White Walled In Arizona

  I will begin by saying that this story was not ripped from MSNBC or any other ultra-liberal media outlet, but when you finish reading, you will wish it was. This incident is just THAT unbelievable, but is so unfortunately true.

  In Prescott, Arizona artists have been hired to "lighten" (read: whiteface) the faces of children's images on a public school mural. The students portrayed in the mural are of a multitude of ethnic backgrounds and are based on actual attendees of the house of education. The artpiece has nothing to do with any political stance, but conveys a positive environmental safety message with the portraits of the rainbow of kids who are hopefully gaining life lessons at the school.
  One of the unfortunate lessons learned was during the painting of the piece, which involved the handiwork of many local children. The youths involved in painting the wallcovering were peppered with racial insults by passing motorists, many of them terms like n***er and sp*c. (yes, I will censor these filthy words directed toward innocents. call me a hippie.)

  The concession was made because a city coucilman complained that the most prominent child was African-American in his opinion (actually, the kid was hispanic) and petitioned on his radio show for the mural to be completely removed. The school principal acquiesced to Steve Blair's immature whines by having the mural modified with the excuse that the lighter-complected children look "happier and brighter". Mr. Blair claims to not be a racist but that terms like "diversity" really irritate him. Oh REALLY?

  The problem is not just the fact that they changed the appearances of the children, but that they altered images of ACTUAL living, breathing human beings. By painting over their faces, they are telling children that their natural beauty is somehow offensive, that they are flawed because of their ethnic origins. Arizona has the reputation as a racist state because of their bans on teachers with accents and racial profiling policies, but this is beyond insane. Not only are they attempting to deny ethnic studies courses, but trying to make non-white students vanish from public view.

  Not only is this an insult to the 4 kids who were altered to appease some whiny redneck, but to the millions of good people in Arizona who love their neighbours of all colours, religions, and political opinions. Moreover, this is a grotesque affront to the thousands of teachers who love their students and their families and appreciate their diversity as a learning experience. When you ridicule angels for their innate characteristics, expect a flurry of anger from not only their parents and teachers but anyone else with any sense of conscience.

  Children are being used as a weapon of cultural war by terrified old bigots who haven't stopped to think about the value system that this creates. Emotional scars due to racism cut deep, and these kids are not going to vanish but are going to live and grow and put you and your horrendous views in the grave. Not through hatred like yours, but through accomplishments that come when one is faced with adversity. You should be thankful that these future leaders are not going to disappear, because they are the future of an embattled state that will be forced to abandon draconian policies that border on ethnic cleansing.

People like Mr. Blair need to remember that the person changing his bedpan in the future might be look like one of the babies he insulted today. Fortunately, children are forgiving even to the undeserving.