Questions raised Over mural's ethnic inclusiveness

Windsor Hights Herald | May 3, 2002

[Exit 109]

"The mural attempts to look at the sweep of human history," Dr. Abalos said, reviewing a key to the work of art. "Ironically the majority here represents a fairly European perspective. Aztec and Egyptian cultures are somewhat on the fringes … the only person of color is Martin Luther King Jr."

How silly of me. I forgot about all those Aztecs and Egyptians who helped settle the Garden State. Good grief.

[Thundergod]

Perhaps a section of the mural could have shown an innocent captive screaming for mercy while an Aztec rips his heart out and eats it. See? The turd-world HAS contributed valuable aspects to American culture... NOT!

[RnMomof7]

"As citizens of the 21st century," he said, "we owe much to the people who are represented in that mural."

Not if they are white males we don't...What a shame that an entire race and culture should be on the edge of cultural irrelevancy

[HockeyPop]

Dr Abalos apparently believes that a culture which puts bones through their noses is as worthy of study as one which splits the atom, cures disease and put a man on the moon. He would balance the life of Shakazulu with the writings of Shakespeare in school curriculum. After all, kids are taught that Kwanza carries the same religious and moral weight as Christmas.

[Random Access]

It's the Hispanics he is concerned about.

There were no "Hispanics" until about 1990 when the government created this classification to make it easier for Democrats to pander.

[Exit 109]

OK. You BOTH forgot the BIG HAIR. That's been a staple NJ joke for years. :-)

[Exit 109]

Shhhhhh . . . we don't want to give Dr. Abalos any ideas. He may be a lurker!

[Exit 109]

BB,

I don't think he could.

A recently-completed mural at Hightstown High School has drawn the attention of resident David Abalos, an advocate for the school district's English as a second language program.

Seems to me that he'd have to be elected to the school board to pull off that little accomplishment.

[Lauratealeaf]

Mr. Plank, who volunteered more than 150 of his own hours to help beautify the school, defended his mural as a celebration of life from an art history and cultural standpoint. The 40-foot-long mural features details of many of Mr. Plank's paintings and continues a theme he began in a drawing he made while he was in high school. "This is my time period as a kid growing up in the suburbs," he said. "This is what I was exposed to."

It is a shame that ignorant people who know nothing about art history are given public forums. If the David Abalos' of the world have their way there will be no more art history. Only graffiti. Check out art history books. There are sections (politically correct) which feature art from third world countries and it is primitive. Simple. Pottery, totem poles, etc. These countries remain third world countries in many respects because of their sick cultures. Artists cannot thrive in that kind of climate.

A real winner huh?

[Betteboop]

OK--Latinos--same thing!!!

[Betteboop]

LTL You got it--primitive is nice if that's how you want to decorate--but not comparison to real art. I will try to get a copy of the "work" and post it here.

Be Well BB

[OldFriend]

Anyone remember a teacher named Dave who was fired from his job after a call to Bob Grant discussing the lack of progress in the African continent compared to our own European contributions.

He had the nerve to mention that certain people were still defecating in the same rivers where they drank the water and washed their clothes.

I think he was teaching in the Neptune, NJ school district.

Free speech only if you are hating America and inciting intifada on our shores.

[Khepera]

Don't even consider using white paint to paint over this.

[Betteboop]

bttt

[Thundergod]

Yep. And then the sensitive among us call these turd-world cultural-cesspools developing countries. The fact is that they are stagnant primitive dumps with no hope of developing anything but more diseases. That is just fine if that is the way they choose to live (and it IS the way they choose to live), but don't try to make it my responsibility to financially sustain their chosen cesspool cultures. And don't blame America for turd-world sewer rats chosing to live like sewer rats.

BTW: 9/11 happened because the primitive, unsuccessfull, filthy-nightshirt-wearing, seventh-century savages of Islam(planes into buildings) are JEALOUS of our success! That's all there is to it.

[OldFriend]

No tyrant wants his slaves to see what it means to live free........we are a threat to their power and control over their subjects.

We will never understand the lengths they will go in their attempts to bring us down. We cannot fathom such hatred. It is our strength and our weakness.

[Coleus]

No, not white, that's a bad word and a bad color. I might get arrested for a hate crime or something, based on my intent.

[VermiciousKnid]

I remember that particular phone call vividly. I was driving home from work and couldn't help but think, "Oh man, this guy's just announced where he works. His life is about to become Hell."

Turned out his life DID become Hell. He was fired for his words. I don't think he ever got his job back, and I seem to remember that he died a while ago, too.

What a shame that we've come to this. Do you think it will ever end?

Regards,

[Betteboop]

"Mr. Plank, both proud of his creation and disappointed at criticism of it, said that he received many suggestions for what to add to the mural, but ultimately kept his artistic vision intact. "

And I wanted him to add Rush Limbaugh to the mural--can you imagine if he had done that????