KING IS OURS
KING IS OURS
There is a time to talk and a time to take action
It's time to take Action Now
The planned monument to our beloved Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. has been awarded to an artist from a country with a reprehensible history of civil rights violations against its people. No one in the USA was even allowed to bid on this project before it was outsourced directly to China. The granite to be used for King's sculpture will be quarried using slave labor--Chinese workers are not even provided proper masks to protect their lungs from the silica dust. They die in droves because the Chinese government considers them just as important as the students who protested in Tiananmen Square. The world watched the tanks roll over them. No human rights, No civil rights, and yet the honor of sculpting Dr. Martin Luther King? Not on our watch!
King is OUR national treasure. We will not have an artist famous for his statues of the mass murderer Mao Tse Tung, and tool of a government that labeled King a "reactionary running dog," sculpting the King monument. Would we allow an artist famous for his statues of Hitler to sculpt Anne Frank? Combine these facts with another: There is not ONE national monument to a leader of any country anywhere on this planet with the name of an African American artist on its base.
We protest. And we demand the right to interpret and present our own historic proclamation in this first ever national monument to an African American man. Sign Our Petition & Join us!
African American Artist & American Granite
KING IS OURS
There is a time to talk and a time to take action
It's time to take Action Now
The planned monument to our beloved Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. has been awarded to an artist from a country with a reprehensible history of civil rights violations against its people. No one in the USA was even allowed to bid on this project before it was outsourced directly to China. The granite to be used for King's sculpture will be quarried using slave labor--Chinese workers are not even provided proper masks to protect their lungs from the silica dust. They die in droves because the Chinese government considers them just as important as the students who protested in Tiananmen Square. The world watched the tanks roll over them. No human rights, No civil rights, and yet the honor of sculpting Dr. Martin Luther King? Not on our watch!
King is OUR national treasure. We will not have an artist famous for his statues of the mass murderer Mao Tse Tung, and tool of a government that labeled King a "reactionary running dog," sculpting the King monument. Would we allow an artist famous for his statues of Hitler to sculpt Anne Frank? Combine these facts with another: There is not ONE national monument to a leader of any country anywhere on this planet with the name of an African American artist on its base.
We protest. And we demand the right to interpret and present our own historic proclamation in this first ever national monument to an African American man. Sign Our Petition & Join us!
African American Artist & American Granite
KING IS OURS
There is a time to talk and a time to take action
The planned monument to our beloved Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. has been awarded to an artist from a country with a reprehensible history of civil rights violations against its people. No one in the USA was even allowed to bid on this project before it was outsourced directly to China. The granite to be used for King's sculpture will be quarried using slave labor--Chinese workers are not even provided proper masks to protect their lungs from the silica dust. They die in droves because the Chinese government considers them just as important as the students who protested in Tiananmen Square. The world watched the tanks roll over them. No human rights, No civil rights, and yet the honor of sculpting Dr. Martin Luther King? Not on our watch!
King is OUR national treasure. We will not have an artist famous for his statues of the mass murderer Mao Tse Tung, and tool of a government that labeled King a "reactionary running dog," sculpting the King monument. Would we allow an artist famous for his statues of Hitler to sculpt Anne Frank? Combine these facts with another: There is not ONE national monument to a leader of any country anywhere on this planet with the name of an African American artist on its base.
We protest. And we demand the right to interpret and present our own historic proclamation in this first ever national monument to an African American man. Sign Our Petition & Join us!
African American Artist & American Granite
This project needs to stay within our country!
pintofoal@aol.com
Keep American money in America, we have the best sculptors in the world.
