San Jose needs to tell the truth about Fallon Statue

In the middle of a once in a century pandemic that killed hundreds of thousands of our citizens and crushed our small businesses, it was difficult to think about a statue. Yet 30 years ago I was involved with this very statue. At that time, a plan to reinforce our pride in San Jose was in motion.

We planned to recognize all our history with a Mexican Heritage Plaza, while the brave colonists under the Spanish flag and soon under the Mexican were remembered in the restoration of the Peralta Adobe, which I led years before as a citizen. Also, we wanted to remember the raising of the American flag here in a bloodless event beginning the American period.

We had dozens of History Walk markers placed commemorating special events and a school lesson plan was readied telling of the contributions of Indigenous People as well as the Spanish, Mexican and American periods. A formal Plan for the Past was developed by a representation group of citizens and adopted by the council in October, 1989. All of this came to a screeching halt when opposition arose to one statue, the raising of the flag of United States. While I was shortly going on to teaching at Santa Clara University, the council and I chose a compromise, implemented by the next council of Mayor Susan Hammer.

With a committee of citizens, including opponents and historians, they decided to further honor each of the peoples and all four flags that flew here. All accomplished, the council authorized the placement in 2002 of the raising of the American flag.

Each period in our history is valuable — things to be proud of and things to be deeply disturbed by. Recently, I was disheartened by much of the rhetoric of unsubstantiated “genocide” in San Jose and a social media assault that led to vandalism and to a rapid reaction by the council. I was dismayed when the Arts Commission discussion deteriorated into demanding the melting down of the statue as if it celebrated a swastika. This seemed an unprecedented effort at public vandalism. They barely mentioned the artistic worth or professional historians’ submitted opinions.

I do not argue for keeping the statue, but I do argue for telling the truth about what happened then and in the subsequent American period and all periods. We have seen what careless rhetoric and unsupported facts can cause nationally.

San Jose belongs to all of us, those who lived here, now gone, those born here, and the many who moved to this blessed valley and will continue to come. We all deserve the truth. Horrors have happened here under each flag, but little in San Jose.

This “absence of truth” is a threat to us all. Should we not make this a beginning to a more inclusive and thorough depiction of our history, not its destruction. This is a rare chance for the council to tell the historical facts correctly and make them a beacon for the future, not the censuring or distorting of our history. Such lies as claims of local “genocide” and “bounties” in San Jose” pushed our nation to the brink of disaster last January.

As President Joe Biden said: “Our country has not always lived up to our ideals, but we have never walked away from them.” This is a good city, and we are a decent people whose families all arrived from somewhere else with a single goal — build a better life for their children. History, which I have taught on many levels and love myself, should be used to teach, inform and often times inspire. It must identify the evils, but tell the truth always or non-historical anarchy reigns.

The truth, not the statue, is the issue now. I support using this moment as a way to tell the story of San Jose, for under what other flag or what other set of ideals, even with sins, could so many have achieved so much. We need wisdom from the mayor and council. I believe they can do that. I believe they must do it.