Baloogan posted:

quote:

Leopold II (equestrian statue)
Antoine (1899-1969) and Alfred Courtens (1889-1967)
Bronze, 1931

This statue by the brothers Courtens is a typical example of colonial art. It was built against the arcades that the Ostend'ers call the 'Three Yawners'. It depicts king Leopold II, who is honoured as liberator of the Congolese and as benefactor of the Ostend fisherman population. This monument was revealed by king Albert I and queen Elisabeth in 1931, at the high of the colonisation of Congo. It fits in with the Koninklijke Gaanderijen: another urbanistic realisation by Leopold II, who built Ostend into the 'Queen of Seaside Resorts'. This and other major urbanistic investments in Brussels and Ostend were mainly financed by profits from Leopold II's private colony Kongo Free State.

Not only the colonial symbolism of the statue, but also the actual colonial policy enacted has caused a lot of controversy to this day. Evidence of this is the hand of one of the freed slaves that was chopped off in 2004.

Take a look at the memorial plate for Ostend'er Aristide Doorme, to the left of the monument. The fight against slavery in Congo was used then, but also occasionally now, as justification of the colonisation.

The king has in any case made a clear and lasting mark on Ostend.

R. Mute posted:

Here's a picture of a statue of king Leopold II in Ostend. It's big. It's very flattering to Leopold. It shows a bunch of Congolese people thanking him for saving them from slavery. It's, as they say, "controversial"

Notice something about it, though? One of the bottom left figures is missing his left hand. That wasn't intentional.



More than ten years ago, a group called De Stoete Ostendenoare (The Naughty Ostend'ers) chopped off and stole the hand in protest against the statue and its depiction of our genocidal maniac of a former king. The chopping off of hands is of course very symbolic due to it being the punishment of choice in Leopold's Congo Free State.

Now, however, the city has finally responded to the controversy by adding the following sign:




In light of all the controversy surrounding various statues of figures such as Leopold II around the world - such as the confederate statues in the US, the statues of Rhodes in South Africa and Britain - an argument that gets trotted out a lot is that the statues should stay but they should be contextualised by adding a plaque. That's the line of reasoning the city of Ostend followed, in any case. And I think this is a prime example of why it's a terrible, garbage idea. The plaque still gives a primarily positive view of king Leopold and only mentions that there's some "controversy" surrounding him - even going as far as to suggest that the fight against slavery was the actual reason for colonising Congo.

But here's the thing: there is no controversy. There shouldn't be any controversy. Leopold II's actions in Congo are well documented and indisputable. He is responsible for the death of 10 million Congolese and for the suffering of millions more. Just as there's no real controversy over the Holocaust, over Rwanda, over Pol Pot - there's no controversy here. And that's why I think plaques are a garbage concession - even if it weren't as mealy-mouthed and downright revisionist as with this statue, any plaque will always be a compromise where one half of the involved parties apparently either thinks there's enough of a controversy to give Leopold II the benefit of the doubt or they straight up think Leopold II's genocidal reign in Congo shouldn't disqualify him from being honoured by a statue. And you know what? You shouldn't compromise with those people. They don't deserve a compromise.

Tear down that statue, dump it into the sea.

Volcott posted:

As a compromise

Volcott posted:

I mean, yeah, drastic, ideologically pure action is cool and all, but have you considered slow, incremental change instead? It's pretty nice. Doesn't spook the moderates, either.

Enkmar posted:

that moment when oops you realize slaves built everything
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-KUbflnMEs

drowningidiot posted:

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=7e7_1473729934

Tags: EU, 4th Reich, borders r good, fences r good, walls r good, machineguns r good, axes r good, iron curtain was good, Slavic Union now

Crowsbeak posted:

There may be a way to solve that mans misanthropy.

Rappaport posted:

Crowsbeak posted:

Hey if you choose to run people over you're a evil person.

Crowsbeak posted:

Hey if you choose to run people over you're a evil person.

Crowsbeak posted:

Hey if you choose to run people over you're a evil person.

Rappaport posted:

I'm not sure you got the gist

quiggy posted:

WhiskeyJuvenile posted:

McGlockenshire posted:

Everything in the lower left quadrant is deeply depressed former logging territory that won't even fund law enforcement.

MariusLecter posted:

MariusLecter posted: