The Left Isn't Trying to Cancel the Statue of Liberty

Misbar discovered the article that Rep. Jordan shared in his social media post was originally published on Foxnews.com. The article was a critique of a June 30, 2021 essay written by Philip Kennicott, a Washington Post writer. Kennicott describes the statue as “ambiguous and ambivalent.” He goes on to say, “As familiar to some Americans as the flag, the statue is just as meaningless or foreign to others, a sign without significance, or worse, a symbol of hypocrisy or unfulfilled promises.” According to Kennicott, the statue’s complex history suggests her fall from grace should not be surprising since before she welcomed immigrants, Liberty signified the triumph of abolition. 

However, describing the statue's history and significance isn't the same as canceling it. Originally known as “The Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World," the statue was a gift of friendship from the people of France in 1886 to the United States and is recognized as a universal symbol of freedom and democracy according to the National Park Service. Each day, approximately 10,000 people visit the Statue of Liberty, or about 4.5 million people a year. Not only is the statue a popular tourist destination, but it also appears to still hold a meaning of welcoming refugees. According to travelandleisure.com, in January, 2017, visits to Lady Liberty soared 15% from the year before: “People have been particularly motivated to visit the national monument as a direct response to the Trump administration’s travel ban and refugee policies.”

From the high number of visitors who come to see her from all over the world and the meaning that she still holds for many, it seems Lady Liberty has not lost her significance nor will the left try to cancel her.