Okay. Let me get this straight. You want a statue of Dr. King to be carved by whom?

update: (Sept 4 07)
In all fairness it should be noted, that the council who came to the decision consists of ten black members and two others of a race unspecified where I came across the info (see: Supernegro's post). I am still disappointed but this knowledge changes my previous understanding dramatically. It would have been beautiful if a black artist was given the position of honoring Dr.King , but we have apparently been a major part of the decision making process, I've recently discovered.
There is much more to this issue than the nationality of the artist (note: I consider Chinese people to be people of color and in all reality Dr. King was very much an advocate of unity that transcends race) the most problematic factor is that the Chinese workers who will actually be doing the carving are not even given the proper safety tools in a fashion that is akin to slave labor. It's unacceptable, and shocking considering Dr. King's dedication to fighting for civil rights.
I am of mixed feeling on this, and I still lean in my originally stated direction.
All of the facts need to be presented, and this bit of info was extremely relevant.



Electronic Village has brought an issue of concern to the attention of the Afrosphere.

Apparently, a statue of Dr. Martin Luther King is to be built, and though Dr. King was a black man, members of his community have not be granted the honor of paying homage to him by carving the granite for this monument. Not even a US citizen has been asked. The commission is proposed to be handled by China.

I kid you not.

Not one monument has been carved by a person of Kemetian descent but I would at least have thought such a thing would be different where the monuments honoring Black Leaders are concerned. Interesting. I mean all this time I thought things had changed...if even a little.

Is this yet another subliminal message for the black community by those 'in power'?
I mean seriously... Is the potential of the Black Community so threatening that the intent to push the idea of 'second class citizenship' onto our community's image going to be a perpetual one?

Equality is necessary to the sanity of all cultures. Rigging the perceived progress of any culture really cannot go on. Racism is nothing more than classism.

Also consider this quote from Electronic Village:

The granite to be used for King's sculpture will be harvested using slave labor--Chinese workers are not even provided 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 Tienamen 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?

I think I'll leave this entry where it is for now and sign the petition against this slap in the face, because blogging while angry is ill-advised.

You'll find more information from Electronic Village.
Click the black daisy to visit that dimension.

~~~~~~~~~~*