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

[Latimer]

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

From the Songwriters Hall of Fame website:

"A melodic genius with tender, sympathetic lyrics and infectious rhythm, Stephen Foster is often credited as "America's First Composer".

"[He] brought recognition and validity to Negro songs."

 

[luckynumbah7]

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.

I see you're not an artist.

The statue is no inspiration. It's symbolism leaves much to be desired.

Is it that difficult a concept to grasp, that a man is not his art but merely a part of its creation, not sitting solemn and coiffed at the top of it? Concept makes my lip curl, and that's not even pointing out the racism of its construction. At most, like every other artist he was a combination conduit, filter, commenter and janitor.

 

[Latimer]

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

The Beatles cover Foster:

As does Roy Orbison:

I love Sheryl Crowe's a cappella version. It's maybe the best of all:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_aB1NOqC3Y

 

[Latimer]

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

But Foster really was a talented son...Can they keep the replacement statue local? I am sure there's a Pittsburgher worthy of the honor.

As well as an African American woman? We'll wait and see.

 

[pat grimshaw]

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

You could always try reading a bit of basic history on the man and the time period.

Yes, I've now read Foster's original lyrics for the song 'Uncle Ned' which have since suppressed.

 

[luckynumbah7]

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

How is the composition of that statue - during that time period or our current one - supposed to be considered an inspiration?

While there may be subtleties of lyrical interpretation contrasted with common language and the garden variety racism of the time, there's not a damn thing subtle about that statue's composition or the sentiment it harkened to using a bit of verse as its jumping-off point. So if anyone could describe how the statue is an inspiration, and how it's existence doesn't severely hamper it's stated purpose, that'd be great.

 

[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

A statue honoring an African-American woman will be put up in its place. Residents can submit nominations

Oprah, bus lady, underground railway lady, Maya Angelou. Beyonce.

Toni Morrison for me!

 

[fabulouslyghetto]

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.

Latimer isn't siding with black people on this one? Is ignoring the overt racist overtones of the statue and the artist's music? Well gosh I couldn't have seen that one coming if it were carrying a neon sign. The statue is garbage which is why it was taken down. Get over it.

 

[fabulouslyghetto]

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

How is the composition of that statue - during that time period or our current one - supposed to be considered an inspiration?

Oh girl do you really want him to honestly answer that question?

 

[rareboy]

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.

His music can be his legacy. For better or worse.

You don't need a statue for inspiration.

Particularly one as banal and arch as this one.

The City indicates that they will find a more appropriate setting for it, so it isn't as though they are busting it up and melting it down.

 

[peeonme]

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

It's great to erase from our land any evidence of slavery, we should do the same with all school books and libraries as well. If people aren't reminded of their past then they can get over it.
Why should young white children have to see what went on before they were born?

 

[fabulouslyghetto]

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

It's great to erase from our land any evidence of slavery, we should do the same with all school books and libraries as well. If people aren't reminded of their past then they can get over it.
Why should young white children have to see what went on before they were born?

Please don't insult my intelligence by insinuating that this statue was created to teach about the horrors of slavery, of all possible reactions that is by far the stupidest. equally as stupid is the "obviously slavery is gonna happen again if we take this statue down because suddenly nobody will know what happened." I know that fear of brown people is largely predicated on "give em an inch and they'll take a mile" but nobody is talking about replacing the scant, watered-down references to slavery from textbooks. I wouldn't mind removing the faces of slaveowners from our currency but I know America has to mature another hundred years or so before that's even considered. Or was THAT another "watch out or history will repeat itself" design?

Was there something magical about this statue? You talk as if white kids walk by and are suddenly awoken to the truth of America's dark history. You could've at least put half effort into your post peon.

 

[peeonme]

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

Please don't insult my intelligence by insinuating that this statue was created to teach about the horrors of slavery, of all possible reactions that is by far the stupidest. equally as stupid is the "obviously slavery is gonna happen again if we take this statue down because suddenly nobody will know what happened." I know that fear of brown people is largely predicated on "give em an inch and they'll take a mile" but nobody is talking about replacing the scant, watered-down references to slavery from textbooks. I wouldn't mind removing the faces of slaveowners from our currency but I know America has to mature another hundred years or so before that's even considered. Or was THAT another "watch out or history will repeat itself" design?

Was there something magical about this statue? You talk as if white kids walk by and are suddenly awoken to the truth of America's dark history. You could've at least put half effort into your post peon.

I wasn't aiming at a minuscule target as you imply, but rather the larger target, the one that all aim at. With the prejudice that now exists against people with lack of pigmentation over acts that were committed (supposedly) before they ever took a breath, it would be to the advantage of the pigmentally challenged to remove any trace of this from our history. Then the 'victims' can stop their hatred and finger pointing and get a life.

