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Here are 15 statues that we can all agree should stay up

Here are 15 statues that we can all agree should stay up

A worldwide debate has been raging over the past few years over statues of historical figures.

People in the United States have been tearing down statues of Confederates and known racists. In Europe, people are tearing down statues of historical leaders associated with colonialism and the slave trade.

"I believe it's a paradigm shift that's happening right now," activist Mike Forcia, who helped topple over a statue of Christopher Columbus in Minnesota, told The Washington Post.


White people are "losing their ability to say this is history and this is how we write it, and this is how we teach it," he added. "We need a true history of this country in order to heal and to fix that shaky foundation, that sick foundation, that the country is built on."

Surprisingly, the movement to eradicate monuments built to racists and murderers has its detractors. Most claim that removing the statues somehow erases history. As if we will suddenly forget the Civil War happened if we don't have a big ass statue of Robert E. Lee in front of the courthouse.

Upworthy's Annie Reneau put it all in perfect perspective.

The entire reason for their removal is that people are finally becoming aware of history that had been erased, through whitewashed history books and glaring omissions in the heroic stories we tell. As a result, people are making history by taking down monuments that symbolize historic erasure.

Over 20,000 people have signed a petition to remove all Confederate statues in Tennessee and replace them with statues of a national treasure who didn't fight to subjugate an entire race of people: Dolly Parton.

The petition makes a great point, why don't we honor people that we can all agree on?

There are plenty of statues of people and things across the world that no one thinks should be vandalized or set ablaze and thrown in the ocean. Here are 15 of the best.

The Bronze Fonz — Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Arthur Fonzarelli was the coolest character to ever grace the small screen. He was also a fierce protector of his friends and always stood up for what's right. He also once jumped over a shark on water skis.

via Patsy Delcine / Twitter


Freddie Mercury — Montreaux, Switzerland

The lead singer of Queen had one of the most beautiful singing voices in the history of rock and wrote some of the most memorable songs of the last 50 years including, "We are the Champions," "Bohemian Rhapsody," and "Somebody to Love."

via cb_agulto / Flickr


Oprah Winfrey — New York City

Orpah is one of the most important media personalities over the past century. Her unique blend of strength and compassion has inspired people for over five decades.

via New Age


Bruce Lee — Mostar, Bosnia

Lee was a martial artist, actor, and philosopher who is responsible for bringing martial arts films to western audiences. He also worked tirelessly for equality and to change the perception of Asians in American culture.

via Patsy Decline / Twitter


Josh Gibson — Washington, D.C.

Gibson's statue sits outside of the Washington Nationals' ballpark, but sadly, he never played in the major leagues. During his playing career, Black people were not allowed in Major League Baseball, but his incredible play in the Negro leagues earned him the nickname the "Black Babe Ruth." (Or perhaps Babe Ruth should have been known as the "White Josh Gibson"?)

via Wally Gobetz / Flickr


Large Salmon — Portland, Oregon

Nobody passes this massive statue of a salmon stuck in a brick building and thinks, "Gee, I gotta pull this sucker down." Nope, that's because salmon are among of the most dignified creatures in the ocean.


Jim Henson and Kermit the Frog — University Of Maryland

These two brought a lot of love and laughs into the world.

via zhurnaly / Flickr


Samantha from "Bewitched" — Salem, Massachusetts

The relationship between Samantha, a witch, and Darrin, a mere mortal man, proved that no matter what our differences, we can make a relationship work ... even if it does take a little witchcraft.

via Patsy Decline / Twitter


The Knotted Gun — New York City

"The Knotted Gun" was originally created as a memorial to John Lennon, a man struck down by senseless gun violence.

via Daily Photo Stream


Columbo — Budapest, Hungary

Did Columbo own slaves? No. Did he colonize a country and pilfer its national resources? No. Did he spread small pox to indigenous people. No. This statues stays up.

via Patsy decline / Twitter


The Headington Shark — Oxford, England

While this bit of whimsy seems like a joke, it actually has a deeper meaning. The shark represents the impotence that people feel when they have no control over disastrous world affairs. I think we can all agree this sentiment is universal and should stay.


via Art Russia


David Bowie — Buckinghamshire, England

David Bowie became an icon for his constant evolution from Ziggy Stardust to Lazarus. He never settled on a persona or musical style for too long, teaching us all how to embrace change.

via R P M / Flickr


Michael Jordan — Chicago, Illinois

When you're known as "the guy who did his job better than anyone else has done their job" you're deserving of a statue that stays up.

Josh Kinal / Flickr


Mary Tyler Moore — Minneapolis, Minnesota

When your name is the answer to the age-old question: "Who can turn the world on with her smile?" your statue status is secure.

via Mark Reilly / Twitter

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Three women, three MS journeys: How multiple sclerosis looks different for everyone

Gina, Nathalie and Helga share their reactions to being diagnosed with MS and how they stay informed and positive in the face of ever-changing symptoms.

Courtesy of Sanofi

Helga, Nathalie and Gina all have MS, and their experiences show how differently the disease can manifest.

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It’s been 155 years since neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot gave the first lecture on a mysterious progressive illness he called “multiple sclerosis.” Since then, we’ve learned a lot. We know MS causes the immune system to attack healthy tissue, including damaging the brain and spinal cord. Resulting symptoms can be debilitating and include fatigue, blurred vision, memory problems and weakness. Huge advancements in our understanding of MS and its underlying causes, as well as treatment advances, have been made in the past few decades, but MS remains a complex and unpredictable reality for the 2.8 million+ people diagnosed around the world.

Ironically, the only real constant for people living with MS is change. There’s no set pattern or standard progression of the disease, so each person’s experience is unique. Some people with MS have mild symptoms that worsen slowly but sometimes improve, while others can have severe symptoms that drastically alter their daily lives.

All people with MS share some things in common, however, such as the need to stay informed on the ever-evolving research, find various lines of support and try to remain hopeful as they continue living with the disease.

To better understand what navigating life with MS really looks like, three women shared their MS stories with us. Their journeys demonstrate how MS can look different for different people and interestingly, how the language used to talk about the disease can greatly impact how people understand their realities.

woman with horse, woman riding horseGina loves riding her horse, Benita.Courtesy of Sanofi

Gina—Hamburg, Germany (diagnosed with relapsing multiple sclerosis in 2017)

When her youngest son was 4 months old, Gina started having problems with her eye. She’d soon learn she was experiencing optic neuritis—her first symptom of MS.

“Immediately after the diagnosis, I looked up facts on MS because I didn’t know anything about it,” Gina says. “And as soon as I knew what could really happen with this disease, I actually got scared.”

As her family’s primary income provider, she worried about how MS would impact her ability to work as a writer and editor. Her family was afraid she was going to end up in a wheelchair. However, for now, Gina’s MS is managed well enough that she still works full-time and is able to be active.

“When I tell somebody that I have MS, they often don't believe me the first time because I don't fulfill any stereotypes,” she says.

Overwhelmed by negative perspectives on living with MS, Gina sought support in the online MS community, which she found to be much more positive.

“I think it’s important to use as many positive words as you can when talking about MS.” It’s important to be realistic while also conveying hope, she says. “MS is an insidious disease that can cause many bad symptoms…that can be frightening, and you can't gloss over it, either.”

To give back to the online community that helped her so much, Gina started a blog to share her story and help others trying to learn about their diagnosis.

Though she deals with fatigue and cognitive dysfunction sometimes, Gina stays active swimming, biking, riding horses and playing with her sons, who are now 11 and 6.

Cognitive dysfunction is common in MS, with over half of people affected. It can impact memory, attention, planning, and word-finding. As with many aspects of MS, some people experience mild changes, while others face more challenges.

Gina says that while there’s still a lot of education about MS needed, she feels positive about the future of MS because there’s so much research being done.

woman in wheelchair holding medal, woman rowingNathalie is an award-winning rower with multiple international titles.Courtesy of Sanofi

Nathalie — Pennes Mirabeau, France (diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis in 2002)

Nathalie was a teenager and a competitive athlete when she noticed her first symptoms of MS, but it would take four years of “limbo” before she was diagnosed.

“Ultimately, the diagnosis was more of a relief, than a shock,” she says. “Because when you have signs and you don’t know why, it’s worse than knowing, in the end, what you have.”

However, learning more about the disease—and the realities of disease progression—scared her.

“That glimpse of the future was direct and traumatic,” she says. Her neurologist explained that the disease evolves differently for everyone, and her situation might end up being serious or very mild. So, she decided to stop comparing herself to others with MS.

She said to herself, “We’ll see what happens, and you’ll manage it bit by bit.”

By 2005, Nathalie’s MS had progressed to the point of needing a wheelchair. However, that has not dampened her competitive spirit.

Nathalie began her international rowing career in 2009 and has won multiple world titles, including two Paralympic medals—silver in London and bronze in Tokyo. Now, at 42, she still trains 11 times a week. Fatigue can be a problem, and sometimes hard workouts leave her with muscle stiffness and shaking, but she credits her ongoing sports career for helping her feel in tune with her body’s signals.

“Over the years, I’ve learned to listen to my body, letting my body guide when I need to stop and take breaks,” she says.

Nathalie explains that she used to only look backwards because of the initial shock of her diagnosis. In time, she stopped thinking about what she couldn’t do anymore and focused on her future. She now lives in the following mindset: “Even when doors close, don’t miss out on those that open.” Instead of focusing on what she can’t do, she focuses on the opportunities she still has. Right now, this includes her training for the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris, where she will compete for another rowing medal.

“I only go forward,” she says. “Well, I try, anyway…It’s easy to say, it’s not always easy to do. But that’s what I try to do.”

woman exiting water after swimming, woman with great daneHelga's Great Dane has become a helpful and beloved companion.Courtesy of Sanofi

Helga—Johannesburg, South Africa (diagnosed with relapsing multiple sclerosis in 2010)

When Helga first started having balance issues and numbness in her feet, she chalked it up to her training as a runner. But when the numbness moved to her face, she knew something was wrong. She never guessed it was MS.

“When I was diagnosed, I felt completely overwhelmed and clueless,” Helga says. “I felt that I had nowhere near enough information. I did not know anything about the disease…I had no idea that it was going to be a process of continually monitoring and adjusting your lifestyle.”

In the beginning, Helga’s symptoms developed slowly, and she didn’t appear ill to others. She was even able to run for a few years after her diagnosis, but she couldn’t do marathons anymore, and she began to fall frequently due to balance issues and right-foot dragging. Then her cognition issues became more problematic, especially in her job as a trainer in a printing company.

“My executive function, decision-making and short-term memory were affected to the point that I was eventually medically unfit for work,” she says. She stopped working in 2017.

However, she didn’t stop living life. Even though she could no longer run, she continued to swim competitively. She got a Great Dane puppy and trained him as a service dog to help her walk. She also serves as vice chair of the patient support organization Multiple Sclerosis South Africa, and she advises others who have been diagnosed to join a patient advocacy group as soon as possible to get reliable information and meet others with MS.

Helga says she is “hopeful” about the future of MS. “I must say that I am so grateful that we have all the new medications available, because my life would not be the same if it wasn't for that,” she adds.

Part of how she manages her MS is by looking at the positives.

“If I could tell the world one thing about MS, it would be that MS is an incurable disease of the nervous system, but it's also the greatest teacher of valuing your health, family, friends, and managing change in your life,” she says. “My life is diversified in a way that I never, ever thought it would, and MS has been honestly the greatest teacher.”

Each MS journey is unique – with each person impacted experiencing different struggles, successes, and feelings as they manage this unpredictable disease. But the common thread is clear – there is a critical need for information, support, and hope. We are proud to participate in World MS Day and share these incredible stories of living life while living with MS. To learn more about MS, go to https://www.sanofi.com/why-words-really-matter-when-it-comes-to-multiple-sclerosis.

MAT-GLB-2301642-v1.0-05/2023

This article was sponsored by Sanofi. Participants were compensated when applicable.

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