Parents of 5 years olds. Do you really want your children subject to images like these? When you sign a permission slip allowing your child to go on a field trip to MOCHA, is this what you expect? Teachers- how will you explain the anti-Semitic and anti-American imagery to your kindergartners?
Notice the use of Jewish stars in the "art" turning this from simply a chronicle of childrens experiences during war, into a demonization of Jewish state. The anti-American imagery provides a nice touch, too.
The Children of Sderot, just a mile from the Gaza border are truly living under siege, suffering from daily missile attacks. Indeed, there are common threads in the drawings, yet the Israeli children manage to convey the horrors of war without the use of anti-Islamic imagery.
To the Museum of Childrens Art, the staff, board and the individuals and foundations that support MOCHA:
This exhibit is without context and balance, and includes anti-Semitic and anti-American imagery. By allowing your facilities to be used in this manner, you are presenting an incomplete picture, creating heat without light and contributing to the vast pool of lies misinformation on the conflict in the Middle East. This is an inappropriate use of a treasured local resource.
28 comments:
As an artist and teacher I can safely say, the top 3 pictures are done by adults. They are faked to look like children, but the detail is too pointed and expert - the helicopters for instance. The proportions and stance of the woman and child are a creation of a professional. The boot and flag, the lines are not those of a child.
You are right, this is pure lies and anti-Israel propaganda. Maybe you could contact them and raise this point of fraudulent works?
You might be right about that. Even if they were not drawn by an adult, they were certainly coached. There is no conceivably reason a gazan child would draw an America flag on a missile unless prompted by an adult.
just like we see at hamas run summer camps in gaza and on that island in Oslo that Breviek shot up the indoctrination process starts early. as a rule here it mostly happens in college. but i guess MECA (Middle East Caliphate Association) is trying to start the trend of brainwashing at an earlier age here too.
I would suggest contacting the MOCHA funders directly to show them how their money is being spent. They might have strong opinions. Good luck!
Art Angels [$25,000 and above]
City of Oakland, Cultural Funding Program
First Five Alameda County: Every Child Counts
Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund
Walter and Elise Haas Fund
J.M. Long Foundation
Oakland Fund for Children and Youth
Tides Foundation
Paint Patrons [$10,000 to $24,999]
California Arts Council
Clorox Company Foundation
William H. Donner Foundation
Hunter Fund of the East Bay Community Foundation
Mendelson Fund of the East Bay Community Foundation
I went to the MOCHA website- they have taken down the list of funders. I'd guess they are in panic mode.
This exhibit has been protested in nearly every venue its been shown.
Two questions:
1. Do you think the Museum was mislead about the nature of the exhibit? If yes, they are naive victims and have been manipulated
2. Are you prepared to protest a Childrens art museum?
Congratulations! Today the bigots won. And I , anOakland native and MOCHA member will NEVER return. If what they children will see is so vile, why not do something about it stop hiding the atrocities. Is that what you would like to have happen to Holocost stories, simply hidden and kept out of site. Shame on you and congratulations on your hollow victory.
No, Anonymouse, today the forces of truth and justice won. Sometimes that happens. Even in the Bay area.
As an artist and teacher I can safely say, the top 3 pictures are done by adults.
Can you offer definitive proof, Juniper in the Desert, or is this more of your lies and propaganda?
Of course Anonymous Teacher actually has no way of knowing that. The themes are actually not uncommon among children living under conditions of war or military occupation. War and occupation robs children of their childhood and turns them into premature adults. Children also pick up the cruder propagandistic themes that adults produce. Anyone who doubts this need only look at the jingoistic art produced by kids in NYC post-9-11. Finally, there is nothing anti-Semitic about putting a Star of David on an image of a boot or a rocket if the boots and rockets that have terrorized you come from a country that has that symbol emblazoned on their flag. If you don't want children to associate that symbol with terror your complaint is with the IDF. In any event, campaigns to censor the artwork of the child victims of war will not redound to Israel's advantage in the long run.
What a disgusting article. You know the Jewish stars are in these pieces because they're on the Israel flag...the flags that adorn the tanks that shoot down innocent people. Apparently you're not upset about THAT. If you don't like Israeli propaganda perhaps you should try a little empathy and consider why propaganda like this is generated. It's infinitely better propaganda than the slimy hasbara that has defenders of Israel selling their souls and decency as they carefully avert their eyes from the brutality their favorite repressive entity is engaged in. Tell the lies enough and maybe you'll start believing them.
