Posts Tagged ‘Arizona’

This is appalling.

An elementary school in Prescott, Arizona hired local artists to paint a mural promoting environmentally friendly transportation. They used pictures of children that attend the school to paint the mural. Honors a few of the students and sends a positive message, so the whole town should be supportive, right?

Wrong. A Hispanic child is featured in the mural (you know, because Hispanics attend the school), so people just couldn’t stop themselves from yelling n***** and s*** at the artists working on the mural. And there were children painting with them. Seriously. City Councilman Steve Blair had to go on his radio show and complain, saying, “To depict the biggest picture on the building as a Black person, I would have to ask the question: Why?”

First of all, he mistakes the Hispanic child for a black person. Second, why the hell not? Why shouldn’t the child be black or Hispanic? Those children go to the school too. It’s the most ethnically diverse school in the city. But I guess using a Hispanic child, who goes to the damn school, is a problem. Poor Steve can’t take the fact it isn’t just white children there.

Now the artists have been asked to lighten the skin of the children. The school officials say it isn’t because of race. They’re making the skin whiter because of artistic reasons, or some garbage. Exactly. A mural features non-whites, whites yell racial slurs at the artists, a politician makes stupid comments, then the artists are asked to whiten the skin, and it has nothing to do with race? I have to take the mural’s director’s opinion, which is: “It is being lightened because of the controversy.”

I just want to reiterate that the mural, at which racial slurs were directed, and which Steve Blair finds so objectionable, depicted actual children that attend the school. Children that attend the school. Shameful.

This is just the kind of press Arizona needs. Really helping their image to have a bunch of bigots pissed that non-white kids get to be painted, too.

I almost forgot to post about this, but I was just reminded of yet another bill targeting the Hispanic population of Arizona. A few weeks ago a bill was signed into law that bans the teaching of ethnic studies. The bill was written to target Chicano studies, otherwise known as Mexican-American studies, program.

Can’t go teaching kids history and the history of other groups, because it’s not convenient enough. Can’t have kids learning otherwise they may even think for themselves.

This whole deal is just infuriating.

Enjoy not living in Arizona.

Adam Feser

Update: Here are some reactions to the law.  You may be surprised by a few of them.

If you haven’t heard of Arizona SB1070, you probably haven’t been watching much news. I haven’t commented on it because I’m finishing my last semester up and have been using my spare time to watch Glenn Beck (never thought I would write that sentence). Time to at least mention it, because I try and mention every obvious bit of racism that somehow becomes law.

Everyone must be able to prove their lawful residence in the US or face warrant-less arrest, fine of at least $500, and up to 6 months in jail. It allows officers to check anyone they suspect of being an illegal immigrant. In other words, they can just randomly check Mexicans.

I know at least a few people here will argue that it makes sense since they constitute most of the people here illegally. But this also means Mexicans here legally will be frequently harassed in Arizona. I doubt many white people will be stopped, though Canadians and Europeans stay beyond their legal time.

That is why this, in my opinion, is unconstitutional. It will single out one group. Mexicans are not the only illegal immigrants, but they will be the only people affected by the legislation. This isn’t the direction I want America to move in.

Stephen Colbert dedicated The Word to this very subject:

(Side note: McCain’s support of this bill is just proof of how much of a liar he really is. Remember when he was for reasonable immigration reform?).

Enjoy your civil liberties, as long as you don’t look Mexican and live in Arizona, in which case, tough break I guess.

Adam Feser