My 2 Cents: Concern Over Controversy Surrounding Monuments

If you've watched my commentaries for long you know I'm a big admirer of the Land Run monument in Bricktown.

It took local sculptor Paul Moore 20 years and $6.2 million to create it.

It's breathtakingly impressive!

Now a group of Native Americans calling itself the Society to Protect Indigenous Rights and Indigenous Treaties, or SPIRIT, is planning a "sit in" at the monument this weekend.

And ultimately, they want it removed because they say it's racist and represents the genocide of Native Americans, and that part of the story is not told at all.

But to most Oklahomans it illustrates the greatest horse race ever, the run of '89.

Less than a mile to the East, on the Oklahoma River, is another project I've been a big supporter of now called the First Americans Museum.   

It'll be a world class tribute to Native American history. 

I hope they're able to develop the whole east end of the River into a celebration of the Native American culture and to tell their side of the story.

I'm very concerned that an armed militia group is pledging to show up this weekend and protect the monument from any vandalism. That’s potentially trouble we don't need, let the police handle security.

I'm Kelly Ogle and that MY 2 Cents.