There are better nominees for a statue; here are two

Should the statues of Juan de Oñate be removed? The man left a legacy in New Mexico that violated Spanish Crown policies and was subsequently tried in Mexico City for “crimes against Native Americans.” How does one merit a statue or any other form of public iconography when criminal behavior on their part is considered?

In Oñate’s case, he did establish a colony that ultimately would become an important part of cultural identity in New Mexico for generations to come, characterized by the unique blending of Iberian and Native American cultures. Today, we recognize that the pernicious policies of Spain did change, but not by Oñate’s doing.

So in the case of New Mexico, I would propose that we pay homage to people whose deeds transcend generations and have endured the test of time. In my opinion, a person deserves a statue if the contributions they made continue to resonate in a positive way, recognizing that we cannot always understand the past from the perspectives we hold today. Consequently, I would suggest that we consider statues to two historical figures that meet these criteria.

The first is Po’pay, who led the Pueblo Revolt in 1680. Although his MO was violent to say the very least, he undertook the daunting task of organizing a loose confederation of pueblos and coordinated the assault upon, and removal of, Spanish hegemony in New Mexico. It was a surgical excision, cutting into the dark side of Spain’s legacy in New Mexico. It echoed like the “shot heard around the world” as far as the Spanish were concerned. They had virtually never lost a conquered province anywhere in the Americas before then. Although New Mexico would be reconquered, Po’pay’s success changed Spain’s policies substantially for the better, ushering in a new dawn and a new cultural identity that would continue to define New Mexico as a very unique place to this very day. Throughout Latin America, many indigenous societies did not survive the colonial period, but Po’pay contributed to the preservation of an important part of New Mexico’s heritage.

The second person I would recommend is Padre Antonio José Martinez of Abiquiu and Taos fame. Padre Martinez had been erased from the history books, but in recent years his prominence has been brought to life. He advocated for Christian Liberation Theology long before that movement would come to light in Latin America in the 1960s. I call him a precursor of that movement because, in essence, the doctrine of Liberation Theology holds that one cannot profess to be a true Christian unless they actually practice Christianity, primarily by righting the social ills of society. Padre Martinez fought for the rights of the poor and others at the margins of society. He predicted the destructive impact upon the Native American communities by the encroachment of outsiders after the Mexican War. He opposed the “inappropriate” grant that eventually became known as the Maxwell Land Grant, the largest land holding in the history of the United States. This grant trampled Native American and Hispanic lands settled for generations in New Mexico. The owners of the grant “bought” politicians, and controlled minerals, lumber, pasture and other resources for a century. The American press harshly criticized Martinez, and his reputation was stained for decades. Only in recent times has his legacy been truly understood and an honorable place in history restored.

At any rate, these two men represent the kind of people that I believe should have statues constructed in their honor.