Arcata Votes to Relocate McKinley Statue

This is a press release from the City of Arcata:

McKinley Statue Arcata

Installation of McKinley statue in 1906.

Arcata, CA – On Tuesday, November 6, 2018, registered Arcata voters had the opportunity to vote in favor of, or against the McKinley statue measure, known as Measure M.

On Tuesday, November 6 the majority of Arcata voters (62.16%) voted Measure M down. As such, the City Council’s vote from Wednesday, February 21 still stands, and City staff will initiate the review of relocating the McKinley statue from the center of Arcata’s Plaza.

The McKinley statue is identified as a historic feature of the Plaza in the City’s guiding document called the General Plan, and this designation requires the City to complete an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) prior to taking action to relocate the statue. The intent of environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) is to describe the potential impacts of removing McKinley to City officials and the public.

The Community Development Department will finalize the environmental review currently underway, with their immediate goal being the preservation and safe storage of the statue. This review process relies heavily on input from community members and resource experts, and once the input received is incorporated into the environmental documents, the Planning Commission and City Council will hold public hearings to formally decide to relocate the statue.

In order to complete the relocation process, the EIR process must be finalized. The Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) has been circulated for public comment, and the input received will be incorporated into the Final EIR, which is estimated to be completed by the end of this year.

The City Council will make its decision in early 2019 to finalize the statue relocation project. Additional details will be announced as they become available.

Community members with offers and suggestions for the relocation of the McKinley statue are encouraged to call 707-822-5955 or email [email protected] with the subject line of “McKinley Statue Relocation.”

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Willie caos- mayhem
Guest
5 years ago

I think a museum teaching the history of McKinley would be nice. That way people who care about it have a place to go and view it even teach others and if you dont want to see it dont go. Museum can even pay for itself.

Let Speakers Voices and the Music Ring!
Guest
Let Speakers Voices and the Music Ring!
5 years ago

One of the ideas is to ship it off to his birthplace museum. The museum doesn’t have anything like it, and would make an excellent addition to the collection. It can even go right outside, once spruced up from it’s current splashed state.
The man who paid for it meant it to be a memorial to him, and it should continue to be.
However, after honoring him for five score and a dozen years, its time to have our band-and- speaking platform gazebo back. Considering how often we have music in the center of the plaza (and have had for decades), it’ll be nice to have it back again.
Perhaps a nice sign on the side, with a picture, to recognize that it was there for so many years would be nice, too.

John
Guest
John
5 years ago

Why not just place it in long term permanent storage? Why does it have to be relocated? It has become so unpopular it will be protested anywhere it is placed in public. If placed in storage, it could be brought out and put back in place on the plaza, in the unlikely event politics turn around. Otherwise, let it collect dust somewhere. Since it has been designated an historical feature of the plaza, it really shouldn’t be melted down. Of course melting it down would kind of be like burning books. I’ve read that has been done in the past.

Glad I moved away from that place.

Aleric
Guest
Aleric
5 years ago
Reply to  John

Melt it down and leave the slag on the plaza to remind the fascists who idolize him that they LOST.

Farce
Guest
Farce
5 years ago
Reply to  Aleric

Yes. Everybody who has an opinion different than yours is a fascist. Talk about looking in a mirror!

Ullr rover
Guest
Ullr rover
5 years ago
Reply to  Aleric

Definition of fascism
1 often capitalized : a political philosophy, movement, or regime (such as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition

Fred
Guest
Fred
5 years ago
Reply to  Aleric

Put up a statue of Columbus or trump.

Bushytails
Guest
Bushytails
5 years ago
Reply to  John

I suspect it will be a lot less unpopular just about anywhere other than Arcata.

groba dude trustafarian osnt
Guest
groba dude trustafarian osnt
5 years ago

Why not just vote to change history?

I think that in times where nobody cares about the past, and everybody is just out for themselves, it probably does not matter what happens to a 112 year old statue. Take it down, leave it, who fucking cares? Let’s get a cup of coffee and smoke a joint!

Whoops, time for class!

It will be a sad world, in Arcata, in 25 years, but then, everybody there will be speaking Espanol and will be hooked on tar.

UnCommonSense
Guest
UnCommonSense
5 years ago

So, according to your logic, statues of Adolph Hitler and Pope Benedict should also adorn the land.

groba dude trustafarian osnt
Guest
groba dude trustafarian osnt
5 years ago
Reply to  UnCommonSense

Dear Uncommon:

Logic? What logic?
Speaking of sense, your comment makes very little…

Guess I need a cup of coffee and a joint!