I am outraged that we would not consider the talents that lie within the US to create a befitting monument to Dr. King. Furthermore, it appears to make a mockery of what Dr. King fought for to use "slave labor". Dr. King fought for equality among all races here in the U.S. - but truly his fight was for the African American race. While others may appreciate Dr. King, I do not believe it is possible for any others to truly understand the significance of Dr. King's movement. There are plenty of talented Aftrican American artist, we need to give them an opportunity - this is what Dr. King would have wanted. I beg of you to reconsider your choice, let's keep this project within the country that Dr. King fought and died for, by using American people and American granite. It is my preference that the American person be of the African American race.
kgilliambrown@yahoo.com
I think the statue should be decommissioned. I am very distrubed that someone from Communist China was selected to commission the statue. I think all funds raised should be donated toward having the statue decommissioned.
rgye@sbcglobal.net
King is OUR national treasure. We will not have an artist famous for his statues of the murderer Mao Tse Dung, and tool of a government that labeled King a "reactionary running dog," sculpting the King Monument. Would we allow an artist famous for his statues of Hitler to sculpt Ann Frank? Combine these facts with another: There is not ONE national monument to a leader of any country anywhere on this planet with the name of an African American artist on its base. It's Peter Rocko Giving A Shout Out To All Concerned Adocates of Peace And Protecting MLK's Legacy of Peace. I agree with the following quote. "We protest. And we demand the right to interpret and present our own historic proclamation in this first ever national monument to an African American man...."
rockoglobalmm@gmail.com
When I heard about this memorial I was so happy, until I heard the news that the sculptor was not an American and in fact was Chinese. This is a travesty and the memorial will be an eternal scar on our nation. I didn't think there was anything else that could be done to harm Dr. King, but I was sadly wrong. It appears there was no artist involved at all in the decision making. What a disgrace.
sjuliangates@comcast.net
This is outrageous! It should be built with American granite and by American artists. What are we thinking?
we have a few "elite" about to make a monumental blunder and embarassment. I have ceased my support for the project based on both design and selection of architect. symbols are important and the monument commitee have failed us on both accounts. Why no uproar? is it too late?
I find it appalling and a disgrace. Only in AMERICA.
trichardson59@hotmail.com
I had a chance to visit the site while visiting DC., and I feel that an afro-american "or at least an american" should have been commissioned to do the memorial. It is a shame. I will be more than happy to make a donation.
shabagurl1782@yahoo.com
I find this insulting, extremely insulting to the cause of democracy, human rights and peace.
New Hampshire is America's Granite State
Jamie.S.Dalton@Dartmouth.edu
Unity and Social justice are not just American issues, they are world issues. It was Dr. King who so brilliantly conveyed this message and thru this message he transcended from a U.S. civil rights hero into a social justice icon for the entire world "an injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” -Dr. King. Regardless of the race of the sculptor I do not believed the choices exhibited by the Martin Luther King Memorial Committee best reflect the vision in which Dr. king fought an died for.
jd49507@yahoo.com
awful what they are doing a american should have been chosen to make the memorial to Dr King not some guy from China and in the tough times we are having now we need the jobs
It is a disgraceful to think that we even need think about this given decision. Absolutely it is shameful to think that we have commissioned someone who represents the opposition to sculpt a man who represented freedom! It is insulting to the American people and all people who stand for FREEDOM
doriex@yahoo.com
my name is Richard Perrin. I work in the granite industry and I would love to see the project done in the USA.
My email address is andraaperrin@bellsouth.net.
seantrn@hotmail.com
FIRST OF ALL I FEEL AN AFRICAN AMERICAN SHOULD HAVE BEEN COMMISSIONED TO DO THE MEMORIAL. WHOSE BRIGHT IDEA WAS THAT. I DON'T LIKE WHAT I'VE SEEN OF THE STATUE SO FAR. BUT WHAT ELSE DO YOU EXPECT WHEN KING IS SEEN THROUGH CHINESE EYES. ONLY AN AFRICAN AMERICAN CAN CAPTURE THE TRUE ESSENCE OF KING. FURTHERMORE THE MEMORIAL COST TOO MUCH MONEY TO BE AN EMBARASSMENT TO THE AFRICAN AMERICAN RACE. PLEASE GET IT TOGETHER. DON'T BLOW IT. THE STATUE DOES NOT LOOK LIKE KING. I THINK IT'S TIME TO REGROUP.
