Be Careful What You're Woke For

   

   When you think of Baltimore,  you are probably more likely to associate it with "The Wire" than you are with works of art. It does have some fine museums, however,  including the Walters Art Museum and the Baltimore Museum of Art, which is still the home of the painting above. I wrote 'still' because recently the museum put Warhol's "The Last Supper" and a couple of other paintings up for sale.

   The purpose of the sale was an admirable one, one would think. It was a reaction to the "Black Lives Matter" movement and the money was to be used to support diversity and equity and to raise the salaries of the lower paid employees who were likely not the same colour as the higher paid ones. What could go wrong?

   The selling of a painting by a white Warhol and other white artists to raise $65 million in a city that is largely Black, surely should be a sure thing.  An earlier sale to raise money to purchase more works by women and Black artists had been successful, but this effort was not. The sale has been cancelled, some board members have resigned and one potential $50 million gift was withdrawn (it gets even messier - the name of one of the anonymous donors was revealed.)

   Deaccessioning is the problem and in this case it Trumped the ones related to race relations. There are rules governing the sale of art works housed in non-profit museums. For example, if you donated a painting to the local gallery, you would be pleased if there was a rule to prevent the selling of it to support a grand office party, or even to repair the plumbing. The Association of Art Museum Directors enforces restrictions related to such matters and they have recently relaxed them since many museums are experiencing budgetary problems, some of which are related to the pandemic. One has to be careful in such circumstances as this statement indicates: “If you start monetizing the value of the art on the walls, it raises a whole host of problems and leads to a slippery slope,” Laurence Eisenstein, a leading critic, said. “Next time the state or city are thinking about giving money to the museum, it leads to people asking questions like ‘why don’t you sell some works?’”

   This post is in response to an article I read this morning and because blogging is easier than Christmas shopping. A couple of years ago I did write about this issue when a Canadian deaccessioning controversy occurred. The attempted sale of a Chagall by the National Gallery, caused all kinds of problems. Years before that there was a dispute here in London when the University of Western Ontario sold a Cropsey. You can read more about it in this post: Jasper Cropsey ,which I will feature today.

Sources: 

"A Baltimore Museum Tried to Raise More Money by Selling Three Pricey Artworks: It Backfired Stupendously," Sebastian Smee and Peggy McGlone, Washington Post, Dec. 6, 2020.
See also: "Baltimore Museum Halts Sales of Three Painting, Including Warhol's "Last Supper," Just Hours Before Auction," Peggy McGlone, Washington Post, Oct. 28, 2020.

The Bonus:

  I gather that the University close by is also addressing the Black Lives Matter movement and attempting to do something about the systemic racism that exists there, apparently in clear violation of the HR rules and provincial regulations relating to such things as promotion and hiring. Princeton is doing the same thing as you will learn from the first few paragraphs found in this nicely titled article:
"Keywords: Hoist, Petard: On How Princeton's Crusade Against Systemic Racism Has Backfired," Roger Kimball, New Criterion, Nov. 2020.

Perhaps we ought to have included “chickens” and “roost” among the keywords as well. For many years now, woke administrators, professors, and other activists at all the toniest colleges have been like the parade of flagellants in The Seventh Seal: skirling in public about their sins, above all their institutional or (as we have lately been taught to say) their “systemic” racism. Their cries are accompanied by the demand for alms—$50 million at Yale to support “diversity,” $100 million at Brown for kindred exercises in political penance, and so on.

On September 2, Christopher L. Eisgruber, the president of Princeton University, made a major contribution to this emetic genre. In an open letter to the university “community,” he beat his breast about America’s overdue “profound national reckoning with racism.” He didn’t exclude his own university. Indeed, he beat himself harder as he bemoaned Princeton’s long history of “intentionally and systematically exclud[ing] people of color, women, Jews, and other minorities.” Nor, according to him, has that history ended. “Racist assumptions from the past,” President Eisgruber sobbed, “remain embedded in structures of the University itself.”

