With Liberty and Justice for all?- Bryan G.

                                                     With Liberty and Justice for all?

   

Often on the news, we hear stories that really confuse or anger us. There always seems to be bad news and never really any good news. We hear about deadly shootings that take place, robberies, and several hate crimes. Discrimination is unfortunately still a relevant topic in the United States and it happens every day. We may not hear about all of the discrimination incidents that occur worldwide, but only the incidents that really stir up an argument between citizens. During these types of events, people will often ask, “Why did this happen?” or “Was this really necessary?” as they hear that a black man or gay person was brutally beaten. Often, the offenders get away with their crimes and leaves the victims’ families in heartbreak and disbelief. This has set a platform for artists and activists to express their ideas on discrimination. “Some collaborative projects are born out of discussions; in other cases, people take the discussions as a starting point for their individual pursuits.” (Sholette, 79)Art can be used as a way to spread awareness to others about serious topics by creating a painting or a sculpture.

The Guerrilla Girls are a prime example of an activist group that consistently attempts to alter the way some individuals perceive certain ideas. By creating postcards basically calling out museums and art galleries for their lack of exhibits by women and artists of color, it creates a message that some people may not have even been aware of until somebody actually pointed it out. By simply stating that eight-five percent of the naked people in art exhibits are women while only less than five percent of the actual artists are women, it helps to put things into perspective. Also, the gorilla mask provides a type of  humoristic vibe that people may be drawn to. There was clear discrimination against women and artists of color and the Guerrilla Girls made sure to make it public. Even though they have managed to improve the dilemma slightly, there are still not enough exhibits by women and artists of color in museums and art galleries today. “We think the art that’s in the museums and galleries should tell the whole story of our culture-our real culture-not just the white male part." (G.G, 26)

This particular painting shows the importance of staying united, no matter where you come from. Often times, people judge others because of the color of their skin, or their beliefs. People are looked down upon because they seem different than everybody else. However, if everyone was treated equally, the world would be such an easier place to live in. Anyone can participate in any activities that they want to without having the fear of being threatened. Anyone can travel to any part of the world without being seen with suspicion. People can walk into a store to buy groceries without being followed consistently. What actually matters is the way that person treats others. Those who are discriminated against are often the kindest people but others don’t seem to care about that. What immediately stands out is their overall appearance and we have learned to judge others by the way they look mostly because the news and media have taught us to do that. If we learned to make friends with different types of people, we would learn that we have been perceiving things wrong this whole time. Discrimination has been on the news and media for a long time now and it is unfortunate we still hear about it today.

This image basically sums up the experiences that some people have to go through. The white man has nothing to worry about as he is seen as a normal individual. However, everybody else is guaranteed to be taken to the side for an interrogation or thorough search. This reminds me mostly of all of the events that take place in airports as every passenger is awaiting to board their plane. A Muslim or black individual will be stopped and even apprehended just because of the color of their skin. Meanwhile, a white individual will probably be the first one on the plane without going through much. This image even depicts a disabled individual who will also go through a lot of trouble as well just because he is different. This almost makes certain people think about not even leaving their own home sometimes. What is the point of interacting with others if everyone looks at you negatively?