Thank you Bloggers. Please print a follow-up to this story. MOCHA has cancelled the exhibit.
Yours is the only version of the story I have found on the web that isn't lifted straight out of the MECA press release. The photos are indeed offensive- how could anyone in Oakland possible wear a jewish star after this? They would be physically targetted - it would be used as an excuse for violence against Jews.
Mocha did the right thing. I encourage everyone to write them a check in support- no doubt they will be targeted after their brave and principled action.
Do you have any idea why the so-called "Jewish lobby" who "forced" the cancelation of this exhibit has not come out with their own statement?
The next time Jews or their children suffer I will call it a "great victory", too when true is hidden. Make's me allready regret that I ever took side for Jews.
And the "analysis" that this photos weren't done by kids just reminds me of the rhetorics of pathetic holocaust deniers.
What is even more mindless is to call the pictures antisemitic or trying to compete with the suffering of childrens in Sderot (do a bodycount) and to even call it under siege. Nobody believes this hateful lies.
There seems to be no limits to Arab arrogance and self- enttlement. The core "Palestinian" stance is the assertion that a dispute as to land is more important than other peoples' lives. This is an inherently evil equation. It is similarly evil to mis- educate yet another generation of Arab kids into being future cannon fodder to throw against Israel. This "art" is obviously not child generated and represents a violation of the Oslo Accords against incitement in education. The inexplicable part is the role of supposed "progressives."
Nice bit of censorship you've got going on this blog. You can't hide from the truth forever.
And no, Ish, I feel no reason to post your hate speech.
You sick, selfish cowards. Seeing the despicable, evil and utterly CHILDISH behaviour of pro-Israel people trying to absolve themselves of any guilt or wrongdoing while Israel slaughters an indigenous population makes me feel sorry for the Jews who actually have a sense of morality and don't deserve to be lumped into the same group as you selfish cowards.
Every single day more of Israel's atrocities come to light and more and more people rally to defend it in the name of Judaism... every day I understand a little more clearly where anti-semitism comes from and how someone like Hitler could do the horrible things he did.
I hope you reflect on how your own behaviour could cause someone to say something like that, and how the evil way you go about justifying everything Israel does while gleefully oppressing 'the other brown people' only reinforces the growing worldwide understanding that Israel is an entity of unrestrained evil and those who defend it are some of the lowest regarded elements of human society.
How can you sit back and deride things like the frightened pictures of children and devote so much energy to defending an entity that kills their parents and steals their home?
You are all pure evil and if you truly believed in any higher power you would be appalled at how it would perceive you.
You sick, selfish cowards. Seeing the despicable, evil and utterly CHILDISH behaviour of pro-Israel people trying to absolve themselves of any guilt or wrongdoing while Israel slaughters an indigenous population makes me feel sorry for the Jews who actually have a sense of morality and don't deserve to be lumped into the same group as you selfish cowards.
Every single day more of Israel's atrocities come to light and more and more people rally to defend it in the name of Judaism... every day I understand a little more clearly where anti-semitism comes from and how someone like Hitler could do the horrible things he did.
I hope you reflect on how your own behaviour could cause someone to say something like that, and how the evil way you go about justifying everything Israel does while gleefully oppressing 'the other brown people' only reinforces the growing worldwide understanding that Israel is an entity of unrestrained evil and those who defend it are some of the lowest regarded elements of human society.
How can you sit back and deride things like the frightened pictures of children and devote so much energy to defending an entity that kills their parents and steals their home?
You are all pure evil and if you truly believed in any higher power you would be appalled at how it would perceive you.
You sick, selfish cowards. Seeing the despicable, evil and utterly CHILDISH behaviour of pro-Israel people trying to absolve themselves of any guilt or wrongdoing while Israel slaughters an indigenous population makes me feel sorry for the Jews who actually have a sense of morality and don't deserve to be lumped into the same group as you selfish cowards.
Every single day more of Israel's atrocities come to light and more and more people rally to defend it in the name of Judaism... every day I understand a little more clearly where anti-semitism comes from and how someone like Hitler could do the horrible things he did.
I hope you reflect on how your own behaviour could cause someone to say something like that, and how the evil way you go about justifying everything Israel does while gleefully oppressing 'the other brown people' only reinforces the growing worldwide understanding that Israel is an entity of unrestrained evil and those who defend it are some of the lowest regarded elements of human society.
