Comments for

Pilsen mural vandalized says "Mexicans are racist."

2009-07-29T17:08:23Z

An immigration-themed mural that Latino youth were painting was vandalized in the Pilsen neighborhood overnight. Scribbled over it were the words "lies" and "Mexicans are racist."

The mural is an extension of a past exhibit put on by the National Museum of Mexican Art called a "Declaration of Immigration."

Silvia Rivera, general manager of Radio Arte, said the mural is on their building at 1401 W. 18th St. Rivera said she doesn't know who did it or why but there is definitely a sentiment against Latinos and immigrants right now in the country.

"There is a certain tension in the air. The issue of Sonia Sotomayor is being played out. There's tension over whether or not immigration reform is going to happen," Rivera said.

But Rivera said they are going to try and turn something negative into a positive. The youth will paint over the vandalism and they are thinking of having a town hall meeting to talk about immigration and other issues.

"We're going to look at it as a life lesson," Rivera said.

This is a hard learned lesson. The people who defaced the mural are the real racists. It's just another example of the increasing anti-Mexican and anti-Latino sentiment that the right wing is spreading. We have to band together and fight against it.

Comment from Fernando Diaz on 2009-07-29

2009-07-29T18:57:38Z

The mural was great. I see it on my way home everyday and replaced another great mural. Perhaps Radio Arte could also do their murals by Chicago police cameras, and see whether that keep vandals from messing with them. This sucks.

Comment from sk601 on 2009-07-29

2009-07-29T19:56:10Z

Even though I am part "latino" I have to agree with the words that were spray painted on the wall of the mural. Mexican people are racist and even more so than their white counterparts. They look out only for themselves and for other Mexican families. They use the race card to get special treatment with welfare, job training and college grants. They forefully crowd good, law abiding citizens out of neighborhoods, take over honest businesses and convert them to businesses that cater to their specific racial niche.

I beleive that this is someone who was finally fed-up with the racial discrimination that many have to endure because of Mexicans. If White people had held a rally to support caucasian rights, there would have been a riot in the streets, people would have been calling us racist pigs. Terrorist organizations like "La Raza" would have decended from the walls of the cave in droves to protest this alleged gathering of racists.

Most Mexicans can not see the discrimation for a variety of reasons, the number one reason being lack of education. Another reason is that they are blind to anything that in anyway would be detrmental to their trying to scrape out a living, besides they couldn't see the forest for the trees anyways.

I refuse to go into the argument that many of them are here illegally and therefore have NO rights whatsoever.

The bottom line is this: AMERICAN CITIZENS, espicially ones born here by AMERICAN parents have the right to express themselves and their views. Its a right that is guaranteed to us by the constitution of the United States and even though I do not agree with the method that they used to express themselves in, I fully support the message that they are trying to convey and their right to express it!

Comment from NathanArr on 2009-07-29

2009-07-29T21:46:50Z

I sincerely doubt that it is a coincidence that the vandalism uses the same language that the minutemen protestors used @ the NCLR conf this weekend.

@sk601 I don't understand how destroying someone elses artwork could be considered "expression" by anybody, its just a hateful act buy somebody too uncreative to make their own artwork.

Comment from dobbs on 2009-07-29

2009-07-30T04:36:54Z

sk601 whined:

"They use the race card to get special treatment with welfare, job training and college grants. They forefully (what the heck is forefully?) crowd good, law abiding citizens out of neighborhoods, take over honest businesses and convert them to businesses that cater to their specific racial niche."

How idiotic of you to generalize. If anyone is racist it is obvious that you fit the bill.

I have never been on welfare. I never had job training. I applied for grants like any other student. I worked hard and also took out loans to finally earn a masters degree.

I have never crowded good, law abiding citizens out of anywhere. I am a good, law abiding citizen although I reserve the right to break any law as an act of civil disobedience. Your statement blankets all Mexicans as not being law abiding and not being good. Good at what?

You are not good at coming up with an intelligent response to this blog. Your low level of intellect reduces your ability to respond to using generalized racist stereotypes that only reflect your ignorance and says nothing of the group you lamely try to attack with your empty arsenal of weapons.

You are ignorant and, sadly, you like to brag about it.

Actually, where ever there is a specific niche, a smart business person would capitalize on it. I imagine you have the same problems for the stores that cater to eastern Europeans?

Nah, I did not think so.

Are you really angry at the Mexicans because circulation for the Sun-Times is going down and it hurts the overall earnings for your paper route and you have no one else to blame for your obvious failures in life.

Comment from Mack on 2009-07-30

2009-07-30T05:53:49Z

Maybe their "art" was not receiving any notice; what better way to increase attention than to claim "racism"!

For a LACK of defensible arguments the Pro-ILLEGAL Elitists, Elitist Politicians, Elitist Political Contributors, ILLEGAL EMPLOYERS, and other Special Interest Groups benefiting from the ILLEGALS always fall back on name calling, attacking anyone who disagrees attempting to label them as racists.

Comment from Tukas on 2009-07-30

2009-07-30T16:07:47Z

I agree with your sentiments! Very well articulated (imho). I did think that the graffiti looks like it belongs to someone who does tagging for a side profession. Maybe local gang members need a forum to be heard as well as internet users? :P

I would also like to add, that if US citizens were to flock southward illegally, I am sure the Mexican government would have no problem deporting and incarcerating as the following notes that immigrants to Mexico MUST:
# in the country legally;
# have the means to sustain themselves economically;
# not destined to be burdens on society;
# of economic and social benefit to society;
# of good character and have no criminal records; and
# contributors to the general well-being of the nation.

