Republican councilman behind push to whiten children’s faces on an Arizona mural is fired

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Republican councilman behind push to whiten children’s faces on an Arizona mural is fired by local radio station.

City councilman Steven Blair (R-AZ) stirred controversy by using his radio show on KYCA talk radio to denounce a mural on the side of Miller Valley Elementary School in Prescott, AZ for “depicting a black guy in the middle of that mural.” After his rant, angry callers pressured the principal of the school to order the artists to lighten the skin of African American and Hispanic children depicted in the mural. However, the principal’s decision met public outrage, and the artists refused to comply. Now, the Prescott News is reporting that Blair has been fired from his KYCA radio job for his racist opposition to the mural. ThinkProgress recorded another rant from Blair over the Memorial Day weekend where he encouraged a caller, who said the mural “looks like a bunch of freaky illegals jumping over a fence,” to call into the school board to complain:

CALLER: Then when they put that mural up there, I was truly offended. It looks like a bunch of freaky illegals jumping over a fence with this one person with a big stick in his hand. What is that about? How did that pass muster with Prescott City Council? <...>

BLAIR: Well if you’re angry about it, 445-5500 is the number you can call, call the school administration and say, ‘Hey, you know look, you have a historic building there, you’re putting on a mural that some people have called LA or New York.’ In my opinion whenever you feel like. Well, I shouldn’t say it. <...>

BLAIR: I don’t care who you are what you are, but you don’t have to shove if down everybody’s throats, you know.

Listen here: http://thinkprogress.org/2010/06/07/steve-blair-mural/

Miller Valley Elementary School principal Jeff Lane and superintendent Kevin Kapp showed up at a protest over the weekend to apologize for their initial decision to whiten the faces of the school children. When asked if he would resign as a member of the Prescott City Council, Blair told the Prescott News, “When my constituents in the city tell me it’s time for me to go, and that I’m affecting how the city does its business, I will go. I ran because I wanted to help. If I can no longer do that, I’ll step down.” (HT: Wonkette)



Steve Blair Fired By KYCA
http://www.prescottenews.com/news/latest/steve-blair-fired-by-kyca

Good news. The gutless, carbound racists lost, and the mural is being restored to its "original theme." Jeff Lane, the principal of Miller Valley Elementary School, and Kevin Kapp, the school superintendent, showed up at a protest today to apologize for giving in to whims of mentally deranged adults, spewing racial epithets at a painting:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/04/arizona-elementary-school-mural_n_601436.html

[YOY]

1. What is it with Republicans and throat shoving?

Are they just dreaming of chugging hog or something?

[Bitwit1234]

9. I agree I think they are just pushing anything racist they can get away with

and I think they are just doing it to cause conflict. I am sure there were things like this during the previous administration and not a damn word was mentioned about it. They think they can cause this confusion and get the republicans elected. And any body who votes for a republican and wants to go back to the mess bush made and left us is absolutely crazy, stupid, dumb and ignorant and if they ever say anything to me I'll tell them that. WE WANT TO TAKE OUR COUNTRY BACK..........THEY WAY IT WAS BEFORE BUSH AND CHENEY RUINED IT.

[phantom power]

2. I'm glad the principal changed his mind.

I was pretty pissed at him when I heard he caved in.

[Scuba]

3. At least the artists have some backbone !!!

[The Backlash Cometh]

4. This issue is over, right?

They decided to allow the dark-skinned child to remain on the mural.

[blondeatlast]

5. Good. nt

[asdjrocky]

6. Wow.

So much for seeing the Grand Canyon before I die. I just can not take this state any more.

[MrScorpio]

7. Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!

Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up: don't give up the fight!

Preacher man, don't tell me,
Heaven is under the earth.
I know you don't know
What life is really worth.
It's not all that glitters is gold;
'Alf the story has never been told:
So now you see the light, eh!
Stand up for your rights. come on!

Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up: don't give up the fight!
Get up, stand up: stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up: don't give up the fight!

Most people think,
Great god will come from the skies,
Take away everything
And make everybody feel high.
But if you know what life is worth,
You will look for yours on earth:
And now you see the light,
You stand up for your rights. jah!

Get up, stand up! (jah, jah! )
Stand up for your rights! (oh-hoo! )
Get up, stand up! (get up, stand up! )
Don't give up the fight! (life is your right! )
Get up, stand up! (so we can't give up the fight! )
Stand up for your rights! (lord, lord! )
Get up, stand up! (keep on struggling on! )
Don't give up the fight! (yeah! )

We sick an' tired of-a your ism-skism game -
Dyin' 'n' goin' to heaven in-a Jesus' name, lord.
We know when we understand:
Almighty god is a living man.
You can fool some people sometimes,
But you can't fool all the people all the time.
So now we see the light (what you gonna do?),
We gonna stand up for our rights! (yeah, yeah, yeah! )

So you better:
Get up, stand up! (in the morning! git it up! )
Stand up for your rights! (stand up for our rights! )
Get up, stand up!
Don't give up the fight! (don't give it up, don't give it up! )
Get up, stand up! (get up, stand up! )
Stand up for your rights! (get up, stand up! )
Get up, stand up! (... )
Don't give up the fight! (get up, stand up! )
Get up, stand up! (... )
Stand up for your rights!
Get up, stand up!
Don't give up the fight! /fadeout/

More lyrics: http://www.lyricsfreak.com/b/bob+marley/#share

[onestepforward]

8. Good! n/t