John Wayne Statues

Photos by Armand Vaquer

At present, I can't think of any celebrity with multiple statues as do John Wayne and Elvis Presley.

So far, I have visited three statues of The Duke over the years. As far as I know, these are the only ones of Wayne. 

Here's a rundown of the John Wayne statues I have visited:

The Horseman - John Wayne

This statue depicts John Wayne on horseback at the former Home Savings & Loan building on Wilshire Blvd. near La Cienega Blvd. Its address is 8484 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA.

John Wayne Birthplace and Museum in Winterset, Iowa. It is located in front of the museum.

John Wayne Airport

The most recent one I visited (two days ago) is located at John Wayne Airport. It is located on the Arrival (lower) Level between Riley Terminals A and B baggage claim areas.

Back Home From A Long Trip

Above, yours truly at the airport in Houston, Texas during a layover on the way to Des Moines..

Several people wondered why there has been no blog posts over the past 10 days. The reason is simple: I was away from home and didn't bring a computer with me.

I went to Des Moines, Iowa back on December 5 to drive my ex-roommate Jessica's U-Haul Truck with a car carrier from there to Orange County, California. She decided to move from Iowa and will be residing with her mom. 

I got home last night after flying from John Wayne Airport to Albuquerque and then driving the RV from Albuquerque to Jamestown. To say that I am exhausted from the trip would be an understatement.

Above, the statue of the Duke at John Wayne Airport. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Still, the drive wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. We had to delay our departure from Des Moines due to a snowstorm. 

I decided to drive straight south to Oklahoma City on Interstate 35 to get on Interstate 40 going west. This was to avoid any more snowstorms. 

We stayed in several places along the way: Overland Park, Kansas; El Reno, Oklahoma; Santa Rosa, New Mexico; home for one night in Jamestown; and Needles, California. We reached our destination on Friday. We made a few stops at some attractions along the way. Those will be covered in other blog posts.

Saturday morning was spent transferring Jessica's belongings to a storage unit in Orange County. The movers were quite good. Two men took only three hours to complete the job. 

Saturday night, Jessica, her mom and I went out for sushi dinner in Costa Mesa. I then flew home yesterday from John Wayne Airport. This was the first time I have ever flown from John Wayne or even been there. I did stop to take some phots of the John Wayne statue there. 

Now I am home and relaxing.  

Stop the Renaming of John Wayne Airport

Above, John Wayne in The Searchers.

A petition has been started at Change.org asking the Orange County Board of Supervisors to keep the name, John Wayne Airport.

The petition reads:

The Orange County Board of Supervisors is considering renaming the John Wayne Airport and removing all likeness (Statues) of John Wayne at the airport, Due to remarks he made 50 years ago. 

John Wayne lived in Southern California for many years. He attended the University of Southern California where he studied law and played football. 

John Wayne had an incredibly successful entertainment career. He earned one Academy Award for best actor and was nominated three additional times and earned two  Golden Globe Awards for best actor. He lived in Newport Beach, California for several years until his death in 1979.   

His life was filled with success and honors. He earned the Congressional Gold Medal in 1979 which is given to citizens who make tremendous contributions to society and requires 2/3 Congressional approval, 1980 Presidential Medal of Freedom (posthumously by Democrat President Jimmie Carter) and in 1998 was awarded the Naval Heritage Award for his tremendous support of the US Navy during his entertainment career. \ 

John Wayne is so revered and appreciated he has an airport named after him, the Pioneer Trail in Washington named after him, John Wayne Parkway in Maricopa, Arizona and part of highway 347 in Arizona honors his name.    

Please join me in stopping this ridiculous, cancel culture move on behalf of the Orange County Board of Supervisors. Block them from removing John Wayne’s name and removing his statue from the John Wayne airport.  

Call,email, text and tweet the Orange County Board of Supervisors let them know how you feel about this idiocy.. Flood their social media and emails. Lisa A Blartlett is the 5th District Supervisor.  Let her know how you feel.  They need to know they serve the people NOT special interest cancel culture idiots !!!   

This petition got 20,000 signatures in ONE day and counting,, amazing !! Please reach out to any media connections you have.  OAN, FOX, OC Register and LA Times would be outstanding.  Out of the 50,000 supporters there has to be someone with connections. If we can get a major news personality to run this petition on their show we could hit a million and put huge pressure on the OC Board of Supervisors.  Marisa Wayne, The Duke’s daughter, has it on her tweeter.   

To sign the petition, go here.

Letter Supporting Keeping John Wayne Airport Name

Above, John Wayne and Geraldine Page in Hondo (1953). 

The debate over John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California rages on.

