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Artists, Musicians and Bernal Community Residents Protest Destruction Of Victor Jara Mural
Musicians Rafael Manriquez and Francisco Hererra as well as community residents and artists joined together on the anniversary of the death of Victor Jara and in action to prevent the destruction of the Bernal Heights Victor Jara mural. Jara was murdered on September 16, 1973 by the US supported military coup in Chile. His hands were broken and then he was killed
Musicians and artists as well as San Francisco and Bernal Heights Community residents spoke out on September 16 against the destruction of the Victor Jara mural on the wall of Bernal Heights Library. The city has secretly manipulated with the support of San Francisco Supervisor David Campos a committee that mostly had members who wanted to destroy the mural and get a contract for a new mural that would double the cost of restoring the present mural.
The corporate controlled San Francisco Library Commission also illegally sought to destroy the mural before they even contacted the artists or heirs of the artists to let them know the mural would be destroyed. The rush to destroy the mural was taking place to prevent the community from even knowing that it was going to be destroyed and to prevent people in the community from coming together to challenge the destruction.
A statement from Holly Near was read and statements of solidarity were presented including the heir of the artist.
At the rally it was also reported by community resident that the Community Heroes Mural that had been destroyed at the Horace Mann school the previous week by the San Francisco School District.
Participants called on residents and supporter of the Victor Jara Mural to call David Campos at 415-554-5144 and call for a halt of plans to destroy the mural and for a new transparent and democratic process for discussion on the murals. Also it was reported that the so called Bernal Heights Mural Project had actually been involved in making the decision to destroy the mural and then getting a contract by the City and County to do the work on the new mural. This flagrant conflict of interest it was pointed out was unethical and it again showed that there was complete lack of transparency. Supervisor David Campos has also been cited by the Sunshine Commission for violating the rules on transparency and illegally cleansing documents related to the process of the destruction of the mural.
Library Users Association
libraryusers2004(at)yahoo.com
United Public Workers For Action http://www.upwa.org
The corporate controlled San Francisco Library Commission also illegally sought to destroy the mural before they even contacted the artists or heirs of the artists to let them know the mural would be destroyed. The rush to destroy the mural was taking place to prevent the community from even knowing that it was going to be destroyed and to prevent people in the community from coming together to challenge the destruction.
A statement from Holly Near was read and statements of solidarity were presented including the heir of the artist.
At the rally it was also reported by community resident that the Community Heroes Mural that had been destroyed at the Horace Mann school the previous week by the San Francisco School District.
Participants called on residents and supporter of the Victor Jara Mural to call David Campos at 415-554-5144 and call for a halt of plans to destroy the mural and for a new transparent and democratic process for discussion on the murals. Also it was reported that the so called Bernal Heights Mural Project had actually been involved in making the decision to destroy the mural and then getting a contract by the City and County to do the work on the new mural. This flagrant conflict of interest it was pointed out was unethical and it again showed that there was complete lack of transparency. Supervisor David Campos has also been cited by the Sunshine Commission for violating the rules on transparency and illegally cleansing documents related to the process of the destruction of the mural.
Library Users Association
libraryusers2004(at)yahoo.com
United Public Workers For Action http://www.upwa.org
For more information:
http://www.upwa.info
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It would be cheaper to restore the beautiful old mural (which reflects the heart and soul of the community) than to paint the planned new mural (which is soulless and better suited to decorating an album cover or a surfboard).
The soul of the community is in the people. The spiritless requirements of the planned mural is to deaden thought, memory, and the power of the community to envision and realize its own destiny.
What the planned replacement mural would look like:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/telstar/5859278606/
My photos of the deteriorated mural which can be restored:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sf2006/sets/72157630008726447/show/
Please view this excellent video by Upheaval Productions:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omtv9QEsj64
Everyone extols the Soul Power which makes San Francisco so beautiful and unique--
that power rests in our solidarity with courageous people everywhere who seek freedom, dignity and an end to oppression: people like Victor Jara who was brutally tortured and murdered with so many others by fascists who would remake our world in the image of that which is dead, but "profitable".
The struggle to save this mural is no insignificant struggle.
It is a struggle for making our community the beautiful, idealistic, and conscionable community which we wish it to be.
The soul of the community is in the people. The spiritless requirements of the planned mural is to deaden thought, memory, and the power of the community to envision and realize its own destiny.
What the planned replacement mural would look like:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/telstar/5859278606/
My photos of the deteriorated mural which can be restored:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sf2006/sets/72157630008726447/show/
Please view this excellent video by Upheaval Productions:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omtv9QEsj64
Everyone extols the Soul Power which makes San Francisco so beautiful and unique--
that power rests in our solidarity with courageous people everywhere who seek freedom, dignity and an end to oppression: people like Victor Jara who was brutally tortured and murdered with so many others by fascists who would remake our world in the image of that which is dead, but "profitable".
The struggle to save this mural is no insignificant struggle.
It is a struggle for making our community the beautiful, idealistic, and conscionable community which we wish it to be.
For more information:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sf2006/sets/7...
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