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So for this story, I drove down to San Diego to hang out at the statue of former California governor Pete Wilson. It's been around since 2007, and Latino activists tried to get it removed this summer https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-10-12/social-justice-advocates-want-pete-wilson-statue-removed-from-downtown
They claimed victory this October, when Wilson's bronze monument was removed lest it suffer the pulled-down fate of Junipero Serra across California https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-10-15/gov-pete-wilson-statue-san-diego
But late last month, the oversized Wilson trophy returned. Its owners said “The statue of Pete Wilson is a symbol of all that is great about San Diego and its unlimited future.” Um, OK https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-12-03/statue-of-gov-pete-wilson-returns-to-downtown-san-diego
So I asked people who either worked near the statue or passed by there about the controversy. I expected a lively debate about his merits, and whether cancel culture is going too far. Instead, I got an education about a Wilson I didn’t know. A titan of...trolleys?!
No, seriously: out of the 10 or so people I surveyed, 7 of them mentioned trolleys. NO ONE had any idea he was a former mayor of San Diego, or a two-term US senator and California governor. It was one of the most bizarre journalism experiences I’ve ever had. As I would do:
WTF WITH THE TROLLEYS?! Then I realized why: at the base of Wilson’s statue is this plaque...WITH A TROLLEY!
It’s one of the most preposterous efforts to whitewash history I’ve ever seen, but indicative of how Wilson’s supporters know that history will harshly judge their man. So the concocted the most anodyne cover ever: trolleys. As @ArtWong128 would do:
Anyways, do read my columna/pass it along/subscribe to @latimes. Grscias as always to the homie jefe @hbecerraLATimes for his edits and NEVER letting me slide. On to the next INE! As @dario_rivero would do:
