Stolen Nazi Art And The University of Oklahoma
Dr. Bill Smith, Editor: Regarding the following article, as a graduate of the University if Oklahoma and Life member of the Alumni Association, I join in calling on President David Boren, the Board of Directors, and Governor Mary Fallin to return to its proper owner Camille Pisarro’s, “Shepherdess bringing in Sheep," an 1886 painting stolen from the Meyer family during the 1940s by the Nazi's in occupied France during their rampant theft of art owned by European Jews and from museums in the countries they occupied.
History and the blood of American veterans begs a speedy restoration of the art. This has not been done! Mr. Boren's history in the National Guard, as former OU Governor, and as U.S. Senator evidences that he knows that being the leader of OU means living above a standard of words and excuses. The honor and moral dignity of the OU community is also at stake! I is past time to return the stolen art work to the proper claimant. To do otherwise besmirches OU's amazing art collection, its faculty, staff, students, alumni, and even the 20 year record of President Boren.
If Boren fails to do so, he should be retired by the order of Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin, and the art returned by Oklahoma to the proper owner. Anything else either smacks of antisemitism or Boren's possessive love of the OU art collection above doing right and his responsibility as the leader and an alumni of the University of Oklahoma.
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p.s. Wonder if President Boren and the OU Museum staff have viewed the true story of the heroic effort and sacrifice by members of a World War II U.S. Army platoon tasked to rescue art masterpieces from Nazi thieves and to return them to their owners depicted in the 2014 movie The Monuments Men. I have both visited concentration camps and have walked the very floors of churches, castles and museums in Europe where art was stolen from and/or stored including one location where one of these brave men was killed by the Nazis. Was it worth it to return art work to Jewish family members, museums and churches, they thought so. So do I, Again, it is time to close a circle and to return this stolen painting to the family descendant of the original owner. Time to also honor the sacrifice of the solderers and civilians (men and women) who risked and sacrificed their lives to catalog stolen art and to attempt to find, recover and return art stolen by the Nazis.
by Rick Manning: Democrats may face another Confederate flag-like problem in the state of Oklahoma as David Boren continues to fight to keep stolen Nazi artwork from the family that is acknowledged to have had it stolen by Hitler’s thugs.
David Boren is the current President of the University of Oklahoma. A former Governor and long-time U.S. Senator, Boren is the one of the last reminders that the state once had a vibrant, populist-oriented Democratic Party.
Now, rather than just doing his job and rubber stamping academic waivers for head football coach Bob Stoops’ recruits, Boren has found himself in the middle of a wholly avoidable controversy involving stolen Nazi art.
The Fred Jones, Jr. Museum of Art at the University of Oklahoma doesn’t deny that they possess and exhibit a donated painting that was stolen from the Jewish claimants. Instead, Boren’s representatives play a legal game of arguing that the victims did not claim the art in time, and besides it was given in good faith to the University’s museum anyway.
The dispute over Camille Pisarro’s, “Shepherdess bringing in Sheep” is not over whether the University of Oklahoma’s museum legally obtained the painting, which they did through a bequest.
This leads to a couple of questions for David Boren.
Will he, as President of the University, continue paying lawyers in a fight to keep the piece which the school received for free?
Will he, as President of the University, set a good example for the student body by doing the right thing, or will he cling to loopholes and deny a Holocaust survivor her property?
Last year, David Boren faced a controversy where two SAE fraternity members were caught on video chanting racist slurs, and he acted by expelling the duo issuing the following statement, “To those who have misused their free speech in such a reprehensible way, I have a message for you. You are disgraceful. You have violated all that we stand for. You should not have the privilege of calling yourselves ‘Sooners.’ Real Sooners are not racist. Real Sooners are not bigots. Real Sooners believe in equal opportunity. Real Sooners treat all people with respect. Real Sooners love each other and take care of each other like family members.”
Unfortunately, based upon Boren’s actions to date, Real Sooners may not be bigots, but they don’t mind being associated with Hitler’s Holocaust death camps and the attempted annihilation of the Jewish people.
It’s time for Democrats to walk the walk, and for David Boren that means returning his stolen Nazi art back to its rightful owner.
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Rick Manning (@rmanning957) is President of Americans for Limited Government. This article was also shared on NetRightDaily.
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Related subject article: Lawmaker questions background of several paintings in University of Oklahoma's collection , May 11, 2015
Tags: Rick Manning, Americans for Limited Government, University of Oklahoma, art museum, stolen art, Nazi, return to owner, David Boren, Oklahoma, OU, alumni, Governor, Mary Fallin, The Monument Men, Oklahoma Lawmakers, resolution, return of stolen art To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. and "Like" Facebook Page - Thanks!
