LEESA K. DONNER
Much has been said about the Statue of Liberty of late. There’s the left trying to tell us that the poem on the pedestal of the Statue is being corrupted by current immigration reform. Now there seems to be a painting of Lady Liberty in a hijab causing a bit of an uproar. To make matters worse, the artwork hangs in the office of a United States Congressman – Lou Correa (D-CA).
You can take a peek at this masterpiece here. Liberty Nation assiduously believes in freedom of speech as a fundamental part of our U.S. Constitution. Our argument is not whether someone has the right to paint such a painting. The question is whether it is in good taste, violates the spirit of the Statue, and is offensive hanging in a legislator’s office. And on all three of these counts, it seems at least debatable that something is not quite right here. For certain, this student-created pastel on canvas appears to be making a twisted political statement.
Quite a few folks are upset that Rep. Correa has this hanging in his Santa Ana Congressional office – not the least of which are the good legislator’s own constituents. As well, a California activist group called We the People Rising argues that the painting is a “violation of the separation of church and state.” They also have a message for Rep. Correa:
Tell Rep Lou Correa to REMOVE the student art painting of the Statue of Liberty in a HIJAB he is displaying in his taxpayer funded Santa Ana, CA district office!
In addition, Pamela Geller – one of the brightest stars on the right regarding all things Sharia – appeared on Breitbart News Daily saying, “the message is that he’s standing in support of oppression, gender apartheid, female genital mutilation, and honor killing because that’s what that cloth coffin is. It’s a garment of oppression.”
The woman has a point. After all, many if not most of the Muslims who arrive on American shores are fleeing one sort of tyranny or another. And while they are welcome to dress in any style they so desire, it does seem more than a bit perverse to put the Statue of Liberty in a hajib. Ms. Geller opines:
The art implies that we’re all subjugated, and we are not, and that we all accept it, and we are not. It’s offensive to every freedom-loving American and immigrant, by the way, who is yearning to be free, who escaped the most brutal and extreme ideology on the face of the earth, the sharia.
Due to the many and loud complaints about the painting, Rep. Correa said he asked the House Office of General Counsel to give their opinion as to whether he had to remove it. He was told there were no legal issues. So, there it remains – in all its magnificence.
The House Office of General Counsel may indeed be right that there is no law broken by hanging such bizarre piece of art. But perhaps the folks in Correa’s district should take another look at the judgment and values (not to mention good taste) of their congressman. They might even consider booting his behind out of office. Then he can empty out his Santa Ana workplace and take his exquisite artwork home with him to hang in all its glory.
