Petition calls for removal of Robert Moses statue on Long Island

BABYLON, N.Y. - An online petition with thousands of signatures is calling for the removal of a 7-foot-tall Robert Moses statue in the village of Babylon in Suffolk County.

Supporters say Moses, a controversial master builder and city planner. contributed to the construction of many Long Island's parks, parkways, and beaches but "left behind a long legacy of prejudice and gentrification."

Karl Grossman is a longtime critic who has written many articles on Moses. 

"He was not a person who felt any affection for African American, any ethnicity," he said. "He was a racist. He was a racist." 

Dr. Michele Bogart is a professor emeritus at Stony Brook University. She said monuments are sites for dialogue. And when it comes to Moses in particular, many people base their opinion of him on a 46-year-old biography by Robert Caro that has an inherent bias, she said. Bogart openly disagrees with the argument about Moses taking steps to build low bridges so poor people in buses couldn't gain access.

"No matter what his reputation, whether he was a nice guy or a bad guy, or a not-so-nice guy, first of all, there is no question that he was an important historical figure," she said.

Those for saving the statue started a counter-petition. Suffolk County Legislator Kevin McCaffrey, who represents Babylon village, said you can't erase history.

"I feel like in many instances we're rushing to judgment and not doing a proper evaluation of what someone's accomplishments were versus what their faults may have been," he said. 

The statue was erected in 2003 by the Babylon Village Public Arts Council and sits on village property. Ultimately, it is the mayor's decision whether it should be removed.