WOKE WATCH: School blasted for $40K Greta statue
Author of the article:Brad Hunter
Publishing date:Mar 25, 2021 • 7 hours ago • 2 minute read • Join the conversation
The statue of climate activist Greta Thunberg is nice but some UK residents think it is a waste of cash.
The statue of climate activist Greta Thunberg is nice but some UK residents think it is a waste of cash. PHOTO BY CHRISTINE CHARLESWORTH /FACEBOOK
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A U.K. university is being blasted after it blew an estimated $40,000 on a life-size statue of climate activist Greta Thunberg.
Winchester University in Hampshire plans to unveil its ode to the Swedish eco darling on March 30.
But not everyone’s happy.
“What a total waste of money,” resident Simon Dixon told the Hampshire Chronicle. “Total waste of money. I wonder whose bright idea that was.”
Even the university’s students were left scratching their heads. Henry Osbourne asked why students “weren’t given a vote over who to have a statue of?”
Another local, Michelle Coombs, told the newspaper: “I think the statue sculpture itself is very good. But Greta has no connection with Winchester, or am I wrong?”
Called Make a Difference, the statue is the work of British artist Christine Charlesworth.
“The university wanted a sculpture of Greta because it is a very ‘green’ university, and they feel that Greta will be an inspiration to all the students,” Charlesworth told the Chronicle.
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“Originally the interview committee were talking about her sitting on the ground, wearing her yellow coat,” she said. “But I feel strongly about portraying her telling more about the person she is.”
Officials did not comment.
Meanwhile, a program in Oakland designed to help the impoverished appears to have missed some people.
The program will give cheques of $500 per month to low-income families of colour.
But it skips helping the 10,000 white residents living below the poverty line in the California city.
Funded by wealthy residents, via a lottery system, the no-strings attached cheques are targeted to homes with people of colour who have a household income under $59,000 and at least one child.
As for poor white people, Oakland says “tough luck.”
One commentator called it “pure racism.”
Another added: “Poor is poor. Being poor and white sucks, you may not get locked up for trivial shit like our dark-skinned brothers and sisters but it’s no secret that White Privilege always has and always will require a certain shade of green to your name.”
bhunter@postmedia.com
@HunterTOSun
A U.K. university is being blasted after it blew an estimated $40,000 on a life-size statue of climate activist Greta Thunberg.
torontosun.com