What I said is “nobody cares”. The statue was seriously defaced by tattooed skateboarding friend-stabbing miscreants, anyway, and, Mckinley is one of those forgotten politicians, just like Trump will be in a couple years. The history of Amerika was shockingly bad, during McKinley and Roosevelt. It is amazing that any of us are around to tell the tale.

Also, by my logic, it is illogical to erect statues of anyone at all, since modern society has no respect for anyone or anything, and many persons certainly no have respect for themselves… Maybe a statue of a pile of money, or a statue of some really nice pot, like on Instagram…

Jaekelopterus
Guest
Jaekelopterus
5 years ago

This issue was decided by a vote. Do you have no respect for democracy?

Bushytails
Guest
Bushytails
5 years ago
Reply to  Jaekelopterus

I used to, and then this happened.

Jaekelopterus
Guest
Jaekelopterus
5 years ago
Reply to  Bushytails

Well, I hope your livelihood hasn’t been completely destroyed by the terrible tragedy. /s

rollin
Guest
rollin
5 years ago
Reply to  Jaekelopterus

I have zero respect for democracy, nor did the founding fathers that you, no doubt, despise. Democracy is two wolves and a sheep deciding on what’s for dinner. The word is mentioned nowhere in the constitution. The fact that simpletons like you don’t understand this is the same reason we have scores of imbeciles crying about the electoral college, Hillary being the ringleader.

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  rollin

But the Constitution does, both initially and as subsequently amended, give the right to choose the Electors (the College of Electors) to the States. The States then mandated a democratic voting system universally. So while the Constitution does not give indivdual voting guarantees, the States have the power to do so and have done so.

The Electors numbers reflect the legislature. Which was a safeguard offer so that small states would be less afraid of being railroaded by more populous states. And, looking at California’s recent behavior, that is a good thing. It means it takes more than a small majority to impose one big State’s will on the reluctant. Good enough to work for 242 years despite the outraged complaints of those who won the popular vote but not everywhere. If populous States had all the power over smaller States without check, smaller States would have left the Union long ago.

Ullr rover
Guest
Ullr rover
5 years ago
Reply to  Guest

The Constitutional Republic was established as a bulwark aginst the tyranny of the majority. The structure of elections was setup to have the educated (enlightened) populace guiding the country into the future. There was a very real concern that the uneducated majority would derail this grand experiment.

“…Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide….”

-John Adams

“If a nation expects to be ignorant and free in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.” –Thomas Jefferson

THC
Guest
THC
5 years ago
Reply to  Jaekelopterus

Got to love a true Democracy.

Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago
Reply to  THC

Hooray for human Rights!

Charlie
Guest
Charlie
5 years ago

A giant bronze dollar bill!

hmm
Guest
hmm
5 years ago
Reply to  UnCommonSense

And according to your logic no person who ever lived should have a statue? Is that correct?

Jaekelopterus
Guest
Jaekelopterus
5 years ago
Reply to  hmm

The logic is you remove a statue that a majority of voters want removed. I guess by your logic EVERYONE should have a statue.

groba dude trustafarian osnt
Guest
groba dude trustafarian osnt
5 years ago
Reply to  hmm

Statues are kind of silly, anyway… Assassination of the statue seems appropriate, in this case.

Giving an edifice to Mckinley is rather obtuse, and, the policies of the US government included lying, which is nothing new, stealing, in the case of Puerto RIco and The Phillipines, and, making imperialistic wars, enslaving people, and murdering Native Americans! The man who assassinated Mckinley should have a statue!

Just think, Trump wants a wall between here and Mexico, but I am surprised that he does not want a wall around the Philippines to keep the 125,000,000 residents of that archipelago from arriving in Northern CA to take everyone’s jobs! Maybe we should have a statue of Richard Nixon and Barry Goldwater, since they are the ideal and actual representation of the odd politics present in Humboldt, and a statue of Stalin, so the Commies in Arcata can worship at their lesiure and in public…

No, McKinley is out of date, and out of favor! Tear down the wall, and melt down the statue! Our newest hero is Cannabis Oil anyway, so maybe a statue of a CBD Molecule?

Sparklemahn
Guest
Sparklemahn
5 years ago

That wall around the Philippines sounds like a plan.

