan statue, then it’s a hate crime.
AP: Man accused of destroying Satanic Temple display at Iowa Capitol is now charged with hate crime

How MANY people, that destroyed statues (NOT of SATAN) have been charged with ANYTHING????

Jupiter said...

"I hope this incident was not an expression of racial hostility."

I don't recall you hoping that the destruction of the statue of Robert E Lee was not an expression of racial hostility.

n.n said...

It was just another metal theft by druggies to fund their addictions.

Fentanyl futures.

Rabel said...

The absence of any graffiti or messaging runs strongly against a racial motivation. What good (or bad) is done by destroying the statue if nobody knows why you did it?

Joe Smith said...

So libs can tear down statues of white men, say in public and in the media that they hate white people, and it's sanctioned and condoned 'Justice.'

Noted.

Btw, Robinson was a hero, so I hope they catch the bastards...

Joe Smith said...

Who hates Jackie Robinson?

Exactly!

The same number who hate Will Robinson. Zero.

Even Dr. Smith liked Will...

Heartless Aztec said...

It's so...Islamist. No statues or depictions of humans allowed. To be torn down, bombs and revenge for the termitary of having one in a public space.

MayBee said...

I would think anyone stupid enough to hate Jackie Robinson wouldn't even know who he is.


Around here, people cut down statues and steal the memorial plaques at parks to sell for scrap. Maybe that's what happened there, too, and it was discovered it isn't that easy to melt a statue to bring to a scrap yard.

Greg the Class Traitor said...

"If it turns out it was racially motivated, then obviously that is a deeper societal issue and it certainly would make this a much more concerning theft."

You mean, if it was like the destruction of the Thomas Jefferson statues done by Democrat gov't officials?

Bruce Hayden said...

“Statues of Mary in church grounds were attacked many times. Perhaps they are destroying false idols?”

Yes, a lot of Protestants see all those Catholic statutes as idolatry, as do Jews and many Sunni Muslims. But that isn’t who is attacking those statutes, etc.. It’s the godless left. They are attacking those statutes because they represent Catholicism, which is still more conservative than most Protestant denominations. Ok, some of those attacks could be by Muslims, but as likely by their sympathizers. We saw how common they are on the left, with their stubborn defense of the atrocities in October by Hamas against Israelis.

mikee said...

The only statue removals and desecrations I can get behind are removal to museums of Stalin or Mao or Lenin or Marx in formerly definitely-not-actual-communist countries. If not to history museums, then urinals would suffice. And of course I can't object really strongly to the frequent reinstallation of Ronald McDonald statues in frat houses over the past half century.

In 1997, the story of a Don Juan de Onate statue's loss of its foot in New Mexico seemed quite appropriate as a protest against the memorial for the individual. That old conquistador used to cut one foot off the Native Americans he enslaved when they dared to try to escape. Much more effective way to publicize the horrors of the past than simple removal of the whole statue would have been. Sort of a "more speech is the answer to bad speech" idea.

Bruce Hayden said...

“It's so...Islamist. No statues or depictions of humans allowed. To be torn down, bombs and revenge for the termitary of having one in a public space.”

Wahhabi Sunni Islam is similar here to Calvinist Protestant beliefs. You won’t see a human depiction of any sort in the sanctuary in the church I grew up in. Photos of retired clergy next door in the Coffee Room, sure. Went to a funeral mass recently, and was uncomfortable with all of the human depictions in their sanctuary. I think that I counted a baker’s dozen displays up front, and maybe a half dozen more around the periphery. And then the priest, at the end, prayed for the health of their Bishop and Archbishop. But a lot of Shi’a Muslims are fine with human depictions, glorifying, if not worshipping, photos and other depictions, of their religious leaders.

William said...

I can't figure out the probabilities. Jackie Robinson is not a divisive figure. Melting down a hundred pounds of bronze is not an easy way to hustle a dollar. Likewise, it's a lot of work for a false flag operation or for a prank....I hope they catch the perps just to resolve the issue.....The news media have reported five out of the last two hate crimes. They are much more assiduous in reporting hate crimes than the sexual misconduct of their members. (Heh,heh, I said members.)