The law also ensures that:
# immigration authorities have a record of each foreign visitor;
# foreign visitors do not violate their visa status;
# foreign visitors are banned from interfering in the country's internal politics;
# foreign visitors who enter under false pretenses are imprisoned or deported;
# foreign visitors violating the terms of their entry are imprisoned or deported;
# those who aid in illegal immigration will be sent to prison.

If I were there illegally, should I be crying "help, help, I am being oppressed!"? I think I would just file the paperwork and get over it.

Comment from Tukas on 2009-07-30

2009-07-30T16:13:40Z

p.s. here is the rest of the info, too much to post...

http://www.canadafreepress.com/2007/lillpop022707.htm

Comment from Rigo on 2009-07-30

2009-07-30T16:29:45Z

In response to sk601:

There is so much wrong with your response to the blog. First of all, I saying that you are "latino" or that you have an ounce of "latino" blood in you does not justify your completely ignorant response. It reminds me of those comments that start of like this: "i'm not racist I have a Mexican friend," or "I don't mean to be offensive, but..." or in your case "I can call Mexicans racist b/c I'm Latino" To me you are either Latino or you are not, so you when you talk about us vs. them you make no sense. Identity crisis? You also forget to realize that Latinos are not solely compromised of Mexicans.

I'M GOING TO RESPOND TO SOME OF YOUR SENTENCES TO POINT OUT THE MISTAKES IN KNOWLEDGE OR LACK THEREOF.

" They look out only for themselves and for other Mexican families." How can you even prove that? Last time I checked, most people look out for themselves and friends/family. REGARDLESS OF THEIR RACE OR ETHNICITY. You seem to imply that Mexicans should succumb to start looking out for another group of people like it is community service or a charity. That sentence, we can all agree, falls flat on its face.

"They use the race card to get special treatment with welfare, job training and college grants." Where can I begin with this one... Welfare is decided based on economical facts. Yes poverty is more prevalent to some groups, but it is not the basis of deciding who gets welfare. It is not like I can go to a welfare program and cut in front of the line and say, "It's okay, I'm Mexican, give me my welfare check." In regards to the job training, someone gets a job based on talents and in some cases, affirmative action is used, but you would have to look at the historical reasons why they were implemented. College grants are also usually based on need.

"They forefully crowd good, law abiding citizens out of neighborhoods, take over honest businesses and convert them to businesses that cater to their specific racial niche." I think this sentence is completely idiotic. Latinos do not control the laws of gentrification. There is a lot wrong with what you are saying or at least implying. You imply that Latinos=Mexicans first of all, but also that Latinos are not law abiding, and that Caucasians are. Read the news, watch the tv, hear the radios, GO OUT OF YOUR HOUSE! You would realize that both have people that are not law abiding. In regards to the taking over of business, this is impossible! We are not in a developing country where you can take 50 people and just take over a restaurant and change the name of it. Something about taking over makes zero sense to me.

"Terrorist organizations" Look at the definition of what that is and then look at what NCLR does and the programs that it pushes for and maybe you can learn something. This sounds like you only get your news from Lou Dobbs, O'Reilly, and yes of course Tom Tancredo. There has been articles and numerous explanations of what the name stands for and means on the news, so that you can read up on that.

Finally, there is limits to free speech in this country. Laws have evolved from the basic "free speech" that is read in the constitution. Statutes and common law restrict "free speech" and have considered things like "hate speech" or "vandalizing" as a violation of laws. It sounds very simple to me, I learned this in high school and it was not hard to retain. I still have my Civics book and would glad give it to you. Also, to generalize that all Mexicans are that is completely absurd. It would take dropping one name of one to completely disprove what you are saying. I only hope that you can come back and read the responses to your comment b/c i'm sure that you knew it was going to create some. There is much that is wrong with this country, but I hope that you can be open to educating your ignorance on the things that you just said.

Have a great day,

Rigo

Comment from 01101 on 2009-07-30

2009-07-30T17:24:59Z

The only part that bothers me about the mural is the "National Security is used to foster inter ethnic tension". That seems to be more of an opinion rather than absolute truth.
Seeing as how the whole Pilsen continues to become more racially diverse, maybe they should have thought more about the message they are sending with saying certain things and how certain people "latino" or not are going to look at it.

Comment from dobbs on 2009-07-30

2009-07-30T18:43:27Z

Since when is art absolute truth? Is it not simply a statement by the artist(s) and left to the interpretation of the viewer?

Comment from 01101 on 2009-07-30

2009-07-30T23:20:59Z

Well, I was only speaking about the last part. Overall, the mural doesn't bother me. I, just like you, am interpreting it in my own way. To ME, it looks like a protest banner more than a community mural. Everything written on the wall is something you'd find on a flyer at a protest rally.
Take away the sky blue background and the barbwire and what do you have? What I meant by 'absolute truth' was the rest of the wording seems to be more truthful, and the last part being more of an opinion. I never said "art is absolute truth".

off the subject...
Art, in all it's forms, is the manifestation of one's emotions, thoughts and actions. To ME, that is truth.

Comment from fermar98 on 2009-09-18

2009-09-19T04:23:28Z

It is very apparent that the people who are supporting the vandalism are more ignorant than the people that vandalised the mural. Let me clear up some major misconceptions about what people who are undocumented are eligible for. NOTHING!!!!!To receive benefits you need a socials security number.

Illegal Immigrants are not only Mexicans, people migrate from all over the world illegally. There are two borders thousands of Canadians cross the theirs every year illegally. Polish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, African and immigrants from other countries come to this country illegally. But they are all here because they believe in the American dream, of coming here and making a better life for themselves and their family.

A group that is a minority cannot be racist the only people that can be racist are the majority. They are the ones being oppressed by the racist majority. Its sad that people are still very ignorant please read a book. Since when is a human illegal, they are people like everyone else with feeling and emotions. Get to know someone who is undocumented before you speak about them being racist.