Princeton, RantWoman's undergraduate alma mater is, quite appropriately in RantWoman's view, examining the history and naming of various parts of the campus with an eye toward addressing the history of slavery connected with the institution.
One of the latest discussions is about whether or not to remove a statue of John Witherspoon, a Scottish minister who served as Princeton's sixth president. The statue was created by Scottish sculptor alexander Stoddart and installed in 2001 along with a twin installed in Paisley Scotland where Witherspoon preached. RantWoman is having trouble navigating the page with (unlabelled) images but can see that the sculpture looks large, though not necessarily out of place stylistically.
The statue also involves a stack of books, a Bible symbolizing preaching and an eagle symbolizing liberty. RantWoman is not even going to touch the ambiguity of a predatory eagle but is way happy to go there about the Bible being at once for many a symbol of inspiration and community and for others a symbol of oppression and forced conversion. Judging by the accounts below, Witherspoon was a person of his age, both a slave holder and someone who spoke out against the institution of slavery over 100 years before it was more or less abolished after the Civil War
RantWoman is posting these thoughts, some of which are unquestionably snarky and irreverent, ahead of participation in one of the listening sessions described below. RantWoman is posting thoughts raw and not edited as tightly as perhaps would be desirable ahead of the listening session in order to respect the desire that people feel free to speak without fear of many things that can happen when opinions enter the public realm.
Here is an introduction to the discussion along with several layers of links full of additional information.
The Council of the Princeton University Community (CPUC) Committee on Naming is currently considering a proposal from members of the University community to remove the statue of John Witherspoon that was installed on campus in 2001 and sits in front of East Pyne Hall. The concerns raised relate to the unique aesthetic considerations and placement of the statute. The committee will evaluate this question with consideration of the established principles to govern renaming and changes to campus iconography, which provide, among other things, that “[t]he processes by which the University considers questions about particular names or images should be clearly articulated and publicly known, open to community input, and informed by scholarship.”
Over the next few weeks, members of the committee—which includes faculty members, graduate and undergraduate students, staff, and an alumnus—will be holding listening sessions for University faculty, students, staff, and alumni to share their views on the issue. The committee invites your engagement in this important process and looks forward to hearing a range of perspectives.
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RantWoman will of course approach her designated listening session with an open mind. However, RantWoman is having trouble resisting the temptation to suggest that the statue should stay but there should be an expectation that the statue will be treated something like the Fremont Lenin.
An old post. Read the second half for a concise summary of history and practices
From 2017 Leave Lenin alone
The gist of the story: a statue of Lenin was rescued from a mud pit in Slovakia as Eastern Europe was being purged of much Lenin symbolism after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The statue was installed in a funky part of Seattle called Fremont. Lenin now regularly gets decorated with Christmas lights at Christmas time, with rainbow underwear during Pride, and in other ways at other times of the year.
There are many people from the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe in the Seattle area, some of whom are not crazy about the Lenin statue. As far as RantWoman knows, though, the bronze dictator does not have to deal too much with blood-like substances. RantWoman also notes that. although the neighborhood where the Bronze Dictator now resides is sometimes referred to as the People's Republic of Fremont, it is also teeming with elements of capitalism and what Lenin himself might call cosmopolitanism. This would be at best a symbolic nightmare for Lenin and at worst unabashed commercialized gloating about triumphs over Soviet style Communism.
RantWoman takes seriously the concerns articulated by the petition from members of the Princeton community to remove the statue of John Witherspoon. RantWoman would rather suggest leaving it where it is and adopting the practices the Fremont Lenin endures.
Perhaps, in recognition of all the people including slaves whose lives were devoted to supporting President Witherspoon, sometimes there might be be ad hoc sculptures around the base of bodies doing various kinds of labor. Perhaps during times of labor action or other protests on campus, the statue might be asked to hold topical signs. RantWoman might for instance be able to scare up an old "Divest Now Pinheads" sign from the anti-apartheid pro divestment protests of RantWoman's era. Perhaps during reunions, other classes might have other causes to commemorate.
During homecoming someone should probably bestow an orange and black striped scarf around the statue's neck. For house parties, an annual series of black tie social events RantWoman mostly ignored, perhaps the statue could acquire a perky bow tie and cumberbund. Perhaps the statue could be dressed in drag for the annual opening of Triangle Club performances. Perhaps the statue could be expected to dress appropriately for Kwanzaa, Juneteenth, and other topical celebrations.
RantWoman has no idea whether this enfold a historical figure in modern community approach would ease the sense of suffering and oppression felt by those seeking to remove the statue. RantWoman is simply tossing this post out into the conversation for consideration.