His confession did not go unnoticed. On September 16, the Department of Education sent President Eisgruber a letter. The letter minutes an interesting discrepancy. Since Christopher Eisgruber became president of Princeton in 2013, the university has received more than $75 million in taxpayer funds. It has also “repeatedly represented and warranted to the U.S. Department of Education . . . Princeton’s compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.” What’s Title VI? Among other things, it’s the law that stipulates that no institution receiving federal funds may discriminate against anyone because of “race, color, or national origin.”

On Osler

   You will likely recognize the name 'Osler' and know that Sir William Osler was a famous Canadian physician, who is sometimes called the 'Father of Modern Medicine'. That phrase was even used in a recent article which went on to suggest his name should be erased from our memory.

   You will be able to judge easily from the headline, the sin of which he is now found to be guilty: "Sir William Osler's Revered Status in Medicine Shaken As Racist Views are Revealed," Marco Chown Oved, Toronto Star, Nov. 9, 2020. That article is reporting on another one with this rather sarcastic title, especially when appearing in a professional medical periodical: "William Osler: Saint in a White Man's Dominion", which is found in the Nov. 9th issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal.  Some of Osler's views are now considered by some to be reprehensible (he died in 1919) and it is suggested that his name needs to be removed from various objects and replaced by the names of others now more acceptable. That would include, here in London, Osler Street and the Osler Society up at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry. 

   I was not convinced by the arguments presented, that Osler needs to be eliminated. I admit, as well, that I am more concerned about the skills of my cardiac surgeon than her political views. There are others better equipped to defend Osler including some close by, to wit: "Dr. Vivian McAlister, a surgeon and professor at Western University in London, Ont., warned against people reading Osler's words and judging them by the standards of today. "(Historical figures) all said things that would make us cringe today, but they were still very noble people," McAlister said. "(Osler) inspired all physicians of all races and all backgrounds to do better. He continues to do that today. That is his legacy." (that is from the Star article.) 

   I made a similar point in my post about the current Historical Censoriousness:

“The dispensing of moral judgments upon people or upon actions in retrospect,” wrote Butterfield, is the “most useless and unproductive of all forms of reflection.”

   Both the articles are available to you and you can decide for yourself. As well, you should read the long biographical essay by Charles G. Roland in the Dictionary of Canadian Biography, or the shorter one by him in the Canadian Encyclopedia.  There is a good profile of Osler at Johns Hopkins where he was physician-in-chief.  At McGill University, however, his legacy is under attack and, "This summer, Montreal emergency pediatrician and McGill professor Dr. Samir Shaheen-Hussain penned two columns asking why medicine still puts racists on pedestals." Apparently hiring policies at McGill are more liberal now than admissions standards once were, since the discriminatory policies against Jews were not changed until after World War II. While the Dr. above may not be Jewish, if he is really concerned about all the past injustices, he will likely be busier as a polemicist than a physician.

Osler's Other Controversies

   If the Thought Police wish to be thorough in their indictment of the evil Osler, they should include three other incidents which indicate he did not have the character required for the period in which we live. The first two are reported in the DCB profile of Osler mentioned above. For very sensitive readers I should place here one of those warnings one gets before TV shows, but the sentence so far should suffice.

"William was an active and mischievous child, and numerous stories describe his jokes and pranks, one of which ended in an overnight stay in jail."

and

"Sometimes, Osler’s spirits bubbled over into literary practical jokes. One such instance of joie de vivre almost backfired. While living in Montreal, he concocted a spurious and ribald account of the supposed sexual and obstetric practices of an Indian tribe in Quebec, sending it under a pseudonym to a friend who edited a journal. The joke got out of hand when the article was accepted and almost published. A few years later, a similar piece by him was published."