How can you sit back and deride things like the frightened pictures of children and devote so much energy to defending an entity that kills their parents and steals their home?
You are all pure evil and if you truly believed in any higher power you would be appalled at how it would perceive you.
How is a drawing depicting a fact--Israel attacking Gaza--anti-semitic? Do you know the meaning of the word--or will you say anything to excuse Israel and justify your support of censorship? I'm sure you will censor this comment, too, which would be "anti-American," but I feel compelled to give my opinion.
Notice the use of Jewish stars in the "art" turning this from simply a chronicle of childrens experiences during war, into a demonization of Jewish state.
I'm not sure I understand - are you denying that Israel used a flag with a Jewish star on its weaponry when it invaded Gaza and killed 300+ children and the representation of the weaponry with Jewish stars on them are therefore inaccurate, or are you simply denying that Israel killed a rather large number of children among the many civilians in its last large-scale invasion, and therefore the children's pictures are inaccurate and constitute a demonization?
If the pictures are a demonization of Israel, and are also a fair representation of Israel's actions, according to many human rights organizations reports they are, then it seems to logically follow that Israel is demonic. But meanwhile, I suppose we should let you be proud of your victory over the children of Gaza.
Frankly I'm glad that they cancelled. Using children to propagandize their sick hatred of Jews and Israel must count as one of the most despicable and cynical tactics ever. Not surprised that Lubin was behind it, just almight surprised that the directors of Mocha initially fell for that disgusting gambit.
It shows, better than almost anything else, what a repulsive and odious bunch the Israel haters really are.
To those claiming the artwork is "normal" for children, here is a link with some artwork done by NYC children post 9/11: http://www.downtownexpress.com/de_181/museumgetschildren.html
and: http://serialkiller.wordpress.com/2006/09/05/in-pictures-childrens-art-of-911/
As you can plainly see, nothing even remotely similar to the art art above. The perspective, lines, and general shape of things is much more crude. And, well, unprofessional. Because it was actually drawn by kids.
yeah, i hope those damn kids in palestine never get to express their silly hatred for the help Israel is providing them.
Who doesn't want an arm or two distributed across their face.
MOCHA made the right choice. After all it's a museum for children's art, not a museum for jewish adult opinions.
yay!
This visual testament to war on Palestine is unexceptable for our eyes and the eyes of children, yet there seems to be no problem that my child was in an exhibit in Washington DC completely dedicated to the holocaust complete with piles of boots belonging to the dead and other morbit memorabilia. Go figure
Thank you for your comment. You didn't specify how old your child was.
The Washington DC Holocaust Museum specifies that it is for older children: "The Permanent Exhibition is recommended for visitors who are age 11 or older. For younger children — and for all visitors — there are many other exhibitions and resources, including: Remember The Children: Daniel’s Story (highly recommended for all children and families); the multimedia Wexner Center; the Children’s Tile Wall; and the Hall of Remembrance."
The Museum of Childrens Art in Oakland's target audience is much younger- from pre-school age up , and MECA specifically was trying to market this exhibit for students in K- 8.
Just as it would be inappropriate to bring a preschool or kindergarten to the Holocaust museum, it would be inappropriate to bring a preschool or kindergarten to the Gaza exhibit.
Wow. What a host of messages. As a Jewish dual citizen with Israel, I'd feel more comfortable with the Jewish community upholding the right to free speech and children's artistic expression.
What would be more moving and progressive than censoring the exhibition would be to use it as an opportunity to have Jewish groups see the show and have a really honest self-reflexive talk about Israeli domestic politics.
We are not infallible and whether you agree with the Palestinian children's depiction of life in times of war, or not, their perception of living under Jewish occupation should be cause enough for concern and reflection.
I am absolutely against the censorship. The Jewish community comes off as bigoted and insecure. The Palestinian community comes off as victimized by them. I'm ready for some new role playing...
"Propaganda is persuading people to make up their minds while withholding
some of the facts from them."
Harold Evans.
This exhibit was never about "art" . This exhibit was about propaganda. Its scheduled to be shown at a variety of venues - the Sacramento Sabeel anti-Israel conference, for example. No one says a word.
The reason this exhibit was controversial was that a museum oriented to pre-schoolers is simply not an appropriate place to show propaganda. The other problem is that it was coupled with a presentation by notoriously anti-Semitic cartoonist Khalil Bendib.
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