ASM
Guest
ASM
5 years ago

Groba:

It is what jobs are Philippines taking? Look at the street in Arcata the panhandle are white(no disrespect to Whites) Hispanics and Philippines works those people are doing the Jobs that Whites don’t want to do or are too good for it. They prefer to ask for food stamps..
Get your facts straight before commenting in social media

JoJo
Guest
JoJo
5 years ago
Reply to  UnCommonSense

Wow! Hitler, Benedict, and McKinley are the same to you? Seek professional help before you pull a Muir.

A
Guest
A
5 years ago

Groba,
I think, in Arcata, everybody already is speaking Espanol hooked on tar.

over it
Guest
over it
5 years ago

It should be replaced with a statue of a giant vape pen! That’s what really represents this town.

Sharpen your pencil
Guest
Sharpen your pencil
5 years ago

I think it should be placed dead center of HSU. If the university and its student’s are for teaching and learning this is an important lesson to learn. If you cry loud enough, act out of line, and deface city property you too can get your way. To hell with history and keeping a reminder of the past, good, bad or indifferent. Allowing your feelings to be hurt by a statue of a president is well childish!

Jaekelopterus
Guest
Jaekelopterus
5 years ago

This issue wasn’t decided by “crying” or “acting out of line.” It was put to a vote. Who’s trying to rewrite history, again?

River Rat
Guest
River Rat
5 years ago

The next thing you know, people will be wanting to remove the fisherman statue on woodly island .
Darn fish killers anyway.

Leon Czolgosz
Guest
Leon Czolgosz
5 years ago

bang bang no more offensive statue.

In my 1911 I trust
Guest
In my 1911 I trust
5 years ago
Reply to  Leon Czolgosz

This action is a testament to how weak our society has become. Everyone who was so offended by a statue to a point that it had to be removed is very weak. We will not survive with this weak blood coursing through the veins of our society. It won’t last long though, the weak tend to turn and devour each other. Remember, only the strong survive in this world, its embarrassing to see that Americans have fallen so far, Russia and North Korea only have to wait another couple generations and then they will be able to take America for themselves without any fight. Arcata, your weakness is showing.

Willie caos- mayhem
Guest
5 years ago

The people.

Canyon oak
Guest
Canyon oak
5 years ago

If arcatans care so much about righting the wrongs of history, lets roll the progression forward a bit, and request all progressives within city limits quitclaim the deeds of their properties to the wiyot Housing authority.
It’s easy, live your language progressives

hmm
Guest
hmm
5 years ago
Reply to  Canyon oak

You are clearly talking about regressives. There are still many people on the left who identify with the ideals of the progressive era, but are not part of the new radical left.

Emily
Guest
Emily
5 years ago
Reply to  hmm

I agree. I think people are being a bit too sensitive on this issue. That statue, in my mind, is an important part of my memories of Arcata growing up, and I looked around and found nothing that offended me about William McKinley. Seems like an upstanding man of his time. Fought in the civil war, made peace with the Spanish instead of war over Cuba… anyhow, sorry to see him go, and I feel a little more estranged from this overly sensitive brand of progressivism I see in Arcata.

Jaekelopterus
Guest
Jaekelopterus
5 years ago
Reply to  Canyon oak

If republicans love McKinley so much, why aren’t they all getting McKinley statues, McKinley tattoos and renaming all of their children McKinley?

In my 1911 I trust
Guest
In my 1911 I trust
5 years ago
Reply to  Jaekelopterus

Your weakness is showing

Sparklemahn
Guest
Sparklemahn
5 years ago
Reply to  Canyon oak

At the same time move all Conservatives to Utah. They’ll feel a lot more comfortable around other scared to death of everything they don’t understand folks. Hurry!

Angela Robinson
Guest
Angela Robinson
5 years ago

I’m sure it has probably been suggested a million times before, but why not give the statue to McKinleyville?

John
Guest
John
5 years ago

Funny, when the USSR fell, people all over the place immediately started toppling statues of Lenin. No votes taken, no “ballot initiatives,” just, blam, they came down real fast. McKinley, Lenin . . . McKinley, Lenin . . .

Canyon oak
Guest
Canyon oak
5 years ago

It would make more sense in Mckinleyville, but once political demographics change, it won’t be welcome there either.
The culture that created most of the civilized artifice we see will ultimately be pushed out of memory, as it is being pushed out of celebration.
But we should be careful, because eventually it reverts to the Stone Age.
Just look at the the people reverting everywhere you turn.. even in the context of amazing wealth and technology.

Aa
Guest
Aa
5 years ago

Aren’t 45% of the votes still uncounted?

A Unknown
Guest
A Unknown
5 years ago

Isis destoryed historic monuments they found offensive.
Arcata destoryed/moved historic monuments they found offense.

