Posted on 09/05/2007 5:58:09 PM PDT by Singermom
Great icons may suffer great misunderstandings in which erroneous mythology grows to obliterate the real meaning of an important symbol. Probably the most misunderstood image in America is the Statue of Liberty, which is surely burdened with more wrong ideas than any other symbol in our history.
First and foremost, Lady Liberty was never designed as a welcome mat for immigrants, those huddled masses about whom we hear so much sentimentality. The real name of the statue is "Liberty Enlightening the World" which states the true meaning.
Indeed, the sculptor's intent was for the statue to inspire millions around the world to emulate the freedom of the United States, not to leave home and come here. The statue is at heart a revolutionary symbol for the oppressed to throw off their chains and create their own democracy under law. Sculptor Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi believed deeply in republican government and dreamed of having it in his native France, remarking, "I will try to glorify the Republic and Liberty over there, in the hope that someday I will find it again here."
Further, the Emma Lazarus poem, "The New Colossus" which is a hymn to immigration, is not inscribed on the base of the statue, as some would have us believe, and has no connection at all with Bartholdi's vision. The statue was inaugurated in 1886 quite adequately with no Emma Lazarus. The poem's inclusion was a completely separate event, dedicated by some friends of the poet in 1903 after her death.
The Statue of Liberty's intent to inspire people to build their own democratic societies is even more important now that the planet is home to over six billion persons. The huddled masses cannot all be saved by immigration to America. The rescue paradigm of immigration is clearly no longer appropriate, if it ever was. The numbers of needy poor worldwide are simply too high.
In fact, the "wretched refuse of your teeming shore" threatens to become a permanent underclass, since even the most basic educational standards in selecting immigrants have been disregarded. Because of the emphasis on "family reunification," one-third of current legal immigrants have not graduated from high school -- hardly the ideal newcomers to a modern society in the 21st century.
Each of those immigrants without a high school education will consume an average of $89,000 in services beyond what is paid in taxes, according to a National Academy of Sciences study.
The Lazarus poem should be removed from Bedloe Island and banished to a dark corner of the Smithsonian as an artifact of another time. The poem perpetuates the myth that America can grow in population forever, which is a deeply damaging idea. The physical requirements of so many people are destroying the nation's environmental carrying capacity and our natural heritage of inspiring open vistas.
Removing the plaque would be an important step toward reclaiming our heritage. "Liberty Enlightening the World" is a far more noble sentiment than "Mother of Exiles" which celebrates victimhood. We must face the limits of our overcrowded world with creativity and realism. America's message for this century must be to urge local development, e.g. through microlending. On the crowded planet, relieving poverty where people live must be the aim.
It's high time that America provided better environmental leadership regarding overpopulation, and removing the obsolete Lazarus poem from the Statue of Liberty would be a good place to start.
Brenda Walker is a writer living in California. She is the project director of www.ImmigrationsHumanCost.org.
Double ping!
It matters not what meaning some Frenchman gave to the statue, that would only make it a French statue on American soil. What matters and what makes the statue American is the meaning Americans gave it.
the Emma Lazarus poem, "The New Colossus" which is a hymn to immigration, is not inscribed on the base of the statue, as some would have us believe, and has no connection at all with Bartholdi's vision. The statue was inaugurated in 1886 quite adequately with no Emma Lazarus.
Her sonnet was written three years before the statue was inaugurated. It was used to raise money to build the base for the statue and was widely circulated.
Author John T. Cunningham wrote that "the Statue of Liberty was not conceived and sculpted as a symbol of immigration, but it quickly became so as immigrant ships passed under the statue. However, it was Lazarus' poem that permanently stamped on Miss Liberty the role of unofficial greeter of incoming immigrants"
Paul Auster wrote that "Bartholdi's gigantic effigy was originally intended as a monument to the principles of international republicanism, but 'The New Colossus' reinvented the statue's purpose, turning Liberty into a welcoming mother, a symbol of hope to the outcasts and downtrodden of the world"
James Russell Lowell wrote that the poem gave the Statue of Liberty a "James Russell Lowell wrote that the poem gave the Statue of Liberty a "raison d'etre" (reason to be).
The French people may have given the statue to the American people, but they did not envision that we would embrace her, make her a citizen and give her uniquely American purpose of welcoming the world to the doorstep of freedom.
FYI. Most people think that the statue of Liberty was designed for the American centennial. Bartholdi actually designed it to be in Egypt at the head of the Suez canal.
It was also true that the immigrants who came did so to become Americans. They struggled and prospered.
Also, those who were not well were sent back to their home countries. That is how TB and other deseases were irradicated.
Immigration is great as long as everyone follows the rules.
The Statue of Liberty is a symbol for others to acheive what America has become, NOT to simply over run its citizens.
America cannot survive the welfare state and over run immigration.
Great article, very interesting bit of information that I had never heard of before. Thanks
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.