North Dakota is No Place For Hate
NYC Public Design Commission
The New York City Public Design Commission and the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation made a deal to relocate a racist, problematic statue of Theodore Roosevelt from NYC to Medora, ND.
We are not a dumping ground of the problematic, colonialist tributes that other states are no longer willing to house and North Dakota is no place for hate.
Created by James E. Fraser (a sculptor who is known for his problematic and cultural appropriating sculptures as a non-Indigenous artist) the Statue of former President Theordore Roosevelt with Indigenous and Black men in positions of subjugation glorifies colonialism and racial discrimination. Leaders, advocates, and organizers from across North Dakota are working tirelessly to end racism and build better relationships in North Dakota, a state with a long unending history of oppression toward the original inhabitants of this land.
We can stop this now, let's come together and take action. Sign the petition to the NYC Public Design Commission that reads:
Petition by
To:
NYC Public Design Commission
From:
[Your Name]
Public Design Commission of the City of New York
City Hall, Third Floor
New York, NY 10007
Fax: (212) 312-0836
designcommission@cityhall.nyc.gov
President Nielsen and Commissioners,
We, the People of North Dakota, vehemently protest this decision. We are not a dumping ground of the colonialist tributes that other states are no longer willing to house and North Dakota is no place for hate. Dissolve the agreement with the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation and do not contribute to harm that structural and institutional racism has done and continues to do in our state.
The statue of former President Theodore Roosevelt - with Indigenous and Black men clearly in positions of subjugation - glorifies colonialism, oppression, and racial discrimination. The sculptor that created the piece, James E. Fraser, is known for his problematic and cultural appropriating sculptures. Relocating the TR statue to our state that is referred to as "The Deep North" is not helpful and would only influence and create more of a harmful culture in North Dakota.
Leaders, advocates, and organizers of color and allies from across North Dakota are working tirelessly to address racism and build better relationships in North Dakota, a state with a history of violence, displacement, and subjugation of Indigenous and other people of color. It would be extremely harmful to this work to relocate this statue that is inherently problematic in its depictions of subjugation when we continue to experience disenfranchisement and lack of representation for people of color.
We will not stand by as NYC Public Design Commission adds to the false narratives and white supremacist ideals that our state is working to address. Reconsider the decision now. Address the problematic colonialist tribute, do not send this racist statue to North Dakota.
We stand with the voices that have been speaking up on this issue since the 1940's, address the issue now, do not send this racist symbolism off to do harm in other communities.