Outrage Over Hijab-Wearing Statue Of Liberty Painting In Congressman's Office
- 7 years ago
A student’s painting of the Statue of Liberty as a Muslim woman is stirring controversy for one California Democrat.
A student’s painting of the Statue of Liberty as a Muslim woman is stirring controversy for one California Democrat.
The Orange County Register is reporting that the artwork, “displayed in congressman Lou Correa’s Santa Ana office, is being attacked as an unpatriotic violation of the separation of church and state by members of We the People Rising, a Claremont-based activist group that advocates stricter enforcement of immigration laws.”
The painting is being featured with other finalists in the annual Congressional Art Competition for high school students, notes the Washington Post.
A video posted to the group’s website shows some of its supporters at the lawmaker’s office where the picture hangs on the wall amongst other pieces.
With the camera zoomed in on the controversial work, a female voice can be heard saying, “This is the painting that features our Statue of Liberty wearing a hijab...These are the paintings that were submitted by students, and we are here to request that the Statue of Liberty shown in a hijab be removed.”
The video later shows them meeting with one of Correa’s staff, and a member of the group calls the painting “reprehensible and disrespectful.”
The man then points to a wall of photos showing military service people and says, “I’m gonna guess that a large portion of them died in the Middle East, and you’ve got some filthy picture like that, and I find it more than a little bit insulting.”
Separation of church and state is also one of the arguments given by the group, with Mike McGertrick, member of We the People Rising, telling the Orange County Register, “It’s a bad example for our congressman. He shouldn’t have anything religious in his office.”
And former Alaska governor Sarah Palin even weighed in, tweeting, “‘Statue of Liberty’ Painting Found In Congressman's Office, Then America Spots Something Unusual.”
But Representative Correa has resisted the pressure, telling the Orange County Register, “This is an art competition for our high school students. I want out students to express themselves through art. To take it down would signal that this is not welcome and that would send the wrong message.”
A student’s painting of the Statue of Liberty as a Muslim woman is stirring controversy for one California Democrat.
The Orange County Register is reporting that the artwork, “displayed in congressman Lou Correa’s Santa Ana office, is being attacked as an unpatriotic violation of the separation of church and state by members of We the People Rising, a Claremont-based activist group that advocates stricter enforcement of immigration laws.”
The painting is being featured with other finalists in the annual Congressional Art Competition for high school students, notes the Washington Post.
A video posted to the group’s website shows some of its supporters at the lawmaker’s office where the picture hangs on the wall amongst other pieces.
With the camera zoomed in on the controversial work, a female voice can be heard saying, “This is the painting that features our Statue of Liberty wearing a hijab...These are the paintings that were submitted by students, and we are here to request that the Statue of Liberty shown in a hijab be removed.”
The video later shows them meeting with one of Correa’s staff, and a member of the group calls the painting “reprehensible and disrespectful.”
The man then points to a wall of photos showing military service people and says, “I’m gonna guess that a large portion of them died in the Middle East, and you’ve got some filthy picture like that, and I find it more than a little bit insulting.”
Separation of church and state is also one of the arguments given by the group, with Mike McGertrick, member of We the People Rising, telling the Orange County Register, “It’s a bad example for our congressman. He shouldn’t have anything religious in his office.”
And former Alaska governor Sarah Palin even weighed in, tweeting, “‘Statue of Liberty’ Painting Found In Congressman's Office, Then America Spots Something Unusual.”
But Representative Correa has resisted the pressure, telling the Orange County Register, “This is an art competition for our high school students. I want out students to express themselves through art. To take it down would signal that this is not welcome and that would send the wrong message.”