(It is fortunate that I have few readers, none of whom would read carefully enough to notice the involvement of the Indigenous in the episode above. Although the people at Hopkins seem to be aware of all this horrid stuff, if this information spread widely in Canada, Osler would surely be in deep trouble.)

   The third charge against Osler is far more serious. In 1905 he was widely condemned in the North American press for recommending that the elderly be euthanized. He made the suggestion during a talk he delivered as he was leaving Hopkins and it was quite controversial. It shouldn't be. The idea that we should all be allotted a "FIXED PERIOD" was taken from Trollope, but Osler's,  "attempt at jocularity failed when the American yellow press sensationalized the story, claiming that Osler had seriously recommended that all older persons be chloroformed."  His name became a widely used eponym and we can apply it artfully here and say the debate about Osler should be "Oslerized." Sir William Osler likely had both a better bedside manner and a better sense of humour than your current GP. 

Sources:

"Nationwide ridicule of “The Fixed Period” address included cartoons such as this one, showing haloed William Osler dispensing chloroform to aging men. Image courtesy of the Alan Mason Chesney Medical Archives of the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions.

All the above from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6413966/

For the article in the CMAJ. 

"William Osler: Saint in a “White Man’s Dominion,”

CMAJ November 09, 2020 192 (45)

Information about the "Fixed Period" fiasco is easy to find and you can begin with the Wikipedia entry.  A thorough account is found in the following article which also provides these eponymous examples:

“To Oslerize” entered the American lexicon as a synonym for euthanasia, but the Baltimore News went further:

Osler; v.—To retire, to be retired. Example: “I am about to Osler.” “We have decided to Osler the janitor.”

Oslerization—The process of applying the Osler. Example: “Your services are no longer required.”

Oslerumni—Those who have been Oslered or Oslerized; divided into two classes—the material but declining and the spiritual but declined.

Osleresque—Having the quality of early retirement; prematurely languid; that tired feeling at 40.

Osleritis—See lazy.

From: "Osler Goes Viral: "The Fixed Period" Revisited," Charles S. Bryan, Proceedings- Baylor University, Medical Center, 2018-10-02, Vol. 31 (4). p.550.

A new article about Osler has just been published, but I was not able to access it. Here is the abstract:

Charles S. Bryan, "Sir William Osler, Eugenics, Racism, and the Komagata Maru Incident, "Baylor University Medical Proceedings, Published online: 09 Nov 2020

Abstract

A recent critic levels two new charges against Sir William Osler: (1) that in 1912 he was a vice president of the First International Eugenics Congress; and (2) that in 1914 he asserted Canada should remain a “a white man’s country.” Osler was indeed among the 31 vice presidents of the First International Eugenics Congress, but he did nothing further in this area. Osler indeed asserted that Canada should remain a “white man’s country,” but his context was the Komagata Maru incident during which most Canadians felt the same way about 376 passengers from the Punjab Province of British India who sought to defy Canadian immigration law. There is little or no indication of racism elsewhere in Osler’s deeds and writings, and the idea that race is largely a social construct emerged only after his death. Advocates for racial equality should view Osler not as an adversary but rather as an ally in today’s battles for global justice and also for human survival.

Charles S. Bryan (2020) Sir William Osler, eugenics, racism, and the Komagata Maru incident, Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings, DOI: 10.1080/08998280.2020.1843380

Bonus Information:

Did you know that the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame is in London and has relocated to 100 Kellogg Lane, The Tower, 4th Floor. 

There is an Osler Society up at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry:

"The Osler Society at Western was founded as a permanent historical society at Western’s Medical School in the 1920s. It is named after Canadian doctor William Osler (1849-1919), who emerged as the ideal modern physician for his stance on the importance of practical instruction teaching in the laboratory, at the bedside and in the morgue. Osler’s The Principles and Practice of Medicine became a landmark textbook, going through eight editions in Osler’s lifetime and sixteen in total, and established him as the authority in modern medicine. His lay sermons include ethical and moral lessons relevant for physicians past and present."

