In August, the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans demanded that Columbus statues be returned to Grant and Arrigo parks by Columbus Day and protected at city expense. It didn’t happen, but the two sides are talking.
Mayor Lightfoot reiterated that she doesn’t “believe in erasing history.” That’s why she’s been “talking to lots of folks about what can we do, how can we do it” to secure the Columbus statues.
The best path forward is to go easy with the crowbar when it comes to these monuments. Ramp up the opportunities and funding to teach where feasible, rather than tear down.