San Francisco to paint over historic George Washington mural

[TU Curmudgeon]

From Associated Press

San Francisco to paint over historic George Washington mural
​

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Francisco will spend up to $600,000 to paint over historical artwork at a public school depicting the life of George Washington, a mural once seen as educational and innovative but now criticized as racist and degrading for its depiction of black and Native American people.

The “Life of Washington” was painted by Victor Arnautoff, one of the foremost muralists in the San Francisco area during the Depression. The San Francisco School Board’s decision to paint over the 83-year-old mural is prompting some to worry that other artwork from the so-called New Deal era could face a similar fate because of changing sensitivities.

In addition to depicting Washington as a soldier, surveyor and statesman, the 13-panel, 1,600-sqaure foot mural at George Washington High School contains images of white pioneers standing over the body of a Native American and slaves working at Washington’s Mount Vernon estate in Virginia.

The board’s decision last week comes at a time when the legacies of Washington and other historical figures who owned slaves are being re-examined. Some cities have changed the names of streets and buildings named after slave owners.

COMMENT:-

OK, so this is "historical revisionism" - feel free to debate whether or not that is a "Good Thing".

BUT, why not cast a thought in the direction of "Did you realize that this stuff is being criticized (by 'The Left' [whatever that means]) because it 'shows stuff we don't want to be reminded of' BUT, when it was originally installed it was being criticized (by 'The Right' [whatever that means]) because it 'shows stuff we don't want to be reminded of'?". Isn't it ironic that no one seems interested in using this stuff IN CONTEXT as a teaching aid to examine what the actual conditions were then, why people acted as they did then, how conditions have changed since then, and why we no longer act as people did then?
​

 

[Crystal]

Just the average dumbass liberal city!

 

[Crystal]

Think about how much **** they could pick up for 600 grand! :lamo

 

[Praxas]

From Associated Press

San Francisco to paint over historic George Washington mural
​

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Francisco will spend up to $600,000 to paint over historical artwork at a public school depicting the life of George Washington, a mural once seen as educational and innovative but now criticized as racist and degrading for its depiction of black and Native American people.

The “Life of Washington” was painted by Victor Arnautoff, one of the foremost muralists in the San Francisco area during the Depression. The San Francisco School Board’s decision to paint over the 83-year-old mural is prompting some to worry that other artwork from the so-called New Deal era could face a similar fate because of changing sensitivities.

In addition to depicting Washington as a soldier, surveyor and statesman, the 13-panel, 1,600-sqaure foot mural at George Washington High School contains images of white pioneers standing over the body of a Native American and slaves working at Washington’s Mount Vernon estate in Virginia.

The board’s decision last week comes at a time when the legacies of Washington and other historical figures who owned slaves are being re-examined. Some cities have changed the names of streets and buildings named after slave owners.

COMMENT:-

OK, so this is "historical revisionism" - feel free to debate whether or not that is a "Good Thing".

BUT, why not cast a thought in the direction of "Did you realize that this stuff is being criticized (by 'The Left' [whatever that means]) because it 'shows stuff we don't want to be reminded of' BUT, when it was originally installed it was being criticized (by 'The Right' [whatever that means]) because it 'shows stuff we don't want to be reminded of'?". Isn't it ironic that no one seems interested in using this stuff IN CONTEXT as a teaching aid to examine what the actual conditions were then, why people acted as they did then, how conditions have changed since then, and why we no longer act as people did then?
​

I'm far less concerned about the mural getting painted over than I am about it costing up to $600,000.00 to paint over. What's in the new paint, Gold Shavings?

 

[trixare4kids]

SF political correctness rears its ugly head.

 

[Grand Mal]

From Associated Press

San Francisco to paint over historic George Washington mural
​

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Francisco will spend up to $600,000 to paint over historical artwork at a public school depicting the life of George Washington, a mural once seen as educational and innovative but now criticized as racist and degrading for its depiction of black and Native American people.

The “Life of Washington” was painted by Victor Arnautoff, one of the foremost muralists in the San Francisco area during the Depression. The San Francisco School Board’s decision to paint over the 83-year-old mural is prompting some to worry that other artwork from the so-called New Deal era could face a similar fate because of changing sensitivities.

In addition to depicting Washington as a soldier, surveyor and statesman, the 13-panel, 1,600-sqaure foot mural at George Washington High School contains images of white pioneers standing over the body of a Native American and slaves working at Washington’s Mount Vernon estate in Virginia.

The board’s decision last week comes at a time when the legacies of Washington and other historical figures who owned slaves are being re-examined. Some cities have changed the names of streets and buildings named after slave owners.