The latest is a letter from Mission Viejo City Council Member Greg Raths to Michelle Steel, Chairwoman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors.

Here's the letter (I think he meant to say "Marine" Corps Officer, not "Maine" Corps Officer):

John Wayne's Son Responds To Democrats' Resolution On Airport

Above, Ethan and John Wayne in Big Jake.

John Wayne's youngest son, Ethan, responded to the Orange County Democrats who want to remove Wayne's name from John Wayne Airport.

Fox News reported:

John Wayne’s son is speaking out after California Democrats in Orange County recently demanded that the county’s John Wayne Airport be renamed and all likenesses of Wayne be removed from the airport, over “racist and bigoted statements” made by the American icon decades ago.

The resolution, which passed on Friday, is asking the county's board of supervisors to restore the name to Orange County Airport. 

In a statement to Fox News on Monday, Ethan Wayne said: "Let me make one thing clear -- John Wayne was not a racist. I know that term is casually tossed around these days, but I take it very seriously. I also understand how we got to this point.

"There is no question that the words spoken by John Wayne in an interview 50 years ago have caused pain and anger," Ethan continued, referencing the late actor’s 1971 interview with Playboy. "They pained him as well, as he realized his true feelings were wrongly conveyed."

In the interview at the time, Wayne is quoted saying, “I believe in white supremacy until the blacks are educated to a point of responsibility. I don’t believe in giving authority and positions of leadership and judgment to irresponsible people.” He also said he felt no remorse for the subjugation of Native Americans and called movies such as “Easy Rider” and “Midnight Cowboy” perverted. 

Ethan, who is Wayne's youngest son and president of John Wayne Enterprises, went on to say in his statement on Monday: "The truth is, as we have seen in papers from his archives, he did not support 'white supremacy' in any way and believed that responsible people should gain power without the use of violence. 

"Since his death more than 40 years ago, his legacy continues through the John Wayne Cancer Foundation, which has helped provide courage, strength and grit to the fight against cancer, and through his extensive film library. My father believed that we can learn from yesterday, but not by erasing the past. His name, no matter where it is, will always embody these values, and our family knows the positive impact that he made on the world will never be diminished," Ethan concluded his statement.

The push to oust Wayne, who was a longtime county resident, from the airport's name has a lengthy history. The airport, which is in the heart of Orange County, dates back decades and county officials voted to change the name to remember Wayne when he died

Deanne Thompson, an airport spokeswoman, has previously said the county has no plans to change the name or remove a statue of Wayne from the airport, though the issue comes up periodically, including last year.

To read the full article, go here.

President Trump Weighs In On John Wayne

Above, John Wayne in The Sons of Katie Elder (1965).

A few minutes ago, President Trump Tweeted:

Dr. King and The Duke

Above, John Wayne by Norman Rockwell.

The radical left Democrats have a campaign to tear down statues, monument and even portaits (in the U.S. Capitol) of people they don't like over alleged racism.

The latest is a move by Orange County, California Democrats to rename John Wayne Airport over remarks made in a Playboy interview in 1971.

From Fox News:

California Democrats in Orange County are demanding that the county’s John Wayne Airport be renamed and all likenesses of Wayne be removed from the airport, over “racist and bigoted statements” made by the American icon decades ago.

“The Democratic Party of Orange County condemns John Wayne’s racist and bigoted statements, and calls for John Waynes’ name and likeness to be removed from the Orange County airport, and calls on the OC Board of Supervisors to restore its original name: Orange County Airport,” the resolution, passed Friday, says. 

The resolution, first reported by the Los Angeles Times, calls on the Orange County Board of Supervisors to reverse the 1979 decision to rename it after Duke, and cites remarks he made in a 1971 interview with Playboy. 

“I believe in white supremacy until the blacks are educated to a point of responsibility. I don’t believe in giving authority and positions of leadership and judgment to irresponsible people,” he said in that interview nearly 50 years ago.

The way I see the comments, he was saying that black people should not be just handed positions of leadership and authority if they aren't educated enough to shoulder responsibility. His general emphasis was not skin color, it was education.

The Wayne Family answered the critics back in February when the controversial interview was posted in social media.

From Fox News:

John Wayne’s family is speaking out after the late actor’s 1971 interview with Playboy resurfaced on social media, resulting in outrage and a fiery debate. 

“We hope America remembers John Wayne as we do: a devoted family man, great friend and cherished actor on the big screen, as well as for his continuing work to find a cure for cancer through the John Wayne Cancer Foundation and the John Wayne Cancer Institute,” the John Wayne Family wrote in a statement to Fox News.