History and the blood of American veterans begs a speedy restoration of the art. This has not been done! Mr. Boren's history in the National Guard, as former OU Governor, and as U.S. Senator evidences that he knows that being the leader of OU means living above a standard of words and excuses. The honor and moral dignity of the OU community is also at stake! I is past time to return the stolen art work to the proper claimant. To do otherwise besmirches OU's amazing art collection, its faculty, staff, students, alumni, and even the 20 year record of President Boren.
If Boren fails to do so, he should be retired by the order of Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin, and the art returned by Oklahoma to the proper owner. Anything else either smacks of antisemitism or Boren's possessive love of the OU art collection above doing right and his responsibility as the leader and an alumni of the University of Oklahoma.
----------
p.s. Wonder if President Boren and the OU Museum staff have viewed the true story of the heroic effort and sacrifice by members of a World War II U.S. Army platoon tasked to rescue art masterpieces from Nazi thieves and to return them to their owners depicted in the 2014 movie The Monuments Men. I have both visited concentration camps and have walked the very floors of churches, castles and museums in Europe where art was stolen from and/or stored including one location where one of these brave men was killed by the Nazis. Was it worth it to return art work to Jewish family members, museums and churches, they thought so. So do I, Again, it is time to close a circle and to return this stolen painting to the family descendant of the original owner. Time to also honor the sacrifice of the solderers and civilians (men and women) who risked and sacrificed their lives to catalog stolen art and to attempt to find, recover and return art stolen by the Nazis.
 “Shepherdess Bringing in Sheep” a stolen Jewish painting being displayed at the University of Oklahoma’s Fred Jones, Jr. Museum of Art Photo via The Okie Blaze |
David Boren is the current President of the University of Oklahoma. A former Governor and long-time U.S. Senator, Boren is the one of the last reminders that the state once had a vibrant, populist-oriented Democratic Party.
Now, rather than just doing his job and rubber stamping academic waivers for head football coach Bob Stoops’ recruits, Boren has found himself in the middle of a wholly avoidable controversy involving stolen Nazi art.
The Fred Jones, Jr. Museum of Art at the University of Oklahoma doesn’t deny that they possess and exhibit a donated painting that was stolen from the Jewish claimants. Instead, Boren’s representatives play a legal game of arguing that the victims did not claim the art in time, and besides it was given in good faith to the University’s museum anyway.
The dispute over Camille Pisarro’s, “Shepherdess bringing in Sheep” is not over whether the University of Oklahoma’s museum legally obtained the painting, which they did through a bequest.
This leads to a couple of questions for David Boren.
Will he, as President of the University, continue paying lawyers in a fight to keep the piece which the school received for free?
Will he, as President of the University, set a good example for the student body by doing the right thing, or will he cling to loopholes and deny a Holocaust survivor her property?
Last year, David Boren faced a controversy where two SAE fraternity members were caught on video chanting racist slurs, and he acted by expelling the duo issuing the following statement, “To those who have misused their free speech in such a reprehensible way, I have a message for you. You are disgraceful. You have violated all that we stand for. You should not have the privilege of calling yourselves ‘Sooners.’ Real Sooners are not racist. Real Sooners are not bigots. Real Sooners believe in equal opportunity. Real Sooners treat all people with respect. Real Sooners love each other and take care of each other like family members.”
Unfortunately, based upon Boren’s actions to date, Real Sooners may not be bigots, but they don’t mind being associated with Hitler’s Holocaust death camps and the attempted annihilation of the Jewish people.
It’s time for Democrats to walk the walk, and for David Boren that means returning his stolen Nazi art back to its rightful owner.
---------------
Rick Manning (@rmanning957) is President of Americans for Limited Government. This article was also shared on NetRightDaily.
------
Related subject article: Lawmaker questions background of several paintings in University of Oklahoma's collection , May 11, 2015
Tags: Rick Manning, Americans for Limited Government, University of Oklahoma, art museum, stolen art, Nazi, return to owner, David Boren, Oklahoma, OU, alumni, Governor, Mary Fallin, The Monument Men, Oklahoma Lawmakers, resolution, return of stolen art To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. and "Like" Facebook Page - Thanks!
Posted by Bill Smith at 9:30 PM - Post Link
2 Comments:
For you OU fans to remind the President of OU what needs to be done.
Unfortunately, based upon Boren’s actions to date, Real Sooners may not be bigots, but they don’t mind being associated with Hitler’s Holocaust death camps and the attempted annihilation of the Jewish people.
It’s time for Democrats to walk the walk, and for David Boren that means returning his stolen Nazi art back to its rightful owner.
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