To the Editor:
Re “Accountability for Museums’ Plunder, at Last,” by Erin Thompson (Opinion visitor essay, Feb. 5):
Some may cringe at Ms. Thompson’s suggestion that museums that return stolen artifacts may change them with replicas.
Frankly, my current museum visits to big-name reveals have left me extra irritated than awed by being within the presence of revered “originals.”
First, the digital queue tickets, then the snaking traces after which the crush — straining to see over the heads of different acolytes, a few of whom can’t resist giving curatorial mini-lectures to their companions as they block your view completely. And all these iPhones snapping away, held excessive to seize each treasured second.
A lot of seeing hyped-up museum displays in the present day appears to be about telling individuals you noticed them, not studying from them.
Other than doing the proper factor by returning plundered items to their unique house owners, Ms. Thompson’s options of how greatest to honor ritual artifacts, by putting replicas in significant cultural and historic contexts, may simply decrease the hype and remind us to see, in quieter and richer methods, what she defines as a museum’s objective: “to teach us about different methods of being on the planet.”
Cathy Bernard
New York
To the Editor:
Erin Thompson’s essay might go away readers with the impression that the Rubin Museum of Artwork’s resolution to shut our galleries and transfer to a decentralized museum mannequin stems from points regarding repatriation. Her evaluation is mistaken.
The Rubin vehemently opposes the trafficking of stolen gadgets and has by no means knowingly acquired objects that have been illicitly obtained. We’ve taken decisive motion at any time when wrongdoing was discovered — and can proceed to take action. Actually, we employed a full-time employees member whose job is devoted to the continued, proactive analysis of our assortment.
We aren’t shying away from these points — we’re addressing them head on — and our new strategy means refocusing our sources on bringing artwork to individuals the place they’re.
This international mannequin will allow us to advance the appreciation of Himalayan artwork by way of an bold worldwide program of partnerships and collaborations designed to share our assortment in new methods, present direct help to up to date artists and researchers, and increase entry to academic sources. We’re proud to share our work with a wider public than earlier than — one that’s native, nationwide and worldwide.
Jorrit Britschgi
New York
The author is the manager director of the Rubin Museum.
To the Editor:
On a current journey to Japan, my spouse and I visited the Tokyo Nationwide Museum. Most of the artifacts there have been high-quality reproductions. We noticed this show technique in lots of museums and historic websites in Japan.
We didn’t really feel cheated, as a result of these artifacts have been meant to convey a greater understanding of the tradition they represented. The artifacts have been accompanied by wonderful interpretive info that described their creation and context, in addition to graphics together with images of the unique items the reproductions represented.
Earlier than closing galleries and museums, our establishments would do properly to undertake this different technique.
Paul Aldretti
Denver
Biden’s ‘Stellar Local weather Management’
To the Editor:
Re “Democrats Want Biden to Shine Brighter Light on His Climate Achievements” (information article, Jan. 28):
President Biden has prioritized and delivered transformational local weather progress and jump-started our transition to a extra equitable and simply clear vitality future since Day 1 of his administration. From the largest funding our nation has ever made in local weather options by way of the Inflation Discount Act, to robust worldwide management on the world stage, to transitioning away from soiled and harmful fossil fuels, Mr. Biden has carried out extra on local weather than any president in historical past.
We’re assured that we are going to hear him make that case vigorously within the months forward and consider that he’ll proceed to focus on the numerous advantages of appearing on the local weather disaster, together with decreasing vitality prices and saving individuals cash; creating well-paying, family-sustaining jobs; and defending the planet now and for future generations.
Elections are about selections, and the distinction within the upcoming presidential election couldn’t be extra stark, nor the selection extra clear. Whereas President Biden is a real local weather champion, Donald Trump was essentially the most anti-environment president ever, and by far.
The League of Conservation Voters applauds Mr. Biden for his stellar local weather management up to now, is wanting ahead to extra local weather progress by way of govt motion in his first time period, and is all-in to assist re-elect him so he can end the job in a second time period.
Tiernan Sittenfeld
Washington
The author is senior vice chairman, authorities affairs, for the League of Conservation Voters.
Giving Voters Selections Past the Two Main Events
To the Editor:
In “Running for President Is Not a Hobby” (column, Feb. 1), Gail Collins writes that it’s “worrisome” that the presence of unbiased presidential candidates may “screw up the end result” of a Trump-Biden presidential contest.
Ms. Collins advises that if any independents need to use the presidential election to raise concepts they care about, they need to “go away this to the primaries.”
However America’s major-party primaries are low turnout affairs that don’t replicate the priorities of most American voters and sometimes forestall independents from collaborating completely. In 2024, the primaries are on monitor to supply a few of the most unpopular main social gathering presidential candidates for the reason that introduction of contemporary polling, and each events have gone to excessive lengths to forestall actual competitors from rising.
The Democratic Celebration has ensured that major rivals, like Consultant Dean Phillips, aren’t even allowed on many state primary voting ballots. In the meantime the Republican Nationwide Committee was simply considering a resolution to call Donald Trump the social gathering’s presumptive nominee after the New Hampshire major earlier than finally backpedaling.
The continuing effort to disenfranchise teams or candidates difficult the entrenched powers in each events is rooted in contempt for voters — 64 percent of whom want another choice in 2024 past what the most important events appear poised to supply. No Labels has been working for 2 years to safe poll entry for 2024 to make sure that American voters have this selection.
Ms. Collins and different critics ought to spend much less time dismissing unbiased voices and extra time exploring why voters are so hungry to listen to them within the first place.
Ryan Clancy
Brooklyn
The author is chief strategist for No Labels.
Make SAT Tutoring Free
To the Editor:
Re “Why the Requirement for SAT or ACT Scores Returned to Dartmouth,” by David Leonhardt (The Morning, Feb. 6):
Mr. Leonhardt studies that the SAT is gaining a rebirth at numerous faculties. Analysis has proven over a long time that those that are tutored in preparation for the SAT will do considerably higher than those that aren’t tutored. This then interprets to the notion that SAT outcomes are clearly associated to household help and funds.
There’s a easy resolution to scale back this discrepancy: SAT tutoring must be supplied with out value after faculty hours by the varsity districts to college students who want to take part. This is able to decrease the difficulty of monetary benefits and assist degree the taking part in discipline.
Alfred Posamentier
River Vale, N.J.
The author is professor emeritus of arithmetic schooling and a former dean on the Metropolis School of New York, CUNY.
