Apr

MacNeil’s statue of Wm. McKinley stands above Screaming Protestors.

CREDIT: Joshua A. Bickel, Columbus Dispatch via USA TODAY NETWORK, NOTE: Steve Schmidt thinks this photo deserves a Pulitzer Prize.

At the stately doors of the Columbus, Ohio Capitol, protestors “SCREAM” displeasure with their Governor’s “Stay-at-Home-Order” in COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

A few feet away, Hermon MacNeil’s tribute to assassinated President William McKinley (former Ohio governor, 1892-1896) stands in silent memorial to his quiet, reasonable, public service to Ohio and our nation. The comparison is striking.

These irate faces certainly contrast with the McKinley memorial statue and its four adjoining figures that MacNeil named “Prosperity” and “Peace”, and “Industry” and “Learning”. In 1906 MacNeil singled out these four allegorical themes to interpret the life and service of the slain President, William McKinley.

“Prosperity and Peace”

These contorted faces are not alone today as the USA soars to over 600,000 cases of Corona Virus (Covid-19) across the nation and over 2 million (2,000,000+) cases globally. So, furious citizens in six states or more (Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Utah, North Carolina, Virginia) have raised screaming voices, honking horns, and waving protests. They target the requests of governors (like McKinley) to curtail of their work and movement during the spread of this deadly PANDEMIC. It is becoming the defining PLAGUE of this 21st Century.