
A statue of the Virgin Mary in the Capitol Rotunda was one of the more controversial items at a Capitol Hill ceremony marking the 50th anniversary of the first day of the civil rights movement.
“As the first American woman to be sworn in as the first female president, I believe that our nation is committed to bringing all Americans together, and the United States of America stands ready to stand with you,” President Barack Obama said.
But the unveiling of the statue came amid a heated debate over whether it depicts the Virgin Mother of God, or a symbol of white supremacy.
“If it were a symbol, I’d be offended,” said Mark Stetson, president of the American Association of Paralegals and Licensed Professional Engineers (APPE).
“But it’s not a symbol.
It’s a statue of a woman.”
He told reporters that he had not seen the statue before, and had not been asked to participate in the ceremony.
“A woman of color in a patriarchal society.” “
But I do have concerns about the way it portrays a white person,” he said.
“A woman of color in a patriarchal society.”
The debate about the statue began after a photograph of it was posted on social media in June 2017.
The photograph showed the woman standing with her arms around a crucifix, and her hands resting on her hips.
The statue was initially scheduled to be unveiled in June, but was pushed back.
Some said the photograph was a hoax.
The image of the woman in the crucifix was taken by a member of the public in a car park in downtown Washington, DC.
That sparked a debate over how the statue should be depicted, with some saying the image depicted a depiction of the Statue of Liberty, and others saying the statue was intended to depict the Virgin of Guadalupe.
“We have the highest respect for the Virgin and she was the first woman to receive the presidency,” said Stetsons wife, Janet, who is also the president of APPE.
“That statue, with its association with women, should be in the same category as the Statue Of Liberty.”
She added that her husband had told her, “We should not have to be offended by it.”
The controversy intensified on the day of Stetsones swearing-in, when the APPE said the statue had been removed and that the public would be able to visit it on Tuesday.
A photo posted by Mark Stettons (@markstetsons) on Dec 21, 2017 at 11:17am PST The statue, which was designed by sculptor Henry Mancini and installed in 1973, is a replica of the original, with a larger, more prominent and more prominent head.
It has been covered with the Washington Monument, and is currently surrounded by statues of women from the US Civil Rights movement, including Stetsone’s mother, Betty.
“The images are part of the history and the symbolism of this statue,” Stetsson said.
He said the symbolism is also in keeping with the history of the United State.
“And if that’s not the case for us as women, what is?” “
AAPPE says it will work to ensure the image of Stetons wife is removed from the statue. “
And if that’s not the case for us as women, what is?”
AAPPE says it will work to ensure the image of Stetons wife is removed from the statue.
Stets’ wife also criticised the decision to take the statue down, calling the move “an act of cowardice”.
“They have decided to remove this image because they feel it’s inappropriate to have a white woman on the statue,” Janet Stets said.
The APPE’s Stets added that the event had been “very divisive and hurtful” and called on President Trump to be “courageous” in his decision.
“He must make the right decision, the right choice, and let the statue stand,” he added.
“We stand with him in his courage and hope that he can come to terms with it.” “
To have someone take the Virgin’s place on the national memorial, it’s an act of cruelty, an act that disrespects both women and the Virgin who gave us our liberty.”
“We stand with him in his courage and hope that he can come to terms with it.”
Mark Stettson said the decision was not a reflection on the president, and that it was “not a political decision”.
“The president, as a former senator and member of Congress, has a very powerful job, and his words will never be forgotten,” he told ABC News.