Politicians fight cowboy statue

By Taxpayers Association of Oregon Foundation,

City officials in Sisters, Ore., are being accused of trying to ban construction of a bronze cowboy statue over fears that it will draw conservatives to town, according to the UK Daily Mail. The proposal to erect a bronze statue rodeo star Lane Frost riding Red Rock the bull in the middle of a roundabout has divided the Eastern Oregon town of 4,000. Mayor Jennifer Letz said it might post safety concerns by blocking sight distance and drawing too much attention inside the roundabout.

A council member expressed concern over drivers hitting people stopping to view the statue. But an independent journalist, Kevin Dahlgren,  claims the council opposes the statue’s western theme that might draw conservatives to town.   He said “‘The mayor said, and I quote: “It’ll attract the wrong type of activity that we don’t want.” Translation: It’ll attract the wrong type of people,’ Why do I say this? Because this is a western-themed statue, and western implies tradition. Tradition implies traditional values, which really falls more in the conservative camp. And she happens to be very liberal,'”

Kevin Dahlgren could be correct since the neighboring town of Bend in 2019 pulled down a billboard featuring a picture of the Oregon Trail because activists said it was offensive.