About those statues

On Wednesday, June 11, Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan ordered that the Philip Schuyler statue that has stood outside City Hall since 1925 be taken down.

It was clear from her statement and reasons that this was a most pressing issue. By Wednesday, June 25th the city of Albany was dealing with more than 20 people shot, several dead and the police scrambling to control the worst outbreak of violence in the Capital city that I’ve ever seen.

Now let’s be clear, one has nothing to do with the other but I have to believe on the long list of “stuff” Albany has to contend with, that statue just fell a bit lower on the “to do” list.

So, let’s talk about what’s happening with the purging of history and statues all over the country. I’m going to surprise you when I say, to a great extent, I don’t care. I don’t care when someone wants to put a statue up to honor someone and I equally don’t much care if they decide its time to take it down. What I do care about is the method by which it is happening and this desire to only be half-pregnant on the issue. What is that supposed to mean?

I’m glad you asked but I’ll get to that in a moment.

Let’s start with taking statues down. Angry mobs setting them on fire and pulling them down with ropes is vandalism. Nothing more, nothing less. And watching police stand by and let it happen makes my blood boil. I know, I know, the last thing we need is another bad confrontation between police and the public but you have lost your mind and clearly lost control of your city if you let people tear things down that they don’t own or like.

Next thing you know they’ll be taking over entire blocks in a city like, oh I don’t know, Seattle. What? That already happened? See, I must be psychic.

Can we be honest about this hot button issue? We do have statues up in this country honoring men who’s behavior back when they were alive is abhorrent by today’s standards. Owning slaves was a horrible thing, that is why, thank God, we abolished it.

It is America’s original sin that no amount of disinfectant will ever fully wash away.

So, what to do with the statues that honor men who once owned slaves or fought against freeing them. Rather than mob rule, I still believe in government rule. If Kathy Sheehan has the power bestowed upon her by the charter in Albany and the voters who elected her, I don’t have any problem with her signing a piece of paper that says Schuyler has to go.

It would have been nice if they held a public hearing and could let people share their own opinions, but power is power and if she has it then so be it. That’s the law and those are the breaks. Don’t like it? Change the law.

My point is, if a town, city or state wants to start tearing down statues, I’m a big fan of doing it in the light of day and after vigorous debate. Make your case why it is time to stop honoring these men, take a vote and let the majority rule the day. But letting an angry crowd do it for you is wrong. And taking one down for fear the angry mob is coming with pitchforks is also wrong.

If morality and the facts are on your side, make your case in the public square.

But what about the parks and schools and everything else named after these men? I mean this sincerely; you cannot be half-pregnant on this issue. If Philip Schuyler was a bad dude, then why stop with a single statue? Nothing should be named after him.

This does get a bit messy when you deal with more popular historical figures. Columbus Square in New York City for starters. If the Columbus statue needs to come down, surely you can’t leave Columbus Square.

How about Washington. I think every town in America has a Washington Street and lord knows we have no shortage of Washington schools and parks.

I’m being serious. If someone needs to be torn down, you can’t do it halfway. Call a meeting, have a debate, take a vote and then own fully what you are trying to do.

You know there is another option no one is talking about. You could leave up the Philip Schuylers’ of our world but add a plaque that briefly tells who this person was, warts and all. In Schuyler’s case it might say, “War hero, Senator but also a flawed man, who like others in his time, owned slaves” Don’t like that idea? Hey, it was just a thought. The good news is I doubt these men who are long dead, care one way or the other. Follow my logic. If there’s no life after death, they don’t care. If they die and go to heaven, they have already done their penance for their many sins and couldn’t care less about such vanity.

And if they die and go to hell, I’m guessing they’ll be too busy looking for bottled water and sun block, to worry about some[ hunk of bronze with their name on it.

John Gray is a news anchor on WXXA-Fox TV 23 and ABC’S WTEN News Channel 10. His column is published every Sunday. Email him at johngray@fox23news.com.