Democrats who supported the removal of statues representing American figures like Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson in 2020 are now expressing strong concerns about the Trump administration’s attempts to reshape the Smithsonian Museum, allegedly to emphasize American exceptionalism.
It’s somewhat ironic, don’t you think?
We’re going to bring in Minnesota Governor Tim Waltz and a new host from X this week.
“If you’re trying to erase history, you’re on the wrong side of it,” he stated. But, I can’t help but wonder—where was this outrage when protesters vandalized the 90-year-old Christopher Columbus statue at the Capitol back in 2020?
That act was done by an angry crowd, with no formal process involved. I mean, I read about it, even dug into an article titled “Meet Indigenous Activists Who Defeated the Statue of Christopher Columbus in Minnesota” from 2022. You’d be surprised to find out where it was published.
And yes, it’s true—I’m not fabricating this: Smithsonian Magazine mentioned it.
The apology included some sympathetic wording about vandalism, calling it “beautiful” while stating, “It’s a reflection of what Columbus did to us,” from Doren Day.
I’m honestly taken aback that the Smithsonian article didn’t even mention a single supporter of Columbus—what a one-sided perspective! Honestly, I sometimes wish that statue had been removed sooner.
This situation mirrors the narrative that Trump and his administration aim to correct in museums.
Don’t misunderstand me; I think the Smithsonian is a fantastic institution, but its leftist tendencies have been apparent for some time, including the omission of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas from the Museum of African American History.
These issues are not new; they stretch back further than the events of 2020. For maybe the last fifty years or so, progressive viewpoints have dominated cultural and historical institutions without much resistance.
In their storytelling, America is often framed as the perpetrator of oppression—not just within its own borders, but globally as well. Take an exhibit on Cuban immigration that criticizes U.S. involvement in Latin America, which conveniently leaves out any discussion of Fidel Castro.
So, who really decides how we narrate our nation’s story?
Back in 2020, it was the protesters making an illegal call. Even when the Columbus statue was “officially” taken down, it lacked any real public debate or referendum—rather, a small committee simply decided the fate of our history.
In their version of the event, America is always responsible for the oppression of Americans and almost all other oppression that is wrong in the world.
A recent poll shows just 37% of Democrats feel there’s anything to celebrate as the U.S. approaches its 250th anniversary. It seems our elite educational institutions have shaped a rather bleak narrative.
History is fluid. Consider how perceptions of the Crusades shifted—what was once seen as a noble campaign is now often viewed as a racist colonial endeavor, though new scholarly discussions are reevaluating them again.
This isn’t about claiming one narrative is definitively right or wrong; whether we talk about the Crusades or the Civil War, it’s problematic to focus solely on the negatives without acknowledging the positive aspects of America.
Somewhere along the way, it seems a decision was made to exclude patriotism from museums, which feels quite strange. There’s no valid reason for the Trump administration to shy away from this anymore.
Those who cheered the statue removals should really reflect on their position. They’ve shown a willingness to erase history to fit their narrative, thus undermining their argument against making the Smithsonian more inclusive.
The Trump administration’s approach to changing the Smithsonian is transparent and public. At last, this could spark a national discourse, where ideas aren’t just force-fed by one side.
This process is far more inclusive than what took place in 2020 when significant parts of history were erased without much resistance. Many Americans, I think, might actually welcome this change.
