Patricia Myles of Ypsilanti Township wants the statue of French explorer Rene-Robert Cavelier Sieur de la Salle removed from Victory Park in Belleville because it is “a racist monument to white supremacy.” She said she is a Belleville native. She has been standing in front of the statue with her sign for short intervals over the past few weeks.
Myles said LaSalle claimed 530 million acres of indigenous land – the entire Mississippi River basin — for King Louis XIV of France. Her sign reads: “Take Down Racist Monument — Indigenous PPL Count.”
The late Park and Edna Mae Gregory worked for many years to gain public acceptance of their studied belief that La Salle visited Van Buren Township at French Landing in April 1680. The statue was a gift from the Gregorys in August 1985.
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Perhaps we should remove Christopher Columbus, Lewis and Clark and Daniel Boone along with hundreds of others who had vision and courage and determination and luck.
Why is someone who is not even a resident of Belleville (or sumpter, VBT) offended by this statue in the first place? You don’t even live here, go hold your signs up in Ypsilanti township. There’s plenty of statues, monuments that you could choose to be offended by.
I absolutely agree. Why is this any concern for someone who doesnt live here, pay taxes or just patronize our businesses have any say for our town what so ever. It is History plain and simple,
This is my Grandfather and Grandmothers Park. Study up your history before you protest this.