FRANCE: Here is a gift to celebrate you not being assholes any more and freeing slaves.
AMERICA: Oh wow, thank you. This is going to look so good on our lawn. It'll be a tribute to other Europeans arriving.
FRANCE: No, you're not hearing us. This is a statute for your freed Black ppl at this very moment. Right now. You don't have to wait.
AMERICA: Yes, European immigrants are going to love this statue later on. It'll show American pride. Oh, maybe we can get a poem inscribed on it about immigrants to show America's magnanimity.
FRANCE: Okay it's a French statute. It was created by French abolitionists. It is called the Statue of Liberty. Your freedmen were steeped in 'Black Liberation gospel' while enslaved. There are quite literally chains on her feet that are broken to show freedom from slavery by the Lady of Liberty. We used the Roman goddess Libertas, who wore the cap of freed slaves. Black LIBERATION gospel. Lady LIBERTY. Roman Goddess of Liberty for freed slaves. You get it?
AMERICA: I'm just going to ignore everything you said after 'here is a gift.'
EUROPEAN IMMIGRANTS: (looking at statue) Oh wow! For me?
AMERICA: Totally babe. I like to call it The Statue of Liberty and... *applause* oh thank you, thank you so much. This is for immigrants who make this country great. You know *wink wink* the ones I’m talking about. Frenchy French guy over here made it *light applause*...
FRANCE: But, but-
AMERICA: I just wanted to show how much I was thinking about you.
EUROPEAN IMMIGRANTS: You are the greatest!
AMERICA: I know, right?!?
To all the ppl who found it strange that in a monument-obsessed nation, there was nothing erected in honor of slaves, guess what? There was. In fact, it's probably one of the most iconic images of the United States. America just 'retitled' and regifted the tribute.
AMERICA: Oh wow, thank you. This is going to look so good on our lawn. It'll be a tribute to other Europeans arriving.
FRANCE: No, you're not hearing us. This is a statute for your freed Black ppl at this very moment. Right now. You don't have to wait.
AMERICA: Yes, European immigrants are going to love this statue later on. It'll show American pride. Oh, maybe we can get a poem inscribed on it about immigrants to show America's magnanimity.
FRANCE: Okay it's a French statute. It was created by French abolitionists. It is called the Statue of Liberty. Your freedmen were steeped in 'Black Liberation gospel' while enslaved. There are quite literally chains on her feet that are broken to show freedom from slavery by the Lady of Liberty. We used the Roman goddess Libertas, who wore the cap of freed slaves. Black LIBERATION gospel. Lady LIBERTY. Roman Goddess of Liberty for freed slaves. You get it?
AMERICA: I'm just going to ignore everything you said after 'here is a gift.'
EUROPEAN IMMIGRANTS: (looking at statue) Oh wow! For me?
AMERICA: Totally babe. I like to call it The Statue of Liberty and... *applause* oh thank you, thank you so much. This is for immigrants who make this country great. You know *wink wink* the ones I’m talking about. Frenchy French guy over here made it *light applause*...
FRANCE: But, but-
AMERICA: I just wanted to show how much I was thinking about you.
EUROPEAN IMMIGRANTS: You are the greatest!
AMERICA: I know, right?!?
To all the ppl who found it strange that in a monument-obsessed nation, there was nothing erected in honor of slaves, guess what? There was. In fact, it's probably one of the most iconic images of the United States. America just 'retitled' and regifted the tribute.
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