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THREAD: Can someone please come get Pat Conley? This OpEd in @projo further proves that he should no longer be setting the narrative for History here in Rhode Island. He most definitely should *NOT* continue as our Historian Laureate. https://www.providencejournal.com/story/opinion/columns/2020/12/01/ri-historian-laureate-patrick-t-conley-defends-stance-providence-plantations/6410390002/
Just before the election, Conley decided to formally come out *AGAINST* the removal of “Plantations” from our official state name. https://www.providencejournal.com/story/opinion/2020/10/25/r-i-s-historian-laureate-explains-why-providence-plantations-should-remain-states-official-name/5984208002/
My re: @UpriseRI: “Let’s remember that the word represents not only a deep involvement in the transatlantic slave trade, but also an earlier history of Indigenous land theft & enslavement. To ignore either of these facts is to ignore our state’s history.” https://upriseri.com/2020-10-26-michael-j-simpson/
Now, Conley seems to think that the main criticism here is that he is racist. In fact, he opens his initial argument with the words “I am not a racist.” Usually, when you find yourself beginning an argument like this, you’re probably already arguing a losing argument.
However, formal historians like myself do not rely on ad hominem attacks to dismantle arguments. To do so, IMHO, demonstrates a poor grasp of the evidence and instead a reliance on rhetorical devices to win arguments. Most historians instead rely on evidence.
This is why it is interesting that Conley didn’t address any of the evidence I raised in my article, or that Ray Rickman of @stages_freedom raised in his @projo OpEd— specifically that plantations we everywhere in the 17th century western Atlantic world. https://www.providencejournal.com/story/opinion/columns/2020/10/30/voting-yes-question-1-would-change-states-name-dropping-and-providence-plantations/6056859002/
Instead, Conley decided to “let his actions do the talking” to address nonexistent attacks on his character by proving he is *not* racist by tokenizing a variety of African Americans throughout Rhode Island as if they were some shield against his racism.
But working with the African American community does not inherently make you anti-racist. Many 18th century abolitionists were still white supremacists. Conley’s argument here is akin to “I’m not racist, I have Black friends.”
As @nytimes journalist @jeligon writes— “It’s a myth that proximity to blackness immunizes white people from doing racist things.” https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/16/sunday-review/ralph-northam-blackface-friends.html
Furthermore, Conley notes that it’s “ironic” that Senator Harold Metts (recently ousted by @MackDistrict6)—an African American— would be one of the primary sponsors of the bill to remove Plantations. What’s so ironic about that?
Conley then continues on to tell Black Americans how to celebrate their emancipation— citing Georgia’s signing of the 13th Amendment as a better holiday than Juneteenth, which makes no sense. Since when does Pat Conley know what is best for Black Americans?
This sort of parochial paternalism spewing from our Historian Laureate is even more unsettling when you realize the plutocracy that is the position— detailed expertly by @phileil in *his* article on Conley in @UpriseRI. https://upriseri.com/2020-10-27-patrick-conley/
In the end, Conley *NEVER* addressed any of the evidence to prove his argument wrong. Instead, he used his space in the print of the @projo to tell Black Americans they’re wrong (again) by celebrating their emancipation on Juneteenth. This is what the kids call a “self-own.” 
I really hope @RISecState actually announces the ending of Conley’s term as Historian Laureate this time, and some one much more qualified gets to fill the position.