Taxi Dancer

             

   It is still raining and I happened to run across the term "Taxi Dancer" when reading about Henry Miller. He is the fellow who wrote those naughty books which you read when you were pretending to study for a geography exam (remember, Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn.) He was also the kind of guy who would marry a "taxi dancer"; a girl he rented at a dance hall.

   Since I was unfamiliar with the term, I thought I would learn more about it for you and then tell you about it.  It is the case, yet again, that there is no need for me to do so since the Wikipedia entry is a very good one. So, I will pivot to a topic that is not unrelated and which is a more timely one than taxi dancers, who apparently went out of style a while back (I don't think the gentlemen hired to dance with women on cruise ships are given that name.)

Anti-Asian Racism
   
   We are still locked down because of the Great Flu, which according to a rapidly spreading number of people, is caused by the Chinese or other Asians. There has been a corresponding increase in anti-Asian sentiment, even in Canada where everyone is welcome. Anti-Asian sentiment is not new, however, and existed even back in the time of the taxi dancer. It was even expressed by some judges who were appointed before the current U.S. administration took over. Here is the story from the San Francisco Chronicle back in May of 1936:

May 17: A vehement condemnation of dance hall operators who make white girls dance with Filipinos was hurled from the bench yesterday by Municipal Judge Lazarus. He had just held Terry Santiago, 22, to answer a charge of assault with intent to murder. Brought to court by ambulance, Norma Kompisch, 22-year-old taxi dancer, had given from the stand the story of how she was pursued by Santiago, and how he had driven an 8-inch-blade butcher knife into her body 22 times, despite her cries for mercy. In his chambers, Norma had assured Judge Lazarus that she was like any girl whose family had been caught in the pinch of the Depression and that she had gone out to find a job. She became taxi dancer in a place that required her to dance with Filipinos. Said Judge Lazarus, who last month was mentioned in a national news weekly in consequence of having called Filipinos "savages": "I have become nationally known as commenting on conditions that bring about these instances. A small, little, insignificant judge in San Francisco would have to make a national feature to bring public attention to this very real evil. I once referred to Filipinos as savages. There was never a more typical case than this to justify my statement. The Filipinos are not at fault. They are vainly attempting to adjust themselves to civilization, but haven't the training or education. They are only one jump from the jungle. It is our fault for bringing them here. And what about dance hall operators that compel white girls to dance with Filipinos? Nearly all the robbery and shooting involving Filipinos is directly attributable to their association with white girls." Judge Lazarus ordered a transcript of testimony sent to Philippine Commissioner Parades in Washington, to whom he recently apologized for calling Filipinos savages.

   Although anti-Asian sentiment may be on the rise, I do think that our behavior has improved and the words like 'savages" and phrases like 'one jump from the jungle' would not be countenanced by even the current administration in Washington and certainly would be problematic if spoken before one of our Human Rights Tribunals.

Sources:

   A quick search will yield many examples of anti-Asian sentiment, here and elsewhere. 

    This headline is from Human Rights Watch, May 12, 2020: Covid-19 Fueling Anti-Asian Racism and Xenophobia Worldwide: National Action Plans Needed to Counter Intolerance." 

   Filipinos have been targeted so much there is a Wikipedia entry for "Anti-Filipino Sentiment."

The bonus:

   The Wikipedia entry for "Taxi Dancer" is so good it even has a section devoted to "Taxi Dancers in Popular Culture" which includes movies, songs, books, tv, etc. It does not yet include the new Canadian album, Taxi Dancers by the Tragically Hip's Gord Sinclair. Here is his explanation for the choice of the title:

Q. It's a lovely record. Before you go, can you tell me what Taxi Dancers means?

A. Yeah, it's a very old phrase. Back in the Dust Bowl days, these rural communities would have Saturday socials a couple times a year and invariably there were not enough dance partners for the guys that were working the farms. They would fill up taxi cabs from the nearest major centre and the young ladies would travel out. I always thought it was just this amazing metaphor for what we do in this country as performers. We wheel into town, dance around for a bit and then we move on to the next gig. We were throwing out album titles, sitting around my place — and I credit John-Angus [MacDonald] and his brother Colin — they just thought it was cool.