 

[fabulouslyghetto]

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

removing racism from American history is not unlike trying to separate sand and salt

and we could remove all the statues we still have to deal with housing [policies written during integration that are still on the books] and job discrimination, mass incarceration, police violence, lack of political and economic power and paranoid bigots people who never miss an opportunity to defend themselves from imaginary attacks from black people who, in their eyes, are not on a sincere quest for equity rather are insatiable angry beasts who just want everyone to feel miserable and guilty.

 

[peeonme]

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

removing racism from American history is not unlike trying to separate sand and salt

and we could remove all the statues we still have to deal with housing [policies written during integration that are still on the books] and job discrimination, mass incarceration, police violence, lack of political and economic power and paranoid bigots people who never miss an opportunity to defend themselves from imaginary attacks from black people who, in their eyes, are not on a sincere quest for equity rather are insatiable angry beasts who just want everyone to feel miserable and guilty.

It is not out of a disrespect for the pigmentally privileged that I take your comments as a grain of salt, but, for you and those like you who choose to use race as a tool to divide and destroy the decedents of abolitionists and those who fought to save our union, who ride around on the horse of victim hood seeking a conjured up target to charge at, I treat your accusations, tirades and hate as a manifestation of frustrated individuals who seek to shift the guilt and blame for their own lack of success to others, rather than to bear responsibility for wallowing in self pity.

 

[NotHardUp1]

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's legacy is in no danger of being redefined by statue-gate. His influence in American music's history stands on its own merits.

Sure, he didn't use "nigga" and "bitch" in every verse, even though that may be the craze now in pop music, but his music and lyrics have staying power.

We shouldn't be sidetracked by an imposed controversy that will not even be remembered in five years.

You don't really have to defend things that cannot be destroyed. His music lives on its own.

And, if the SJW's standards were consistent, how much more the lyrics of today's sexists, racists, and mysogynists would be basis for demanding their images and songs to be purged. But, they're not. It's cool when it's your own. Aight?

 

[Cormac135]

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

Toni Morrison for me!

Or Hattie McDaniel.

 

[Latimer]

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 was inspired by the singing and songs of the slaves. That's what the statue shows. What's wrong with showing a black man playing a banjo? Isn't it showing the great contribution that enslaved black men and women made to American music, and therefore the music of the world?

 

[luckynumbah7]

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

We shouldn't be sidetracked by an imposed controversy that will not even be remembered in five years.

-Snipped-

And, if the SJW's standards were consistent, how much more the lyrics of today's sexists, racists, and mysogynists would be basis for demanding their images and songs to be purged. But, they're not. It's cool when it's your own. Aight?

Mm, I wouldn't be calling it an imposed controversy. No one shimmied up to me at any point and tried to convince me to take that statue in particular out of the prominent public eye and shuffle it off to the wayside, I came to that conclusion on my own. Bad art is still....bad art. As an example of racist art it's a killer, I'd keep it elsewhere with a long written deconstruction of the work - along with a description or three of events at the time, because I have this, call it a hunch, that the people in favor of keeping the statue in a prominent public space are not aware Foster counted abolitionists among his friends and refused to put caricatures on his sheet music.

Whereas that statue? Not even close to those sentiments, no matter that he was the first publicly-recognized white guy to insert some humanity into the common caricature via song. I think he probably would've been appalled at the juxtaposition on another point as well, since the description that was decided upon doesnt really show artistic creation in an honest manner.

I mean, that statue is pretty damned blatant, might as well have 'magical negro' written on the base.

For your last sentence, you need to get out more if you're under the impression the shit today hasn't been both critiqued and boycotted. The differences are the sense of time and the context; it's much easier to spot water when you're not swimming in it, said the diver to the shark.

If we're going for statue removal I'd like to melt down the 'father of gynecology'. Not 'move', but melt down entirely. And replace his list of accomplishments with a list of his victims.

 

[MakeDigitalLove]

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

It's great to erase from our land any evidence of slavery, we should do the same with all school books and libraries as well. If people aren't reminded of their past then they can get over it.
Why should young white children have to see what went on before they were born?

If people need a statue to remind them there was a dark history such as slavery in our Country, they’re already lost. People should be taught this, not rely on a statue. But let’s not pretend that the statement about removing the statue means we’re erasing knowledge of slavery, that’s just being willfully ignorant.

I mean there are actual instances of practices in schools where they are trying to hide parts of history, but again let’s not dumb down the issue and pretend that’s what’s going on here.

I mean I guess you guys are arguing we should erect statues of Hitler or something like that.