Hoo boy this is a good one.

- "Erasing history" punchline
- Pretending that removing the statue is all about Roosevelt himself
- Acting as if this statue wasn't a source of controversy until just now https://twitter.com/NMalliotakis/status/1274838579357851652

The museum's president "made clear that the museum’s decision was based on the statue itself — namely its 'hierarchical composition'—- and not on Roosevelt, whom the museum continues to honor as 'a pioneering conservationist.'" https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/21/arts/design/roosevelt-statue-to-be-removed-from-museum-of-natural-history.html

Statues and monuments are celebrations. You aren't "erasing history" by taking one down -- you're making a choice not to celebrate it.

If anything, it's shining a light on history by refusing to cherry-pick, by acknowledging the whole.