Students attending the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia – the second oldest college in the nation – say the statue of Declaration of Independence writer Thomas Jefferson ought to be removed from campus because the Founding Father was little more than a "rapist" and racist.
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The statue's been peppered with yellow sticky notes of what students think of him. Among the slurs, Breitbart reported: "Racist." "Rapist." "Black Lives Matter."
Other notes stuck on the statue read, "he knew it was wrong," and "stop worshiping racists."
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Students at the school say the statue should be removed from the grounds – and this isn't the only campus where this move is afoot.
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As Breitbart reported, University of Missouri students have sent around a petition to boot their own campus Jefferson statue from the school grounds.
In reads, in part: "The need to project a progressive environment is just as important as food and shelter to survive. A welcoming environment does not stop at the feet of individuals in particular spaces. A welcoming environment is also determined by its physical environment e.g., the use of artifacts in designated spaces. Some individuals may not see Thomas Jefferson’s statue in the quad as a form of oppression, but in higher education settings where highly conscious students are present, it is relatively easy to see and read such nonverbal messages. Thomas Jefferson's statue sends a clear nonverbal message that his values and beliefs are supported by the University of Missouri. Jefferson's statue perpetuates a sexist-racist atmosphere that continues to reside on campus."
William & Mary's website reports its Jefferson statue came by way of a gift from the University of Virginia. The dedication plaque includes a quote from Jefferson that reads: "I look to the diffusion of light and education as the resource most to be relied on for ameliorating the condition, promoting the virtue and advancing the happiness of man."
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