“I think he’s been sufficiently honored and I think it’s time for someone else to have the spotlight.”
So said Republican state legislator Adam Gardiner in early August concerning his plan to remove a statue of Philo Farnsworth, inventor of the television, from the U.S. Capitol and replace it with one of another prominent Utahn, Martha Hughes Cannon. Gardiner does not believe replacing the likeness of the little-known Farnsworth will be particularly controversial; in fact, he expects only Farnsworth’s family will care.
To me, as a historian, the most interesting aspect of this debate is what Gardiner did not say.