"Sinclair's Debut Solo Album, Taxi Dancers, Will Be Released on Friday," CBC Radio, Feb. 26, 2020.

Verminous Missionaries

KKK - The Ku Klux Klan in Kanada

     Having just mentioned a current event, I will now return to my consideration of older ones, and of other assorted odd subjects. In 1923 in London some "Verminous Missionaries" visited and Mayor Wenige did not welcome them. Here is what he had to say:

" Mr. Wenige, the Mayor of London (Ontario) issues a public statement in which he says: 
London needs no Ku Klux Klan or other order that seeks to gain unjust ends by a cowardly praise of masks and mystery. Gentlemen of foreign extraction in this municipality who may be planning a local organization would first do better to give the matter serious thought. Canadians will not tolerate men with bloody hands walking in their midst. Justice in this Dominion is swift and sure. As mayor of London I will use all the power of my office to rid the city of verminous missionaries of an order that seeks to terrify citizens who may differ from these so-called Knights of the Ku Klux Klan in race, religion, or ability to succeed. London, like the rest of the British Empire, has been safe from democracy for a long time. But London is not going to be safe for Ku Klux Klan or any other hooded order. And any non-Canadian who may seek to establish it here will be deported as an undesirable alien, so far as it lies in the hands of the mayor of this city to bring it about."

        The message the Klan brought back then was:

"Here you have problems that must be faced and solved by direct action. And we are coming to Canada because we believe that this whole continent must be welded into the greatest empire in history, pledged to enforcing the white man's law and the white man's ideals on the rest of the world and the preservation of peace. Our idea is a sort of confederacy at present. That would not necessarily mean your separation from the British Empire, but a more definite alliance between the two great English-speaking countries of this continent. We have a definite program in view that would be of greatest benefit to all."

     Apart from a belated nod to "Black History Month", this brief post should serve to remind those who were shocked a few months ago to see the PEGIDA people protesting outside of City Hall, that racial problems are not new, even in London, Ontario.

Sources: 
"Canadian Mayor and the Ku Klux Klan," The Times (London), Mar. 17, 1923.
"Canada and the Serpent, Globe & Mail, Mr, 15, 1923.
"Facing the Challenge; As Racism Once Again Rears its Ugly Head, all Londoners Must find the Courage to Step up and Resist Hatred and Bigotry," Larry Cornies, London Free Press, August. 19, 2017.


   For a very good account of KKK activities in London see: "The Ku Klux  Klan in London, Ontario," John Lisowski, The London and Middlesex Historian, Vol. 24, 2015. In it, you will learn of a Dr. Bratton from South Carolina who was kidnapped on Wellington Street and returned to South Carolina where he had been implicated in the lynching of a black man.
   There has just been a new book published that involves the Klan and Confederates in London. See: London Ontario's Unrepentant Confederates, the Ku Klux Klan and a RENDITION on WELLINGTON STREET, by Ron W. Shaw. Mr. Shaw apparently lives next door in Perth County and information about the book can be found here. 

Post Script:
   Perhaps the quickest way to be reminded of much more recent Klan activities (and even cross-burnings) in this area is to see the Wikipedia entry for Martin Weiche. Anyone who visited the old cinemas on Dundas Street will likely remember Mr. Weiche, who was often in front of them handing out pamphlets. Mr. Lisowski discusses Weiche in the article mentioned above. 

It is easy to prove that racial problems have been persistent. It is more difficult to determine if they are getting worse. One thing has changed and that is the religious component. In the past, the Klan was concerned about the Catholics. Now such people are more worried about the Muslims.