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Looking at the picture someone else posted - knowing almost nothing about Roosevelt, it just looks like a dude on a horse with a native american + uhm....a blac

Looking at the picture someone else posted - knowing almost nothing about Roosevelt, it just looks like a dude on a horse with a native american + uhm....a black man following in tow. Almost like he owns them both. >>I think the statue can fairly be interpreted as Roosevelt's greatness coming in large part due to his association with people of different races and classes I don't see that at all. If it was maybe a stute where(for example) he is sitting down and they are both behind him holding him by the shoulder - sure. As-is the statue looks like he's above them. Again, this is just how I felt seeing it for the first time. Maybe reading up on Roosevelt I'd see it differently, but I imagine lots of people coming into the Natural History museum don't know the details and that's the first thing they see. I'm generally against removal of any and all statues, but this one just feels sour in my mouth for some reason.

eschulz 5y ago
I see what you're saying. Roosevelt was an odd person, and that lead him to do many things that I think were instrumental to his greatness. As for policy for the US, was a progressive and all about moving forward. Physically speaking, he had the jitters and could not keep still. Moving and being on a horse were normal for him. I think the statue was made by a largely colonial and white-dominated society, but I think it can help the inquisitive mind realize that Roosevelt's progressive nature came from his unique life experiences. How does a white man born into privilege and money become a leader for the working class and nature preservation? It's through his experiences, and we should all discuss them. Addendum: this image of Roosevelt at Harvard is often used when discussing his inability to sit still https://i.imgur.com/qPO2H74.jpg https://i.imgur.com/qPO2H74.jpg. He can't wait for the picture to be done so he can go back to wrestling or whatever. He was constantly moving, and in my opinion he would not have become a noteworthy person had he not put himself in situations where he came into contact with people of different social status or races.
- troyvit 5y ago
  I think that if somebody remade the statue with your point of view in mind it would look somewhat different. Maybe all three of them would be on foot for instance.
  - eschulz 5y ago
    Yeah I would have made it differently for sure. The statue's artist and promoters wanted it to be popular, and Roosevelt was a hero in part for his Rough Riders cavalry unit so I assumer they were trying to hit on that part of his life.
AwaAwa 5y ago
You know the name Roosevelt for the central man in the piece. How quickly would anyone know the name of the others in it? Your feeling 'sour', that stems from a place of ignorance into the artist & Roosevelt's life, is popular enough, that they are hiding the statue. This obsession with not 'feeling' wrong will destroy everything, until nothing remains of learned interpretation. I can see the future of Vonnegut's 'Harrison Bergeron' coming our way.

eschulz 5y ago

I see what you're saying. Roosevelt was an odd person, and that lead him to do many things that I think were instrumental to his greatness. As for policy for the US, was a progressive and all about moving forward. Physically speaking, he had the jitters and could not keep still. Moving and being on a horse were normal for him. I think the statue was made by a largely colonial and white-dominated society, but I think it can help the inquisitive mind realize that Roosevelt's progressive nature came from his unique life experiences. How does a white man born into privilege and money become a leader for the working class and nature preservation? It's through his experiences, and we should all discuss them. Addendum: this image of Roosevelt at Harvard is often used when discussing his inability to sit still https://i.imgur.com/qPO2H74.jpg https://i.imgur.com/qPO2H74.jpg. He can't wait for the picture to be done so he can go back to wrestling or whatever. He was constantly moving, and in my opinion he would not have become a noteworthy person had he not put himself in situations where he came into contact with people of different social status or races.

troyvit 5y ago
I think that if somebody remade the statue with your point of view in mind it would look somewhat different. Maybe all three of them would be on foot for instance.
- eschulz 5y ago
  Yeah I would have made it differently for sure. The statue's artist and promoters wanted it to be popular, and Roosevelt was a hero in part for his Rough Riders cavalry unit so I assumer they were trying to hit on that part of his life.

AwaAwa 5y ago

You know the name Roosevelt for the central man in the piece. How quickly would anyone know the name of the others in it? Your feeling 'sour', that stems from a place of ignorance into the artist & Roosevelt's life, is popular enough, that they are hiding the statue. This obsession with not 'feeling' wrong will destroy everything, until nothing remains of learned interpretation. I can see the future of Vonnegut's 'Harrison Bergeron' coming our way.