COMMENT:-

OK, so this is "historical revisionism" - feel free to debate whether or not that is a "Good Thing".

BUT, why not cast a thought in the direction of "Did you realize that this stuff is being criticized (by 'The Left' [whatever that means]) because it 'shows stuff we don't want to be reminded of' BUT, when it was originally installed it was being criticized (by 'The Right' [whatever that means]) because it 'shows stuff we don't want to be reminded of'?". Isn't it ironic that no one seems interested in using this stuff IN CONTEXT as a teaching aid to examine what the actual conditions were then, why people acted as they did then, how conditions have changed since then, and why we no longer act as people did then?
​

No loss. It's not a very good mural. Looks like the artist belonged to the M.C. Escher school of perspective.

 

[trixare4kids]

Think about how much **** they could pick up for 600 grand! :lamo

Think about the healthcare they could buy for their favorite pet group, illegal aliens! :lol:

 

[ElChupacabra]

Isn't it ironic that no one seems interested in using this stuff IN CONTEXT as a teaching aid to examine what the actual conditions were then, why people acted as they did then, how conditions have changed since then, and why we no longer act as people did then?
[/INDENT]

Sure, but that requires more than just a knee jerk reaction. We're in a time of quick reactions, retorts, and the short attention span that fuels it all. It will be hard to find leaders of any kind to be devoid of flaws; the question is what we choose to honor while not whitewashing the flaws so we understand their accomplishments in full context.

 

[Acadia]

Post-Obama America. Just think what would happen if Kamala Harris got elected with her 50-year old grievances.
We'll be back to regular BLM riots and burning down of city blocks and cops getting sniped in no time at all.

 

[ElChupacabra]

I'm far less concerned about the mural getting painted over than I am about it costing up to $600,000.00 to paint over. What's in the new paint, Gold Shavings?

Seriously. If SF pays for some cans of Krylon and flies me out there, I'll do it for free.

 

[Roadvirus]

Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered. And the process is continuing day by day and minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which The Party is always right. -- George Orwell's 1984

 

[dcsports]

I'm far less concerned about the mural getting painted over than I am about it costing up to $600,000.00 to paint over. What's in the new paint, Gold Shavings?

That was my thought! I'm torn between declaring them total idiots for thinking it should cost that amount, and submitting a bid! It's a wall at a high school! If that's what they want to do, send in a couple of school painters on a quiet weekend with some Kilz paint - and done.

 

[Sheepdog]

San Fran has seceded from the United States long ago so it makes sense that nothing relating to our great nation remains in that dump.


San Fran/liberal logic tells us that George Washington = bad, and hairy homos in assless chaps twerking in front of little kids = good.

 

[TU Curmudgeon]

Just the average dumbass liberal city!

I see that you missed the point that it was the "conservatives" (whatever that means) who originally opposed the paintings and that the reasons (although not explicitly stated) that the "conservatives" (whatever that means) used for opposing the paintings are the same as the reasons that the "liberals" (whatever that means) are now using for opposing the paintings.

 

[Harshaw]

From Associated Press

San Francisco to paint over historic George Washington mural
​

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Francisco will spend up to $600,000 to paint over historical artwork at a public school depicting the life of George Washington, a mural once seen as educational and innovative but now criticized as racist and degrading for its depiction of black and Native American people.

The “Life of Washington” was painted by Victor Arnautoff, one of the foremost muralists in the San Francisco area during the Depression. The San Francisco School Board’s decision to paint over the 83-year-old mural is prompting some to worry that other artwork from the so-called New Deal era could face a similar fate because of changing sensitivities.

In addition to depicting Washington as a soldier, surveyor and statesman, the 13-panel, 1,600-sqaure foot mural at George Washington High School contains images of white pioneers standing over the body of a Native American and slaves working at Washington’s Mount Vernon estate in Virginia.

The board’s decision last week comes at a time when the legacies of Washington and other historical figures who owned slaves are being re-examined. Some cities have changed the names of streets and buildings named after slave owners.

COMMENT:-

OK, so this is "historical revisionism" - feel free to debate whether or not that is a "Good Thing".

BUT, why not cast a thought in the direction of "Did you realize that this stuff is being criticized (by 'The Left' [whatever that means]) because it 'shows stuff we don't want to be reminded of' BUT, when it was originally installed it was being criticized (by 'The Right' [whatever that means]) because it 'shows stuff we don't want to be reminded of'?". Isn't it ironic that no one seems interested in using this stuff IN CONTEXT as a teaching aid to examine what the actual conditions were then, why people acted as they did then, how conditions have changed since then, and why we no longer act as people did then?
​

It's Orwellian nonsense.

