The latest round of overkill commentaries center around the proposed King monument that is currently slated to be constructed by Chinese sculptor Lei Yixin. Here’s another article:
(palmbeachpost.com) The choice of a sculptor is a giant step toward beginning construction. Instead of widespread approval, however, the committee’s choice of a Chinese artist has brought criticism from those who contend that an African-American – or at least an American – should have been selected for this unprecedented honor. Having the major component of the memorial created by a Chinese artist is considered the supreme outsourcing insult.
Two opponents outraged by the choice of Mr. Yixin are black painter Gilbert Young of Atlanta and human rights activist Ann Lau of Los Angeles. For different reasons, both insist that the committee’s choice is unacceptable. Mr. Young argues that, given the nature of the civil rights struggle, the honor of shaping the nation’s first monument to an African-American should be given to a black artist because “black artists have the right to interpret ourselves first.”
Chinese-born Ms. Lau believes that Dr. King would “bristle” at the prospect of the monument being sculpted in China, as he never would condone Beijing’s human rights abuses. She predicts the granite used will be mined by Chinese laborers working in unsafe and unfair conditions. Mr. Young, Ms. Lau and others plan to present an online petition of protest to the government in Washington this month.
Executive architect Ed Jackson Jr., president of the memorial foundation directing the project, has expressed surprise that such dissension has erupted. From the beginning, he said an international competition was held to decide such matters. About 900 design entries were received from 52 countries and six continents. That list was reduced to 21 proposals before a final design decision was made.
Ten of the 12 people on the selection committee that chose sculptor Mr. Yixin are black. Mr. Jackson insists that neither the artist’s ethnic identity nor his politics should be a factor because Dr. King taught that we must “transcend race, our tribe, our class, and our nation … and develop a world perspective.” Also, because the first African-American to win the Nobel Peace Prize belongs to the world. (source)
Please re-read what I bolded in that last paragraph!
Here is my solution: Since Yixin actually won the competition, let him build one statue and have one of the Black finalist build the affirmative action version.
Didn’t King say something about not being judged by the color of your skin? Maybe that was Don King? Big Daddy Kane? Regina King? Burger King?
A very childish debate, indeed.
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