Dr. King was accused of being a communist. So this is the ultimate slap in the face. All types of accusations were leveled against him in an effort to destroy/discredit him. But a communist sculptor? Not an 'Aha!' moment so much as a 'haha!' moment for those who hate Dr. King and all he stood for. He stood for love and opportunity for all. He paid the price with his life. Jewish people, rightfully so, would select someone who has lived their historically important experience--What is wrong with the committee for the MLK monument? There are so many gifted artists of African descent here in America. Our forefathers built this country with no acknowledgement. I cannot support this travesty. Has anyone heard some of the ridiculous comments made by the Chinese artist tapped to do the monument? Not respectful of our heritage & at times, arrogant. Please pull the rug out from under this artist. African Americans pay the price, someone else gets the glory. What's wrong with this picture?
penovations@yahoo.com
I think the honor of producing the Martin Luther King, Jr. should be given to an American artist, using American granite.
marji@nycap.rr.com
I can not believe that an American sculptor has not been awarded this project. To add insult to injury, a Chinese artist utilizing chinese products has been awarded this very American project. Shame on you!
this is an atrocity. Must we give all our efforts to make America more reliant on other countries and foreign labor. As a stone carver, I would like for the work to come back to the USA. Thanks.
I am less concerned about the background of the Chinese sculptor than I am by the fact that this commission was not put out for bids to U.S. artists, and that the statue will be created by a foreign artist based on a design by an American artist, whose work will not be acknowledged. The idea that no U.S. sculptor has even been considered for this monument to American civil rights leader Martin Luther King is nothing short of outrageous.
hallmark@rci.rutgers.edu
Shanika Bennett-Breeden
As a sculptor and an American Citizen living overseas I know first hand the intrinsic necessity for a native born American to carve this sculpture!
Kiwheelers@slingshot.co.nz
For more impact, add a personal comment here
Your email address: kmitchellg@yahoo.com
Big money rules again! Stand up, be counted! Raise a fist and demand this sculpture be executed by Americans in America!
King is ours do the right thing
tanzilshabazz@yahoo.com
Lakenya Watford First of all, I think that fact that Lei Yixin, a Chinese sculptor, even having the privilege to create the beauty that was one possessed by a man who died for the rights of his people, is wrong. It’s not the fact that Lei Yixin isn’t a talented artist, but why is it so hard for the Commission of Fine Arts, to find an African American artist just as, if not more gifted than Lei Yixin. The Chinese government once called King “a political lapdog”-would African Americans really want Lei Yixin, who is represented by the Chinese government, to really work on the sculpture that expresses Dr. King’s historical legacy? I think not! Dr. King committed his life and sacrificed it for African Americans, such as myself, to even have the privilege to attend an art school with whites, blacks, Asians and people of all other colors and creeds. Artists, including African Americans, are capable of the same creative techniques taught through art. It is unjustifiable to African American’s and Dr. King to allow this wrong doing to continue. Also the inconsideration the Commission of Fine Arts has towards this project is inexcusable. Disregarding the fact that they have not even granted the opportunity for an African American art student to work on the sculpture that holds an essence pride, but the fact that seven, all white members, want to retouch Dr. King’s image is sickening! They used strong worded language in a letter stating that the statue “features a stiffly frontal image, static in pose, confrontational in character…” I’ve seen the statue, and basically the Commission of Fine Arts, is threatened by Dr. King’s image. They are just describing how they see Dr. King. They are confusing the power that Dr. King possessed, with confrontational. As a citizen, I want the existing sculpture burned to dust, and a new sculpture created by an African American art student who holds the pride of Dr. King dear to their heart, understands and comprehends the astronomical legacy he left behind, would breathe life back into Dr. King’s hands with every piece of clay shaping it, and make Dr. King smile with the heart, integrity and creativity put into that sculpture! We deserve it!!!
Laurynski@yahoo.com
