'Oh! Susanna' songwriter's statue removed from Pittsburgh park after criticism

[fabulouslyghetto]

Re: A statue- complete with banjo-pickin slave, honoring a racist songwriter was taken down and white people are calling it reverse racism

I always look for ways to expand my world view, but, I will not allow the pc crowd, the thought police to change my world view.
If tearing or taking down statues makes people feel better then have at it. I just see it as a futile exercise, but go ahead and fiddle while Rome burns. Yes, I know that the violin wasn't around at that time https://history.howstuffworks.com/history-vs-myth/nero.htm, but I couldn't resist saying it

This is language I frequently hear from racists who view their bigotry as a mere "difference of opinion" as if you could intellectualize your prejudices.

 

[NotHardUp1]

Re: A statue- complete with banjo-pickin slave, honoring a racist songwriter was taken down and white people are calling it reverse racism

Sailors had good reason for hating steam engines. The boilers inevitably blew up and killed, maimed, and started fires that usually sank the ship. The boiler designs used in riverboats was fatally flawed.

 

[rareboy]

Re: A statue- complete with banjo-pickin slave, honoring a racist songwriter was taken down and white people are calling it reverse racism

This might be something for people to watch and ponder.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news...-backlash-montgomery-alabama?CMP=share_btn_fb

In case you haven't listened to this, you really should.

Representation in art should mean something. It should be an honest experience.

 

[luckynumbah7]

Re: A statue- complete with banjo-pickin slave, honoring a racist songwriter was taken down and white people are calling it reverse racism

I did a quick search and a 'bullgine' is the steam engine itself and not necessarily the locomotive. Bullgines were used in ships as well, but, apparently, the sailors didn't like them and they practically fell into disuse for sailing ships. They were used most prominently in steam locomotives. Apparently, 'bullgine' is the derisive name that sailors coined for an engine they hated.

I've never heard of them before.

I have, but my first inference was the loco's. Some of that is probably due to previously living in a dead mining area where trains still cut through the towns and river on the regular - they just don't stop there anymore. I'm not as up-to-snuff regardin' nautical vocabulary as I could be.

 

[luckynumbah7]

Re: A statue- complete with banjo-pickin slave, honoring a racist songwriter was taken down and white people are calling it reverse racism

In case you haven't listened to this, you really should.

Representation in art should mean something. It should be an honest experience.

Could stand to be repeated.

 

[fabulouslyghetto]

Re: A statue- complete with banjo-pickin slave, honoring a racist songwriter was taken down and white people are calling it reverse racism

In case you haven't listened to this, you really should.

Representation in art should mean something. It should be an honest experience.

My how the tables have turned.

 

[ballcaphair]

Re: A statue- complete with banjo-pickin slave, honoring a racist songwriter was taken down and white people are calling it reverse racism

This is language I frequently hear from racists who view their bigotry as a mere "difference of opinion" as if you could intellectualize your prejudices.

Subtle racism is fine, like a dust that settles everywhere. It settles on Mr. Foster's brow, but it also settles even on Ned's bare feet as he sings for his supper. God how I pray for a cleansing wind that never ends.

 

[fabulouslyghetto]

Re: A statue- complete with banjo-pickin slave, honoring a racist songwriter was taken down and white people are calling it reverse racism

Subtle racism is fine, like a dust that settles everywhere. It settles on Mr. Foster's brow, but it also settles even on Ned's bare feet as he sings for his supper. God how I pray for a cleansing wind that never ends.

The most eloquent post in 3 pages.

 

[Zeno Lorea]

Re: A statue- complete with banjo-pickin slave, honoring a racist songwriter was taken down and white people are calling it reverse racism

Stephen Foster left a legacy of beautiful songs which will continue to delight and bring pleasure. His statue should be an inspiration.

Don't know his songs but even if they are so goddamn fly, it may be better to contextualize things. Lots of Great Men were not so great in some respects, and that's ok. But we should name the good and the bad.

 

[luckynumbah7]

Re: A statue- complete with banjo-pickin slave, honoring a racist songwriter was taken down and white people are calling it reverse racism

You wanna get together and burn some books?

You wanna actually address anything I've typed? Perhaps you could try that instead of clinging to a racism-inspired statue with both hands while insinuating I'm a book burner.

Withholding information via destruction is not similar to relocation or accurate information being available to the public.

Now, about that statue's composition and its intent....

 

[peeonme]

Re: A statue- complete with banjo-pickin slave, honoring a racist songwriter was taken down and white people are calling it reverse racism

You wanna actually address anything I've typed? Perhaps you could try that instead of clinging to a racism-inspired statue with both hands while insinuating I'm a book burner.

Withholding information via destruction is not similar to relocation or accurate information being available to the public.

