Wednesday, July 27, 2011

As Might Be Seen on ‘Feiner TV’

In the never ending campaign mode of Paul Feiner, he posted a commentary on his blog by someone other than himself. He's known for that. 

His latest post, again by someone else, is the discussion about the September 11, 2001 Memorial Wall on Central Avenue's previously named Webb Field, now called Richard Presser Park. While most people we spoke with about the memorial disagree with the location, design and disconnect of the memorial, it's there.
 

ArtsWestchester CEO Janet Langsam wrote a commentary about the refurbishing of the wall memorial on The Paul’s blog. An excerpt that ABG would like to highlight is, “...1711 is the number of tiles salvaged, repaired, cleaned and reassembled tile by tile by Sarah Bracey White and 41 volunteers who spent hundreds of hours at the task so that the mural can be reinstalled and rededicated on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy. Herself, White has spent 105 hours... Being generous, that's about three weeks worth of work.
 

First, ABG is offended because Langsam, like so many others, calls the events of 9-11 a tragedy. It was a cowardly attack to blatantly murder civilians! While we do not accept an attack on our military as acceptable, we acknowledge it's the business they're in and they know the risks. Too many in the entertainment community, under the guise of “artist” condone what happened with their erudite use of language as witnessed here by Langsam.
 

Second, is that Sarah Bracey White herself spent 105 hours working on the memorials tiles. She is finally doing something for the salary the Town pays her! If you're not familiar with her, it's no surprise. Hers is a position The Paul decided to create and staff for $60k-plus to hang artwork in the Town Hall with little price stickers affixed to them. While she may do this in several buildings, this isn't the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and doesn't warrant a special employee. It is a position The Paul never should have created and staffed because it's not needed. As such, our only conclusion is it's a political pay-back or pay-off. She does little else while collecting this salary.
 

At the end, The Paul finally says “...Some folks say that you have to know where you came from to know who you are. Sarah Bracey White came from the segregated South where Jim Crow laws ruled the lives of her community...” “...And now, there is a mural that tells the story of what Sarah Bracey White means to Greenburgh and to the arts.” What?! What in the world does this have to do with the September 11th Memorial and who cares where Ms. White came from? Our society has evolved, and many people not of color also fought for civil rights alongside those of color back in the day. By making this a racial issue by The Paul, he denigrates anything being done to honor those Americans of all colors, and religions, who were murdered in 2001. And how does this memorial tell the story of what Ms. White means to Greenburgh and to the arts? What it tells us is Paul Feiner has overstayed his welcome and it's time for him to go!

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