Took a stroll this morning from Leinster House to The Shelbourne to celebrate the imminent reinstatement of the statues onto their plinths. Thanks to all who have contacted me in support of their return https://t.co/47iq5YDarP pic.twitter.com/wNGViPqFgP
— Michael McDowell (@SenatorMcDowell) September 24, 2020
This afternoon.
Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2
Senator Michael McDowell celebrates the imminent return of four statues depicting Nubian Princesses outside the Shelbourne Hotel which had been removed as they had been mistaken for slaves.
Previously: The Naked Truth
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I believe part of the point is they are not Nubian Princesses at all and were incorrectly referred to as Nubian Princesses and their slaves by Elizabeth Bowen in a short story.
So what are they? After all that.
Royal ladies with ankle bracelets.
That’s not correct either.
‘It was clear the from the catalogue that McCurdy ordered two “Égyptienne” female statues to stand astride the front doors of the hotel, and two other two statues entitled “Négresse” for either end of the front facade.
The word “Négresse”, as used by the French in the mid-19th century, meant the female figure was of African origin, but not from North Africa.’
It was the Irish Georgian Society that caused their return not MMcD.
Senator McDowell raised this in the Seanad on July 29 just after they were removed – so he was involved.
He looks like he can’t wait to knock one out when they return.
Common sense returns in place of cultural hysteria. Its good that some research has been done into the origins of the statues and figured this out. Not every depiction of an African has racist intentions, history is complex.
If people want to really fight a cause related to this, the British and the Germans in the 1830’s to 1860’s raided Benin and Nigeria and stole many valuable and sacred Mask artworks from local kings after burning down their villages and murdering innocent people who were trying to defend their homes. Now that was racist and criminal!
Glad to hear cop-on rules.
I think Mr McDowell is only months away from an “entitled old white guy meltdown”. A full on Kevin Myers.
I think he is great. Runs a fine line.
Dublin needs lots of nubile statues at the moment.
Regardless of the history, origin or the intent.
The whole situation has become politicised as representing slavery and more importantly racism in the middle of a western-world climate of anti-racism towards black people or people of african descent.
In the middle of a wave of anti-racism the world over regardless of the faults or failures of the BLM and people who support it.
At the very least this turnaround emboldens the racism that already exists in the public consciusness and it will be taken by many as a F.U. / up-yours etc to all the protests these poorly evolved simple-minded bigots have been thankfully tortured by in recent times.
It would have been better to wait and seek some open and public dialogue and approval from people representing the black / african descendants living in Ireland.
Otherwise, replace the statues with something else and accept that it is poor judgement and an even worse example being set to many more than the eejit’s who already welcome it.
McDowell is a well educated, political eejit of the highest order who should know better but no surprises whose side he is still on.
The ex minister for justice gloating over winning the issue of racism politicised and thus reminding certain people it will be treated no more serious or better than usual.
I heard a representative of black people living in Ireland on the radio this morning and she was not happy about a symbol of slavery and racism being put back in it’s place.
In typical newsderp neo-liberal corporate establishment propaganda fashion they couldn’t wait to interrupt and cut her off rudely getting rid of her as fast as possible so they could prattle on at high-speed about nothing endlessly, like a pair of f-ing self-important coke’d up eejits thinking they know it all and we are lucky to hear it from them as they gift us with their wisdom and time…
– If I’m missing something go for it folks and I’ll reply back unless your an eejit or an obvious F-f/g establishment supporting clown like you know who.. Dumb and dumber etc.
Anyway, good one BS / Bodger. A great photo capturing the really ugly truth at the heart of it all.
Racism in Ireland lives on and as strong as ever.
:-J
I think, Joe, that the statues were disproven to have racist meanings. I’m not a fan of McDowell, but his téte-a-téte with Ebun Joseph on screen (was she the one on the radio this morning?) didn’t do much to support the removal of them given the uneducated contributions from her.
Self same Ebun Joseph has also said in a separate discussion that if you deny you’re a racist….then you’re a racist. Where do you go from there?
I mean, if I were to ask you if you were a racist, what would you say?
McDowell is running it in no doubt.
….rubbing it in… i mean
(Delayed reply – Forgot to hit send)
Ye, fair comments but..
My main issue overall, is the apparent lack of ambition, lack of basic effort to seize an obvious important opportunity to make a point about how racism while being a complicated issue for many reasons, will not be tolerated by Irish society in our republic that is always striving to reach true democracy for all and let’s take advantage of this ripe moment in time to do something to send out a statement of intent and prove it.
Instead, no leadership or vision at all, not even any serious debate or discussion with the people it would have most affected. Hardly even an acknowledgement of the problems.
Instead, we get a highly regarded, respected, experienced and educated ex justice minister posing as though it is some kind of success story… A photo speaks.. etc.
It’s just a disgusting sight no matter how much you’re in a state of stolkholm syndrome about the F-f/g duopoly or however honest and decent the individual in question is or has been before in the past.
I wasn’t deaf to the woman’s accent being a little difficult to understand together with an excited fast paced lack of coherance, most likely under pressure etc. but like the other eejit, newsderp could have handled it all better as well…
– To be fair though, it was true to their usual form of bs concision through subtle intimidation, interruption, etc etc. A general disrespect and intentionally preventing any serious discussion or debate unless untold due respect must be given for guests from F-f/g or it’s the oleary con-air teleplay theatre / punch and judy time etc. to entertain the eejits.
I’d like to think I’m mature, aware, intelligent(barely) enough on the issue to admit that racism as far as bias and subconscious thoughts and subsequent actions, is not something you can completely control all the time in a common, typical or natural way. The human brain is deeply flawed and susceptable to many influences well documented. The way memory works and fails, dopamine response, the fight or flight mechanism.. etc etc.
So it’s yes although it would be a big NO in a court of law or a NO by the common standards of my peers but if truly being honest, I would have to admit to being aware that I’m at least slightly affected and influenced in many ways subtle or blatent to the point of having some conscious or subconscious kind of racist thoughts or tendencies some of the time.
So yes, I agree with her. I don’t think anyone can avoid being affected by pervasive incrementally compounding racism that already exists in society. We are all racists because the human brain is flawed and plenty of factors exploit it and are encouraging it to exist and it will persist until we evolve both individually and collectively, evolving socially as one whole species.
Sure, the statues are not technicallty racist by any court of law.. We’ve got the prize legal eejit to back up that right-wing authoritarian stance and completely miss the essential wider point of perspective entirely..
The law is designed and supposed to fail and be reimagined, rewritten and reformed on behalf of all citizens. Like our non-government it’s supposed to work for the good of the people, including blacks, immigrants, travellers the poor, the unfortunate and anyone else in all, every and any colour, creed, shape or form..
Ok, now I’m just stating the bleedin’ obvious…
– Digressing into patronising parody…
Apologies, I didn’t have time to write a shorter version.
TLDR : The snapshot picture painted says it all and more..
– A glorious masterpiece of photography and art.
:-J