University to Remove WWII Murals Due to "Lack of Diversity"

[IceJad]

Let me a grandson of a WW2 prisoner take this opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks to all the good people who have gave their lives so my grandmother could be rescued from prison and led a full life. You literally paved my future with your lives.

I hereby take a hard stance against any removal, belittlement or historical revisionism of your sacrifices whether in the form of writing, drawing and statues. No one is a perfect man, but regardless of your flaws I salute you for your service as I forgave those who had caused harm in WW2.

 

[Archivist]

Let me a grandson of a WW2 prisoner take this opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks to all the good people who have gave their lives so my grandmother could be rescued from prison and led a full life. You literally paved my future with your lives.

I hereby take a hard stance against any removal, belittlement or historical revisionism of your sacrifices whether in the form of writing, drawing and statues. No one is a perfect man, but regardless of your flaws I salute you for your service as I forgave those who had caused harm in WW2.

Except the artwork Here doesn’t depict World War II.

 

[Aussie Pete]

This Marxist "revolution" nonsense has to stop. The nation will fall into flames if it keeps up. There will be no future for anyone else if this continues. This country didn't become free in 1 day, it took many years, and before that, it took many years of suppression before the oppressed left and came to America to start a nation. I remember when people were talking about communism being the enemy, now it's Marxism and socialism? I could understand if it was fascism (I'd be okay with this sort of but not really, at least people would love the nation for once) but socialism and marxism? Really? What a way to ruin a nation with stupidity. All of the ideologies I've mentioned are stupid but why does no one appreciate capitalism? It's the best that you can get. I guess people are bored and want some action because they are tired of the same old thing. I call it stupidity. Be grateful for once! America is one of the best places to live in, stop trying to screw it up!

It's already in flames - literally. When will people learn that God is not mocked?

 

[Orthodox_Christian]

It's already in flames - literally. When will people learn that God is not mocked?

God is mocked sadly. I don't really have any hope anymore. I'm just praying that things get better.

 

[IceJad]

Except the artwork Here doesn’t depict World War II.

It doesn't have to depict the war. It was commissioned by veterans that wanted to commemorate their fallen. That makes it part of the war history no matter how small. It has symbolic meaning to the veterans.

Nearly 70-year-old murals taken down at University of Rhode Island for lack of diversity

(WJAR) — A mural painted nearly 70 years ago at the University of Rhode Island is set to be taken down after staff said students complained about a lack of diversity in the picture.

1954 was the dedication of “The Memorial Union” at the University of Rhode Island.

When veterans returned from World War II and enrolled at URI, they and other community members raised money in memory of those who lost their lives in the war.

 

[Aussie Pete]

God is mocked sadly. I don't really have any hope anymore. I'm just praying that things get better.

I meant without consequences.

 

[Archivist]

First, we know WHY they want to move it, and that's indefensible, especially in an institution of higher learning.

Second, whenever these kinds of actions are taken, the moving always means demoting that which is moved to some place of less prominence and/or visibility.

And third, I agree with the point about it apparently being a mural, not a painting.

So nothing should ever change at a college or university? When I was in college they tore down our classroom building, an ugly 1950s building. They saved some artwork from it, other artwork was lost. The building that replaced it is beautiful, a big improvement over what they had. It is also much more energy efficient so it is saving the school money.

 

[Archivist]

It doesn't have to depict the war. It was commissioned by veterans that wanted to commemorate their fallen. That makes it part of the war history no matter how small. It has symbolic meaning to the veterans.

Nearly 70-year-old murals taken down at University of Rhode Island for lack of diversity

(WJAR) — A mural painted nearly 70 years ago at the University of Rhode Island is set to be taken down after staff said students complained about a lack of diversity in the picture.

1954 was the dedication of “The Memorial Union” at the University of Rhode Island.

When veterans returned from World War II and enrolled at URI, they and other community members raised money in memory of those who lost their lives in the war.

The entire building was built as a memorial, hence the name. What if the University wanted to tear the whole building down? Should they not be able to do that?

 

[IceJad]

The entire building was built as a memorial, hence the name. What if the University wanted to tear the whole building down? Should they not be able to do that?

Boils down to purpose. And from the news it is clear as day the purpose "lack of diversity" or more accurately too many "white" man as if white is a race. Not like there are Italians, Scandinavians, Germans, Slavs and etc.

And I don't agree with it. It's for all the wrong reasons.

 

[Archivist]

Boils down to purpose. And from the news it is clear as day the purpose "lack of diversity" or more accurately too many "white" man as if white is a race. Not like there are Italians, Scandinavians, Germans, Slavs and etc.

And I don't agree with it. It's for all the wrong reasons.

Are you an alum of the school? It seems to me that if they don’t want this to happen they have the power to stop it by cutting off donations. Those who aren’t donors, whether alums or not, shouldn’t have much say.