“It’s unfair to judge someone on something that was written that he said nearly 50 years ago when the person is no longer here to respond,” the statement continued. “Regardless of color, ethnicity or sexual preference, [our] father taught us to treat all people the same, with respect.” 

Wayne was also asked about educator/activist Angela Davis and discrimination. He responded, “With a lot of blacks, there’s quite a bit of resentment along with their dissent, and possibly rightfully so. But we can’t all of a sudden get down on our knees and turn everything over to the leadership of the blacks. I believe in white supremacy until the blacks are educated to a point of responsibility. I don’t believe in giving authority and positions of leadership and judgment to irresponsible people.” 

Lewis then shot back at Wayne, asking if the actor was equipped to judge “which blacks are irresponsible and which of their leaders inexperienced.” Wayne responded, “It’s not judgment. The academic community has developed certain tests that determine whether the blacks are sufficiently equipped scholastically. But some blacks have tried to force the issue and enter college when they haven’t passed the tests and don’t have the requisite background.” 

“I don’t know why people insist that blacks have been forbidden their right to go to school,” continued Wayne. “They were allowed in public schools wherever I’ve been. Even if they don’t have the proper credentials for college, there are courses to help them become eligible. But if they aren’t academically ready for the step, I don’t think they should be allowed in. Otherwise, the academic society is brought down to the lowest common denominator. 

“… There has to be a standard. I don’t feel guilty about the fact that five or 10 generations ago these people were slaves. Now, I’m not condoning slavery. It’s just a fact of life, like the kid who gets infantile paralysis and has to wear braces so he can’t play football with the rest of us. I will say this, though: I think any black who can compete with a white today can get a better break than a white man. I wish they’d tell me where in the world they have it better than right here in America.”

Wayne was echoing what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said about black and education, although, admittedly, not so artfully articulated.

King said:

“It seems to me that education has a two-fold function to perform in the life of man and in society: the one is utility and the other is culture. Education must enable a man to become more efficient, to achieve with increasing facility the legitimate goals of his life.”

“At this point, I often wonder whether or not education is fulfilling its purpose. A great majority of the so-called educated people do not think logically and scientifically. Even the press, the classroom, the platform, and the pulpit in many instances do not give us objective and unbiased truths. To save man from the morass of propaganda, in my opinion, is one of the chief aims of education. Education must enable one to sift and weigh evidence, to discern the true from the false, the real from the unreal, and the facts from the fiction.”  

“But I believe as we struggle with these problems, we’ve got to struggle with them with a method that can be militant but at the same time does not destroy life or property. And so our slogan must not be ‘Burn, baby, burn.’ It must be, ‘Build, baby, build.’ ‘Organize, baby, organize.’ Yes, our slogan must be ‘Learn, baby, learn,’ so that we can earn, baby, earn.”

To read more, go here.

Now The Mob Left Is Going After The Duke!

The Looney Left Report

First they went after books they don't like from bygone days. Then they went after authors they don't like (like Laura Ingalls Wilder). Then they went after statues of confederates. Now liberals are targeting the Duke.

According to Fox News:

The first shots may have been fired in a war against "The Duke." 

A debate is now underway over whether a Southern California airport should bear the name of screen legend John Wayne, who died nearly 40 years ago at age 72. The discussion stems from the recent social-media uproar that followed the resurfacing of a 1971 Playboy interview in which Wayne made remarks that critics described as racist and homophobic. 

John Wayne Airport is located in Orange County, where Wayne lived for most of his adult life. The airport, previously named Orange County Airport, has been the subject of debate in the past, but mostly over concerns that the Wayne name fails to convey the airstrip's location in Santa Ana. 

The latest calls for changing the name stem from Wayne's remarks, made at age 63, that he believed in “white supremacy,” at least until "irresponsible" black people became more educated, and that Native Americans were “selfishly” trying to keep their land. 

But Wayne’s defenders say it’s unfair to judge the actor on comments from nearly 50 years ago when he is no longer alive to respond to the criticism. 

“Removing his name from Orange County’s airport now only validates what many Americans are coming to believe: You can’t say anything anymore, darn it, without being discovered and punished by the mob,” Madeline Fry wrote in the Washington Examiner.

Gee, how about dishonoring John Lennon for calling Mick Jagger's stage act "fag dancing" while we're at it. By "today's standards" isn't that "homophobic"?

Roscoe Lee Browne co-starred with Wayne in 1971's The Cowboys. He described working with Wayne as "delightful" and said he had "never worked with anyone who was more professional or generous of spirit."

According to IMDb:

Despite their political and social opinion differences, John Wayne and Roscoe Lee Browne shared a love of poetry. They sometimes quoted their favorite verses between takes.

Racist?

To read more, go here.