Columbus statue could be considered for removal
USA - As the violence in Charlottesville has reignited a national debate over monuments dedicated to Confederate-era and other controversial figures, New York City is conducting its own review over “symbols of hate” and possibly taking aim at Christopher Columbus. New York City Mayor, Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced a 90-day review by a commission of all “symbols of hate” on city property in the wake of violence at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, that was protesting the planned removal of a statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee.
The move has opened questions about a variety of monuments in the city, including a 76-foot statue of Christopher Columbus in the heart of Manhattan’s Columbus Circle.
City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito said on Monday she thought Columbus’ history and treatment of indigenous people in Caribbean “has to be looked at.”
“I will wait for the commission, as I said Christopher Columbus is a controversial figure to many of us particularly in the Caribbean and I think that that has to be looked at, when you have to look at history we have to look at it thoroughly and clearly”, she said.
“I know some people may take offense to that but for many of us that come from the Caribbean islands, we see him as a controversial figure,” she added.
Her remarks came during a rally calling for the removal of another statue, that of J. Marion Sims, a surgeon heralded as some as father of modern gynecology — but whose breakthroughs came from experimenting on black slaves without anesthesia. East Harlem residents and officials have advocated for the statue’s removal in the past, but calls have been renewed following Charlottesville. When asked if the Columbus statue should be reviewed, Blasio said in remarks Tuesday that “everyone should acknowledge these are complex issues and that’s why it was important to put together a commission.”
But de Blasio also stressed that he was not “going to editorialize on each and every name, and each and every monument.”
“I think the important thing to do is let that commission get going, let them take every nomination — if you will — from everyday New Yorkers, from elected officials, activists, look at the whole picture and come back with a plan”, he said.
He added that the commission was tasked with recommending a “universal set of standards that can governor how we deal with monuments of concern on Cityowned lands and their specific proposals about specific monuments. And then I’ll make decisions based from there.” (nbcnews)