HomeMy WebLinkAbout1/21/2020 Item 15, Pickering
Purrington, Teresa
From:Nancy Pickering <applyrepeat@gmail.com>
Sent:Monday, January 20, 2020 4:46 PM
To:E-mail Council Website; CityClerk
Subject:Tuesday, January 21, 2020. ITEM number 15
Dear Mayor and Council members,
Please reconsider a stance on censoring art work that doesn't fit into your idea and ideals commentary on public works
of art. Could you imagine if Mount Rushmore was never built? Those previous heads of State do represent ideas and
ideals. Could you imagine if the Lincoln monument was taken away because of the real feelings of Abraham Lincoln
about African Americans were pushed as inappropriate for today's standards? Lincoln was not an abolitionist. On
September 18, 1858, Lincoln made his position clear. “I will say then that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of
bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races." Lincoln also opposed African
Americans the right to vote and he opposed intermarry with whites. Lincoln was a bigot. So....
Thomas Jefferson had slaves and George Washington was given 10 slaves when he was ten at the death of his
father. The head of Teddy Roosevelt at Mount Rushmore celebrates the great things he had accomplished. He was a
bigot, misogynistic, and really believed anyone who wasn't a white male was inferior. Yes, all of that is true on how he
felt. The constitution of the United States is not a statue of an individual, but could be considered a piece of written art
in concept of ideas and ideals. Did you know that the author of the "All men are created equal", owned over 600
slaves. And at the time, men were actually males and not women.
Please reconsider imposing your thoughts on what public art should be. Many statues of individuals represent ideas and
ideals. The backstory are things that would not stand correct in present day. Any historian should know how to read
history with the understanding the thought of the day is far different than it is now.
Any form of censorship is still censorship. AMENDMENT TO PUBLIC ART POLICY AND PROCEDURES
MANUAL. Censorship.
Thank you for your time,
Nancy Pickering of San Luis Obispo, the Anholm District
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