[I]Now, about that statue's composition and its intent....[/I]

Okay, lets play statue. While you live in dread fear that some child from the ghetto will see this depiction and be scarred for life albeit 'subconsciously', I fear that this child who is puzzled about life's mysteries, such things as "why have I never met my dad?" "why did the cops take away my uncle?" "why do the girls hang out om the street corner?" "why is the heat turned off?" "why is the refrigerator empty?" might ask "what does this statue have to do with this?"
Well, the statue can't hurt him anymore, all is well with the world.

 

[MakeDigitalLove]

Re: A statue- complete with banjo-pickin slave, honoring a racist songwriter was taken down and white people are calling it reverse racism

Okay, lets play statue. While you live in dread fear that some child from the ghetto will see this depiction and be scarred for life albeit 'subconsciously', I fear that this child who is puzzled about life's mysteries, such things as "why have I never met my dad?" "why did the cops take away my uncle?" "why do the girls hang out om the street corner?" "why is the heat turned off?" "why is the refrigerator empty?" might ask "what does this statue have to do with this?"
Well, the statue can't hurt him anymore, all is well with the world.

Why does this hypothetical child come from the ghetto?

 

[Cormac135]

Re: A statue- complete with banjo-pickin slave, honoring a racist songwriter was taken down and white people are calling it reverse racism

Why does this hypothetical child come from the ghetto?

Why pretend to be confused, grow up and call him out as a racist if that's what you truly believe.

 

[fabulouslyghetto]

Re: A statue- complete with banjo-pickin slave, honoring a racist songwriter was taken down and white people are calling it reverse racism

Why does this hypothetical child come from the ghetto?

And of course they don't know their dad and there are hookers on the street corner.

- - - Updated - - -

Why pretend to be confused, grow up and call him out as a racist if that's what you truly believe.

Not sure if that's allowed, I received an infraction because the words "thinly veiled bigotry" were labeled insulting.

 

[luckynumbah7]

Re: A statue- complete with banjo-pickin slave, honoring a racist songwriter was taken down and white people are calling it reverse racism

Why does this hypothetical child come from the ghetto?

You have to ask.

 

[MakeDigitalLove]

Re: A statue- complete with banjo-pickin slave, honoring a racist songwriter was taken down and white people are calling it reverse racism

Not really, just trying to be civil here.

 

[luckynumbah7]

Re: A statue- complete with banjo-pickin slave, honoring a racist songwriter was taken down and white people are calling it reverse racism

Okay, lets play statue. While you live in dread fear that some child from the ghetto will see this depiction and be scarred for life albeit 'subconsciously', I fear that this child who is puzzled about life's mysteries, such things as "why have I never met my dad?" "why did the cops take away my uncle?" "why do the girls hang out om the street corner?" "why is the heat turned off?" "why is the refrigerator empty?" might ask "what does this statue have to do with this?"

Not really, just trying to be civil here.

I mean, surely he's noticed that I did not restrict said black child's life description in such a loadedly racist manner and that such a description has fuckall to do with how people, adults but especially children, internalize views about themselves. Yes, even through art. Especially through art.

 

[luckynumbah7]

Re: A statue- complete with banjo-pickin slave, honoring a racist songwriter was taken down and white people are calling it reverse racism

Why pretend to be confused, grow up and call him out as a racist if that's what you truly believe.

This idea you and others have that someone either is or is not a racist is false. While there may be gradations of racism it all contributes - everyone is stuck. The trick is to not pretend you aren't being racist in an effort to sooth your conscience into believing you're not that bad.

 

[Latimer]

Re: A statue- complete with banjo-pickin slave, honoring a racist songwriter was taken down and white people are calling it reverse racism

This newspaper article names some of the women being considered in place of Stephen Foster, adding that there will be many others:

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/c...ighland-Park-Bill-Peduto/stories/201804260091

Those women named are: Gwendolyn J. Elliot, Pittsburgh Police Department's first Black female commander; abolitionist Catherine Delany; and singer Mary Caldwell Dawson, who started the Caldwell School of Music.

Also:

http://ourweekly.com/news/2018/mar/21/statue-historic-black-woman-replace-racist-statue-/

 

[Cormac135]

Re: A statue- complete with banjo-pickin slave, honoring a racist songwriter was taken down and white people are calling it reverse racism

This newspaper article names some of the women being considered in place of Stephen Foster, adding that there will be many others:

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/c...ighland-Park-Bill-Peduto/stories/201804260091

Those women named are: Gwendolyn J. Elliot, Pittsburgh Police Department's first Black female commander; abolitionist Catherine Delany; and singer Mary Caldwell Dawson, who started the Caldwell School of Music.

A list of non-entities.