The Columbus Monument is an important and historic part of our city's public art collection. Mayor Walsh's idea of dismantling it is not only violates the moral rights of its the original artists, but also creates a dangerous precedent of politicizing public art. Public art is controversial for a reason. It stimulates important dialogue. Remove that stimulus, and the learning stops. The City should be adding to our public art, not destroying it. Please reverse this reckless decision and leave the Columbus Monument standing, as is.

Eliminating the Columbus Monument doesn't cause healing, because the history remains. It simply hurts those of us who love the beauty, the history, and the heritage conveyed by the Columbus Monument. How does hurting one ethnic group heal to heal the entire community? What moves toward healing are POSITIVE actions, like new, conflicting public art representing other ethnic groups who have successfully adopted Syracuse as their home. Why not focus on that? Reverse this uninformed decision. Leave the Columbus Monument standing - as is - and focus your efforts and our resources on forward-looking changes.

As elected officials, you have an obligation to protect and preserve city assets, including our public art collection. The Mayor's proposal to mutilate the Columbus Monument is a breach of that fiduciary duty. Please reverse this proposed action. We should be adding to our public art, not destroying it.

Crime. Potholes. Jobs. Furloughs. Why aren't you spending your time on these things instead of wasting precious city resources on destroying an important and historic part of our public art? You have been in office 2 years. The Columbus Monument - paid for by private donations - has been standing and celebrated for 86 years. In your move to take it down, you are not only violating your fiduciary duty to preserve city assets, but you inhibiting our freedom of speech. Mayor Walsh, stop this political foolishness. Leave the Columbus Monument alone, and turn your attention to running the city.

Mayor Walsh, I've seen on the columbusmonumentsyracuse.com some of the rich history behind the historic community effort in 1934. I don't know why, after only 2 years in office, you believe that you have the moral authority to wipe away that history! The Columbus Monument is an important piece of public art. As a fiduciary of our city assets, you have a responsibility to preserve it. Please abandon your silly effort to sanitize history, and instead add new art pieces that fill gaps in the story of our community's evolution.