A few thousand Minnesotans — and counting — have signed a petition to replace a Christopher Columbus statue at the State Capitol with royalty.
Progressive activist Wintana Melekin started the petition Aug. 27. “Rather than glorify a man who wanted to extinguish black and native peoples, we should honor members of our community whose leadership we find inspirational,” she wrote.
Prince, the petition said, brought people together unlike Columbus. Prince preached peace, love and understanding, and advocated social justice in many of his lyrics, but he wasn’t a governor or a political force in the traditional sense.
from the Minneapolis Star Tribune
A mob at the state capitol tore down the sacred bust
Of Christopher Columbus, treading on it in the dust.
They said he was a tyrant and a murderer supreme
Who merited no statue and should not have their esteem.
They did not waste a moment nor remorse at all evince;
Instead they put a statue up of Paisley Park’s dead Prince.
Grasping a guitar and facing towards the golden dome,
it appeared quite arrogant and thoroughly at home.
But then another crowd appeared, with news that made men stagger --
They wanted to replace ol’ Prince with a statue of Mick Jagger!
Soon the hubbub reached a pitch that called for intervention,
And like good Minnesotans they all called for a convention.
Consensus was not possible with such diversity --
And so all statues were destroyed -- which surely was a pity.
So now there’s nothing on the grounds except some dusty grit --
For even fescue cannot grow with such a lack of wit.
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