So where can we find a nice antique Buddha we can destroy?

Jaekelopterus
Guest
Jaekelopterus
5 years ago
Reply to  A Unknown

The difference is that there was a vote and the statue isn’t being destroyed. So, completely different. Things change all of the time. People move, stores close. Something tiny changes, that hurts nobody, and you start comparing people to Isis. What a fucking crybaby.

Esme
Guest
Esme
5 years ago
Reply to  A Unknown

*yawn* Yes, statues of a non-violent person revered by the populace being destroyed without public input is totally comparable to the community voting to remove an statue of a politician not connected to the area commissioned long ago by some rich McKinley fan in their grief over his passing and gifted to the city. Totally comparable. In fact, any statue removal must be bad if ISIS removed any statue. Hopefully ISIS doesn’t eat or breathe or we are in trouble.

Emily
Guest
Emily
5 years ago
Reply to  A Unknown

Huge difference, but only if you have something between your ears other than Fox News. Nice try though.

Mike
Guest
Mike
5 years ago

Damn it people, I’ve said I’ll buy it a dozen times. I’ll put it in my yard on private property a long way from that place Arcata so as not to offend anyone because I doubt those Arcatians could afford the gas to get to my property. I don’t really care about McKinley but I would like to put it under a American flag just out of spite.

Jaekelopterus
Guest
Jaekelopterus
5 years ago
Reply to  Mike

You don’t really like McKinley, but you feel spite for the people that also don’t really like McKinley.

What?

I like stars too!
Guest
I like stars too!
5 years ago

Revert. Revert, revert revert!

How do you like my “Revert!” Tattoo?
This is my daughter, Revert!

I like it!

$60,000 to remove an old statue that an 81 yr old gold-rush character donated in 1908. In a “peoples republic” town where they have students living in Motels and Motor Vehicles, and skateboarders stab each other every night?

Good luck, Arcata! Looks like the anarchists have won, after all!

Hmmmmm
Guest
Hmmmmm
5 years ago

Arcata is a cute town with dirty gross people.
Put arcata people in a long term storage.
Long live McKinley!

Emily
Guest
Emily
5 years ago

I think the coolest thing I read about the statue is that it was created in San Francisco right before the 1906 quake, and the foundry burned down and all that was left was the statue. Pretty amazing! Too bad he has to go.

I like stars too!
Guest
I like stars too!
5 years ago
Reply to  Emily

Thanks for that, Em!

If Arcata suffered the same fate, would the statue survive? Would it be the last thing standing?

McKinley, himself, was killed by an anarchist, who maybe had gone round the bend, mentally.

I wonder how far behind the typical Arcata denizen would be found to be…

We should remind ourselves, daily, about how far humans and government have not evolved, in 108 years!

Maybe this is the true job of statues, to help us remember to move forward…

fuzzy haired dude
Guest
fuzzy haired dude
5 years ago

Just one more manifestation that old white guys are no longer in charge. It is time for a Colin Kaepernick statue in every town across America!

Lisa Morehouse
Guest
Lisa Morehouse
5 years ago

Wow! The level of discourse here is amazingly pathetic.

IloveTheOldArcata
Guest
IloveTheOldArcata
5 years ago

The vote doesn’t seem fair. Most of the people that voted on this have probably only just recently moved here. Transplants, and they’ll be off to some other hip town next year.

I have so many memories from my childhood, teen years and early adulthood of the statue.

Why are we so obsessed with erasing history, wiping it clean? Isn’t there a saying about that? …

If any of the council members are reading this, please reconsider the removal. Please!?

Kathy Vitale
Guest
Kathy Vitale
5 years ago

Here’s an idea, how about the people of the city of Arcata sending the money ( 70 plus thousand dollars) it would cost to remove the statue to the surviving people of Paradise California, to help them rebuild Paradise and help all those people dealing with their trauma. For those feeling the statue should have been removed, they can pool together and raise enough money among themselves to make a plaque by the statue educating the public about their concerns, but how they opted to give the money to a greater cause.

Marc McKinley
Guest
Marc McKinley
5 years ago

At a reunion of McKinley descendants in Sacramento, very few of us knew this statue existed. But we now know that a modern Taliban exists and you arcata are it. Everything this country has is because of domineering, conquering, invasive people like President McKinley and your own predecessors.
So why stop now. Every time you look at a map and see the name McKinleyville, let it be in your minds how puny you are. Shame on you arcata shame shame shame.