 

[TU Curmudgeon]

Sure, but that requires more than just a knee jerk reaction. We're in a time of quick reactions, retorts, and the short attention span that fuels it all. It will be hard to find leaders of any kind to be devoid of flaws; the question is what we choose to honor while not whitewashing the flaws so we understand their accomplishments in full context.

The key word in "knee jerk reaction" is the word "jerk" (90+% of the time).

PS - To actually UNDERSTAND history requires that all the facts on both sides be presented to a person who has the analytical and cognitive skills required to digest and synthesize those facts. America's declining position on the international measures of the effectiveness of countries' educational systems seems to indicate that America's supply of people who have the analytical and cognitive skills to digest and synthesize facts is (as a proportion of the population) also declining.

 

[TU Curmudgeon]

It's Orwellian nonsense.

No more so than the crap spouted by some who would have you believe that "slavery" had absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with the causes of the American Civil War (or that plain old "financial self-interest" [on the part of the leadership of "The Patriots"] had absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with the causes of the American Revolution).

PS - It's also no more so than the crap spouted by some who would have you believe that "slavery" was the ONLY cause of the American Civil War.

 

[Harshaw]

No more so than the crap spouted by some who would have you believe that "slavery" had absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with the causes of the American Civil War (or that plain old "financial self-interest" [on the part of the leadership of "The Patriots"] had absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with the causes of the American Revolution).

Take it up with those who say that.

This, here, in SF, is Orwellian nonsense.

 

[eohrnberger]

SF political correctness rears its ugly head.

When the 'Ministry of Truth' doesn't like history, wishes to wipe it out, and replace it with their own.

 

[eohrnberger]

Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered. And the process is continuing day by day and minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which The Party is always right. -- George Orwell's 1984

Exactly.

 

[dcsports]

It's Orwellian nonsense.

I am one that would advocate against destroying historic statues from public spaces - but this is completely different to me. It's a mural painted on a wall at a high school. I'm shocked it's lasted this long.

 

[Harshaw]

I am one that would advocate against destroying historic statues from public spaces - but this is completely different to me. It's a mural painted on a wall at a high school. I'm shocked it's lasted this long.

Why does that make a difference?

 

[Mason66]

From Associated Press

San Francisco to paint over historic George Washington mural
​

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Francisco will spend up to $600,000 to paint over historical artwork at a public school depicting the life of George Washington, a mural once seen as educational and innovative but now criticized as racist and degrading for its depiction of black and Native American people.

The “Life of Washington” was painted by Victor Arnautoff, one of the foremost muralists in the San Francisco area during the Depression. The San Francisco School Board’s decision to paint over the 83-year-old mural is prompting some to worry that other artwork from the so-called New Deal era could face a similar fate because of changing sensitivities.

In addition to depicting Washington as a soldier, surveyor and statesman, the 13-panel, 1,600-sqaure foot mural at George Washington High School contains images of white pioneers standing over the body of a Native American and slaves working at Washington’s Mount Vernon estate in Virginia.

The board’s decision last week comes at a time when the legacies of Washington and other historical figures who owned slaves are being re-examined. Some cities have changed the names of streets and buildings named after slave owners.

COMMENT:-

OK, so this is "historical revisionism" - feel free to debate whether or not that is a "Good Thing".

BUT, why not cast a thought in the direction of "Did you realize that this stuff is being criticized (by 'The Left' [whatever that means]) because it 'shows stuff we don't want to be reminded of' BUT, when it was originally installed it was being criticized (by 'The Right' [whatever that means]) because it 'shows stuff we don't want to be reminded of'?". Isn't it ironic that no one seems interested in using this stuff IN CONTEXT as a teaching aid to examine what the actual conditions were then, why people acted as they did then, how conditions have changed since then, and why we no longer act as people did then?
​

I would use the measure that if it is historically accurate, leave it alone.

 

[dcsports]

Why does that make a difference?

I view high schools as more functional places to educate, not art galleries, or historic places in the same category as old courthouses or churches. A painting on a wall in a hallway that people smear boogers on isn't in the same category as the paintings in the Sistine chapel. Plus, this isn't exactly a Picasso.

 

[Harshaw]

I view high schools as more functional places to educate, not art galleries, or historic places in the same category as old courthouses or churches. A painting on a wall in a hallway that people smear boogers on isn't in the same category as the paintings in the Sistine chapel. Plus, this isn't exactly a Picasso.

Of course it's a historic place. It's a great (and recognized) work of civic art.