Baltimore’s fixation on names and statues

I am beginning to loathe all statues.

It’s only a matter of time until someone will discover something offensive about a person on the pedestal. Regarding your article, “‘Symbols that occupy our collective landscape matter’: Baltimore removes statue of slave owner from Canton park” (April 6), there was no mention about what’s to happen to the Capt. John O’Donnell monument. And on that subject, how much did the removal cost taxpayers of Baltimore, of which I’m one?

I witnessed the destruction of the Christopher Columbus statue in front of our building. Even though Columbus never set foot in North America, he was deemed offensive. Therefore, the beautiful marble artwork was pulled down, smashed and tossed into the Jones Falls waterway. Even my Episcopal church is also involved in “pedestal outreach.”

With so many problems facing our city, removing statues should be low on the list. If the Canton Anti-Racism Alliance paid for all this, I wouldn’t be writing. It appears the bill will go to taxpayers.

I’ve spent considerable time in Canton and found the statement by Councilman Zeke Cohen offensive. He stated, “From this, we hope we can build a more vibrant, inclusive community.” From my recollection, the area is already vibrant and inclusive, so I’ve no idea what he’s talking about.

So while Baltimore tears down statues, renames streets and areas, perhaps some scholar will find something objectionable about Lord Baltimore. Then we can rename the entire city. Enough already!