
University to remove murals commemorating WWII veterans for lack of diversity - rbecker
https://campusreform.org/?ID=15625
======
emerged
I'm glad WWII vets aren't alive to witness this disgrace that has been created
during the peace they fought to create. But they are rolling over in their
graves.

~~~
HarryHirsch
Meanwhile the article cites one of those veterans in the interest of balance:
'Yet, the man responsible for the paintings, Arthur Sherman, seems somewhat
optimistic about the decision. When asked about the removal of his murals,
Sherman responded, "That’s a good question. Time goes by and things change."'

~~~
082349872349872
The article does point out that the murals may be accurate:

> "It's important to note that Blacks and other servicemen of color returning
> to the states during that time were prohibited from taking advantage of the
> GI Bill, despite that being a promise to them at discharge."

It also looks like the services wouldn't desegregate until at least Korea, or
even the mid-1960s:

\-
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executive_Order_9981](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executive_Order_9981)

\-
[https://web.archive.org/web/20100723014433/http://www.histor...](https://web.archive.org/web/20100723014433/http://www.history.army.mil/books/integration/IAF-24.htm)

> "Originally a follower of civilian society in racial matters, the armed
> forces moved ahead in the 1950's and by the mid-1960's had become a powerful
> stimulus for change in civilian practices in some areas of the country."

more of the same at
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24333207](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24333207)

~~~
rbecker
The US was also 90% white at the time [1], so one shouldn't be surprised
murals would be "predominantly white", even if it wasn't for segregation.

[1]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_the_United_Sta...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_the_United_States)

~~~
emerged
Also, black soldiers were significantly less than the population percentage.
Even if racism is to blame, the fact is the overwhelming majority of US
soldiers were white.

~~~
rbecker
Were they? The wikipedia page is full of [citation needed] around the numbers,
so I'm having trouble confirming this.

~~~
emerged
I'm seeing mixed information too, now that I've started looking deeper. I
suppose it was a tangential point in the first place, but now I'm really
curious.

~~~
082349872349872
inductions (rough parity):
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnic_minorities_in_the_US_ar...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnic_minorities_in_the_US_armed_forces_during_World_War_II#One_million_African-
American_inductions)

enlistments (far below):
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnic_minorities_in_the_US_ar...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnic_minorities_in_the_US_armed_forces_during_World_War_II#African_American_enlistments)

The WP text seems to quote the following directly:
[https://history.army.mil/documents/wwii/minst.htm](https://history.army.mil/documents/wwii/minst.htm)

> "The reasons why relatively few Negroes enlisted during World war II were
> numerous. The principal one, however, was the severe restrictions placed
> against Negro enlistments by the armed forces, which, in some periods,
> amounted to complete prohibition."

------
just-juan-post
> > “Some of our students have even shared with us they didn’t feel
> comfortable sitting in that space.”

Ya gotta do what ya gotta do to keep the paying customers, don't ya?

------
CompanionCuuube
So would this university take down a mural of the 442nd Infantry Regiment too,
for not being diverse enough?

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/442nd_Infantry_Regiment_(Unite...](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/442nd_Infantry_Regiment_\(United_States\))

"The unit earned more than 18,000 awards in less than two years, including
9,486 Purple Hearts and 4,000 Bronze Star Medals. The unit was awarded eight
Presidential Unit Citations (five earned in one month).[6] Twenty-one of its
members were awarded Medals of Honor.[3] In 2010, Congress approved the
granting of the Congressional Gold Medal to the 442nd Regimental Combat Team
and associated units who served during World War II,[7] and in 2012, all
surviving members were made chevaliers of the French Légion d'Honneur for
their actions contributing to the liberation of France and their heroic rescue
of the Lost Battalion.[8]"

------
emteycz
Eh. How will they preserve the paintings? Or are they going to destroy it?
What's the difference from Islamic State burning art that "wasn't
representative of them today"? Should we take down Egyptian pyramids too,
since slaves built them and that's not what we are today? Hopefully this dumb
ideology won't get out of the USA. I feel sad for the Americans of yesterday,
though, I can't imagine such disrespect to their work here in Europe.

~~~
mcphage
> Should we take down Egyptian pyramids too, since slaves built them

I'm pretty sure that's not true.

> I feel sad for the Americans of yesterday, though, I can't imagine such
> disrespect to their work here in Europe.

The _white_ Americans of yesterday used to get upset when a black person used
their water fountain, or got a better seat on a bus, so it's not like they
refrained from weaponized outrage.

~~~
gnusty_gnurc
> so it's not like they refrained from weaponized outrage

at least you're admitting the stuff now is disingenuous and strategic

~~~
mcphage
> at least you're admitting the stuff now is disingenuous and strategic

Strategic, absolutely. And—in this particular case at least—pretty stupid. But
I'm more interested in the aim; it's no longer about keeping minorities down.

