Biden Admin to Remove Statue of William Penn from Philadelphia Park

[Anonymous]

The Biden administration’s National Park Service will remove a statue of William Penn from a park in Philadelphia commemorating the founder of the state of Pennsylvania as part of an upcoming “rehabilitation” meant to make the park more “welcoming, accurate, and inclusive experience” for visitors.

Welcome Park is a park on the grounds of Penn's home in Philadelphia. Penn is the founder of Pennsylvania.

[Anonymous]

When will the madness end.

[Anonymous]

Did Willie do something bad?

[Anonymous]

And? He was an enslaver.

[Anonymous]

Nobody should be surprised when Americans no longer take pride in the western democracy and values we established thanks to the continued denigration of our history. Was it a perfect history? No. But it resulted in a democracy built on the rule of law and eventual equality unmatched around the globe…and yet here we are promoting a narrative that we should only feel shame.

Instead of tearing down a statue and erasing history, why not add a component recognizing the Native American past?

We are heading down the wrong path when we rewrite history and tarnish our accomplishments with shame.

Stop dividing; start reunifying.

We are Americans…regardless of when your ancestors arrived and regardless of where you came from. Unify under our american values and celebrate the diversity of all who came here for a better life.

Lastly: stop pretending that America is a miserable failure. It isn’t.

[Anonymous]

Future generations:

“Who founded Pennsylvania? And why?”

“No clue. Probably some white guy who owned slaves.”

“America sucks.”

[Anonymous]

Have you been to that "park"? (It's not really a park, it's a plaza between buildings) It's been in need of work by the National Park Service for years, and the addition of exhibits describing the importance of the location to both the native people and the Europeans who settled there is a good thing.

And about the statue - it's a small copy of the 37-foot statue of Penn which is on top of Philadelphia's City Hall building. So calm yourself, no one is being "canceled."

https://www.associationforpublicart.org/artwork/william-penn/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nobody should be surprised when Americans no longer take pride in the western democracy and values we established thanks to the continued denigration of our history. Was it a perfect history? No. But it resulted in a democracy built on the rule of law and eventual equality unmatched around the globe…and yet here we are promoting a narrative that we should only feel shame.

Instead of tearing down a statue and erasing history, why not add a component recognizing the Native American past?

We are heading down the wrong path when we rewrite history and tarnish our accomplishments with shame.

Stop dividing; start reunifying.

We are Americans…regardless of when your ancestors arrived and regardless of where you came from. Unify under our american values and celebrate the diversity of all who came here for a better life.

Lastly: stop pretending that America is a miserable failure. It isn’t.

And none of what you wrote requires the elevation of evil men and colonizers. In fact to get to where you want it is imperative that these idols be torn down.

[Anonymous]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Penn

Wasn’t Penn a Quaker who lived peacefully with native Americans? And quakers were antislavery. In fact, Pennsylvania was a haven for freed slaves thanks to the Underground Railroad essentially run by quakers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have you been to that "park"? (It's not really a park, it's a plaza between buildings) It's been in need of work by the National Park Service for years, and the addition of exhibits describing the importance of the location to both the native people and the Europeans who settled there is a good thing.

And about the statue - it's a small copy of the 37-foot statue of Penn which is on top of Philadelphia's City Hall building. So calm yourself, no one is being "canceled."

https://www.associationforpublicart.org/artwork/william-penn/

I knew there would some context that the hair on fire freak out conservatives weren’t aware of.

[Anonymous]

More accurate?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Penn

Wasn’t Penn a Quaker who lived peacefully with native Americans? And quakers were antislavery. In fact, Pennsylvania was a haven for freed slaves thanks to the Underground Railroad essentially run by quakers.

Thanks for providing this context.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nobody should be surprised when Americans no longer take pride in the western democracy and values we established thanks to the continued denigration of our history. Was it a perfect history? No. But it resulted in a democracy built on the rule of law and eventual equality unmatched around the globe…and yet here we are promoting a narrative that we should only feel shame.

Instead of tearing down a statue and erasing history, why not add a component recognizing the Native American past?

We are heading down the wrong path when we rewrite history and tarnish our accomplishments with shame.

Stop dividing; start reunifying.

We are Americans…regardless of when your ancestors arrived and regardless of where you came from. Unify under our american values and celebrate the diversity of all who came here for a better life.

Lastly: stop pretending that America is a miserable failure. It isn’t.

There can be no unity without repentance. I'm glad the Biden admin is taking this steps. Western civilization was built on disease, death & destruction of others. There is no pride in that kind of society. There has been no other society as destructive and unkind to humans as Western civilization. So if the goal is to move ahead, we need to leave the past behind. Start over.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Penn

Wasn’t Penn a Quaker who lived peacefully with native Americans? And quakers were antislavery. In fact, Pennsylvania was a haven for freed slaves thanks to the Underground Railroad essentially run by quakers.

Penn owned and traded slaves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Penn

Wasn’t Penn a Quaker who lived peacefully with native Americans? And quakers were antislavery. In fact, Pennsylvania was a haven for freed slaves thanks to the Underground Railroad essentially run by quakers.

I'm sure of you talked to the native Americans who experienced white settlers encroaching on their land, they would have a different story. For instance, they might say that they were forced to live peacefully next to their captors and oppressors.:. But sure let's Romanticize history.