A monumental headache on toppling statues
Mayor de Blasio opened a historical can of worms Tuesday in his quest to rid the city of offensive monuments, ducking for cover when asked if Grant’s Tomb might be shuttered because of actions two centuries ago.
The mayor had no ready answers when pounded with questions about flawed historical figures, from Ulysses S. Grant to little-known former New York Gov. Horatio Seymour, who are being honored in the city.
Grant issued an order to expel Jews from three states during the Civil War while Seymour’s campaign slogan in 1868 was “This is a White Man’s Country; Let White Men Rule.”
Grant’s Tomb, however, is under control of the National Park Service — so the mayor would have a hard time getting rid of it.
Monuments to Christopher Columbus have also sparked criticism over his treatment of native populations.
“We’re trying to unpack 400 years of American history here — that’s really what’s going on,” de Blasio said defensively.
“This is complicated stuff. But you know it’s a lot better to be talking about it and trying to work through it than ignoring it because I think for a lot of people in this city and in this country, they feel that their history has been ignored or affronts to their history have been tolerated.”
Hizzoner at one point acknowledged he hadn’t considered whether the review should include portraits until the one of Seymour hanging inside City Hall was mentioned.
He also couldn’t say whether school names or other dedications would be reconsidered.
“To some extent the commission [that is being impaneled] is going to have to figure out what are the ap- propriate boundaries,” de Blasio said. “We may end up doing this in stages because this is complex stuff.”
City Council member Joe Borelli (R-SI) took issue with Columbus being considered for the review, and called on city officials to make public the criteria by which the monuments will be judged.
“I recognize, as I am sure you do, the tremendous can of worms that the city of New York has now opened,” he wrote to de Blasio and City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito on Tuesday.
Staten Island Assembly member Matthew Titone also expressed concern about the “slippery slope” of a review that was sparked by opposition to Confederate monuments.
“Simply taking down the statue because a historical figure may have acted by our standards morally reprehensible or with bad manners is an extraordinary step to take and it should not be taken lightly,” he said.
Council member Eric Ulrich (R-Queens) tweeted: “When will NYC Democrats call for the renaming of FDR Drive. Didn’t he inter Japanese in camps in WWII?”