Corte Real debate is political correctness run amok

I write in relation to the frontpage article about the statue of Corte Real in The Telegram on Aug. 26.

It is ridiculous to suggest this statue should be demolished or torn down or hidden away in an obscure corner. This would be an uncalled-for insult to a great explorer of the great age of exploration which brought the civilization of the West to the New World.

It would also be an uncalled-for insult to the generous donors of the Corte Real statue, namely the Portuguese. I note the latter were pictured on the front page of The Telegram on Aug. 18, once again visiting St. John’s to honour the long association of the Portuguese White Fleet with this province. Removing the statue would be a slap in the face to these noble fishermen.

Trying to associate Corte Real with modern-day concepts of white supremacy is an anachronistic over-stretch into the absurd. Explorers like Corte Real opened up Newfoundland to the trade and commerce of the burgeoning Western World. I question, also, the accuracy of the article’s unsupported evidence that Corte Real “seized” aboriginals as “slaves.” Maybe these aboriginals had a natural human desire to explore other worlds just the same as Corte Real. Maybe these aboriginals wanted adventure just the same as Corte Real did.

Destroying or obscuring these historical statues amounts, in my view, to vandalism and political correctness gone mad. Such attacks on historic monuments is akin to the Taliban’s destruction of the Buddha statue or ISIL’S destruction of ancient statues.

Let me state clearly: I totally oppose removing this statue of Corte Real.

Robin Reid St. John’s