 

[IceJad]

Are you an alum of the school? It seems to me that if they don’t want this to happen they have the power to stop it by cutting off donations. Those who aren’t donors, whether alums or not, shouldn’t have much say.

Under the law they can do whatever they want to it. It's theirs to begin with. But that doesn't shield them from being criticised like I'm doing. In the same token if Trump wants to throw out MLK bust from his office not that he did, it is his full right as it is his office for the term. But that will not shield him from criticism.

 

[Orthodox_Christian]

Under the law they can do whatever they want to it. It's theirs to begin with. But that doesn't shield them from begin criticised like I'm doing. In the same token if Trump wants to throw out MLK bust from his office not that he did, it is his full right as it is his office for the term. But that will not shield him from criticism.

He ignores a lot of stuff I think if people have bad things to say about him.

 

[SamanthaAnastasia]

Idk. I think if it was only white dudes in the mural, it should be updated.
Why?
The 16 million men and women in the services included 1 million African Americans[citation needed], along with 33,000+ Japanese-Americans,[1] 20,000+ Chinese Americans,[2] 24,674 American Indians,[3] and some 16,000 Filipino-Americans.[4] According to House concurrent resolution 253, 400,000 to 500,000 Hispanic Americans served.[5
Ethnic minorities in the US armed forces during World War II - Wikipedia
Was there racism and sexism? Absolutely. But to deny that they didn’t fight and not represent them is unjust.

 

[IceJad]

Idk. I think if it was only white dudes in the mural, it should be updated.
Why?
The 16 million men and women in the services included 1 million African Americans[citation needed], along with 33,000+ Japanese-Americans,[1] 20,000+ Chinese Americans,[2] 24,674 American Indians,[3] and some 16,000 Filipino-Americans.[4] According to House concurrent resolution 253, 400,000 to 500,000 Hispanic Americans served.[5
Ethnic minorities in the US armed forces during World War II - Wikipedia
Was there racism and sexism? Absolutely. But to deny that they didn’t fight and not represent them is unjust.

Then you must think my country's national monument is racist and sexist for only portraying the majority race and only men even though there are many British, Australian and British Raj soldiers giving up their lives for my country.

National Monument (Malaysia) - Wikipedia

 

[Gregory Thompson]

To be replaced itself next winter of course.

That's because it will be 2021 and nothing that is not current can be tolerated, commemorated, or valued, right?

It may be that it is so dated, that it no longer represents what the student body stands for.

Churches are going through similar changes regarding the new doctrines that were adopted during the state religion era.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

everyone should be yellow like in the Simpsons. Lets not even have accurate skin color. Then no one would complain.

It seems like if you want to make stuff about people then everyone has to throw their hat in the ring or complain about it.

That might have a similar effect as having Japanese Animes with all white people when the characters are mostly Japanese.

Painting everyone one color might have the same result as saying "all lives matter" in response to "black lives matter"

With this approach however, many are still "excluded" so the front facing murals and art work may need to be updated every decade at least.

 

[Archivist]

Under the law they can do whatever they want to it. It's theirs to begin with. But that doesn't shield them from being criticised like I'm doing.

If these murals actually depicted WWII I might be more inclined to agree with you, but they don't. They are just paintings from the 1950s. There is no reason to complain about their removal. It is as if they were painted by some famous artist.

At one time a 1960s-era building was on the Gettysburg Battlefield. It housed the Gettysburg Cyclorama, a famous painting of the battle by French artist Paul Philippoteaux. The building opened in 1962. The building was designed by Richard Neutra, a famous modernist architect.

Over time people complained that the building looked out of place on the battlefield. It was located very close to where Pickett's charge took place. After 50 years it was torn down, despite complaints from architects that it was an historic building because of the man who designed it, and the painting was moved to a building that could not be seen from the Pickett's charge location. It wasn't a big deal, and the painting now resides in a much better location.

In the same token if Trump wants to throw out MLK bust from his office not that he did, it is his full right as it is his office for the term. But that will not shield him from criticism.

But we are not talking about Trump.

 

[Albion]

If these murals actually depicted WWII I might be more inclined to agree with you, but they don't. They are just paintings from the 1950s. There is no reason to complain about their removal. It is as if they were painted by some famous artist.

Agree that there's no good reason to complain about them, but that's why they are being moved.

If these murals actually depicted WWII....

Well, they aren't supposed to depict WWII, so who is to blame for using that as an excuse for making the mistake of agreeing to remove them?

 

[Sanoy]

What does the mural lack in diversity?

 

[section9+1]

I'm not much into any kind of artwork so I needn't get too upset over it, but to get rid of a painting because it lacks diversity sounds stupid to me. It's just someone's idea of a place and point in time and I don't see why its object should be to make someone happy who comes along 70 years later. Who cares what these students think of it? Why does what they think matter? No one is saying they must like it. The silliness is in thinking that their dislike should matter.