Rocco said...

Kai Akker said...
“--- Who hates Jackie Robinson?

People who are sick of the creeps who use him in an agenda to make all white people racist and all black people victims of them. Also, people who watch or attend sporting events -- because, if you do, you know how Jackie Robinson and 42 are used as endless promo items in the aren't-we-wonderful sweepstakes by the kind of phonies who would have much more likely dissed him when he was alive. Don't question anything we do, we are so gooood, see -- 42! See! 42!”


42 - It’s the answer to life, universe, and everything. Just remember to bring a towel.

tim in vermont said...

Okay, I am changing my bet based on the comments. If it wasn’t the first day of Black History Month, which my phone reminded me of first thing this morning on its own initiative, I would say it’s 100% morons stealing it for the metal.

tim in vermont said...

Okay, I am changing my bet based on the comments. If it wasn’t the first day of Black History Month, which my phone reminded me of first thing this morning on its own initiative, I would say it’s 100% morons stealing it for the metal.

Enigma said...

I recall when the iconic Auschwitz concentration camp "Arbeit Macht Frei" entrance sign was cut down in 2009. It was variously reported as the return of the Nazis, a theft commissioned by a collector, or some very stupid people seeking to sell scrap metal.

https://www.thoughtco.com/arbeit-macht-frei-auschwitz-entrance-sign-4082356
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8473025.stm
https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2009/12/auschwitz_gate_sign_recovered.html

People ascribe value and meaning to all public art, while both the media and law enforcement want to be part of the biggest and most important story. Do not trust any narrative.

Static Ping said...

If it was one of those rare white supremacists trying to make a statement, it would have been easier to just spray paint the statue and the surroundings with bad words. Knock down or deform the statue if you must, but leave it there. The point is to intimidate, and it is a lot more intimidating if there is something to see, not something not to see.

This sounds more like someone trying to steal the metal and failing, or someone with serious mental illness, or someone that had a particular beef with that organization, or someone trying to manufacture a hate crime, or some combination of the above. It also sounds like someone who is not particularly all that bright.

Has anyone seen the FBI's fake U-Haul white supremacist organization recently?

PM said...

Who's gotta beef with Jackie Robinson?
Sounds like a close cousin of burning down the Reichstag.

Rabel said...

"If it wasn’t the first day of Black History Month, which my phone reminded me of first thing this morning on its own initiative, I would say it’s 100% morons stealing it for the metal."

It was stolen last Thursday, the 25th.

rcocean said...

Attack on Statues for Being "Right wing" or "White supremist" = OK
Attack on Stuate for Being "Lefwing Or "Black supremist" = not OK.

If people can vandalize R.E. Lee or Stonewall jackson and no one cares, why should i care about Jackie Robinson?

There's no principle involved, its just whose ox is being gored. I'm not interested in speculating about motives.

I notice the same pattern with Jews v. Gentile. Someone vandalizes or sets fire to a Catholic Cathedrel = no big whoop from MSM. Do that to a synagogue = 4 alarm fire and World wide news. The unprincipled exceptions get VERY annoying.

Big Mike said...

Are the WAPO commenters are [sic] blaming Trump for this?

@Wilbur, are you kidding? WAPO commentators blame Trump for fire being hot and water being wet.

Tomcc said...

Damned alchemists!

Bunkypotatohead said...

Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.

n.n said...

A statue, a rock, a bronzed rock, a confused message invites copycats and collateral damage.

n.n said...

Of course, redistributive change in a new bronze deal should be investigated. And there is precedent in statues torn down in the black of night, melted down in darkness, with diversity motives, for social justice and personal profit.

wendybar said...

gilbar said...
America: where tearing down statues is stunning and brave unless it’s a Satan statue, then it’s a hate crime.
AP: Man accused of destroying Satanic Temple display at Iowa Capitol is now charged with hate crime

How MANY people, that destroyed statues (NOT of SATAN) have been charged with ANYTHING????

1/31/24, 10:05 AM

THIS. You can't pick and choose which statue you are outraged got torn down, when the government is tearing down statues of great men of history all over America. Obama's statues should be next. Tear them down. They offend me.