What One Piece Of Art Revealed
My new painting inspired by the Trayvon Martin tragedy called "A Tale Of Two Hoodies", has created somewhat of a stir. A popular subject of blogs, it has been noted more than 17,000 times over the weekend. Most enlightening were the many disturbing responses on my site revealing a nation that sadly hasn't come as far as I had thought.
The piece was meant to illuminate the travesty of racially profiling innocent children and call into question any role of racism in the interpretation of policy. Like all my art, the painting was meant to create a civil public discourse. The opportunity to share views could and should enlighten and open minds.
Reminiscent of the reaction to my painting of President Obama titled "The Truth" in 2009, the reaction revealed a very fractured nation with great disdain for other points of view. The piece depicts a KKK hooded police officer drawing his weapon on a small black child in a hoodie who is merely offering the policeman some generic candy. The people who were so enraged, never were able to quite understand that the painting while inspired by the Trayvon case, was not meant as a literal depiction of the incident , but representative of a broader problem. If the painting pondered the degree of racism in the country today, the reaction to it certainly answered the question. I was personally taken aback by the unashamedly racist comments made by so many.
Based on the response I have received, (and this may not scientifically prove anything) the hatred and racism seems linked to party affiliation. My findings beg the question: Are conservatives more racist than progressives? And if so, why? Perhaps it is because they feel they are being forced by socialist entitlements to share their money with minorities who are on the dole. Maybe they think that minorities don't work as hard and want something for nothing … from them. That kind of thinking might make sense to some educated, fiscal conservative sitting in his cushy office who doesn't want to part with his "hard earned millions." But the socially conservative, beer drinking redneck enjoys the same entitlements. That guy is just ignorant enough to let the fiscal conservative use his racial prejudice against his own best interests. Incredulously, many of these hostile people feel like they are the victims.
I didn't go in with any pre conceived notions. I draw my conclusions from the responses that I have received, you can read them and decide for yourself at http://www.artandresponse.com/paintings/a-tale-of-two-hoodies.html.
I have to ask what is your definition of "racist"?
I define it as a belief that some people are superior and entitled based solely on their race. Conversely a racist believes that others are inferior because of their race and can't be expected to perform on the same level as the racist.
Conservatives and progressives are equally racist. Conservatives believe that they are superior to other races and progressives believe that minorities cannot succeed on their own.
By "minorities", I am not referring to Asians, since they don't seem to have a problem excelling in America. That is puzzling since Whites have invaded their nations many times and even dropped a few nukes on one.
There are almost as many racial slur words for Asians as for blacks. Why has the white man offered them so much opportunity and so little for blacks?
I contend that it is because of racism. Progressives treat blacks like they are little children that can't fend for themselves and must have their needs met by a governmental parent, thus keeping them in a state of perpetual subservience in return for votes.
Asians, who recently escaped the Communist regimes, or those who have descended from railway laborers don't seem have much of a problem. Does a conservative think of an Asian as an equal or even superior?
Basically, progressives believe that blacks need help staying in school, help finding a job, and help keeping a job. Once employed, they believe that blacks can't advance on their own merits and need help. Progressives believe that the blacks that are in jail are there because of the color of their skin.
Conservatives believe that blacks are violent and retarded.
Both are racist.
Hispanics are welcomed by the progressives, yet blacks are driven out (sometimes by force) wherever the Hispanics choose to live. Progressives don't seem to have at problem with that.
Racism? I think not; it's political expediency.
Conservatives want to reject Hispanics because they take jobs from lower income Whites. Blacks don't seem to have a problem with that, but progressives sure do.
This is some real racism. Conservatives are concerned about a superior work ethic from the Hispanic race. Asians, as I mentioned have shown some resilience, if not superiority to the white race.
Maybe there is racism in reality. Just like a foot race, someone comes in first; someone comes in last.
Everyone is a racist. There are only degrees.
But the picture, and the idea that it comments on racial profiling--of children no less--is no less open to serious critique than how it relates to what happened between Zimmerman and Martin.
First, to get this out of the way, technically, it's well drawn and colored. The mechanical skills are clearly there, if the metaphorical ones leave something to be desired.
On to profiling.
Are black pre-teens being 'profiled'? Are there cops pointing guns at children with candy? No. Not really. There are profiles of children, but they are usually not negative.
In fact, one of the big profiles e have of children is that they really don't care about race, that racism is a learned behavoir.
And that brings us to the true horror of the piece.
How often are young black children given this image of white adults? How often do they grow up hearing tales of the horrors of the Civil Rights movement, of the things that were done to their ancestors--often with the full force of the law behind them? How often do young black children get 'the talk'?
And 'the talk' is not unwarranted--there is ample reason for it. But it must be tempered. It must be made clear that the past is the past. Otherwise, 'the talk' can lead to severe dysfunction.
Think of the distrust and suspicion inculcated by a childhood marred with this attitude. Worse, consider that it's all done with the best of intentions. But what does it produce? Teens that trust criminals more than cops, who see teachers as oppressors--where does this lead?
I don't know what happened on that night between George and Trayvon, but the beliefs and ideas generated by a childhood laden with tales of how you can't trust the white man could have made him scared and angry enough that some kind of confrontation was unavoidable. That attitude could lead to a young man lying dead.
Filling the head of a small child with paranoia is far worse than questioning people who fit a description given by witnesses or a victim(because that is what 'profiling' actually is). It can destroy their ability to function in society.
And now, Michael, I believe you've added to it.
inflatable bed
mattress cover
twin memory foam mattress
visco memory foam mattress
inflatable toddler bed
memory foam bed
medical beds
bed pads
feather beds