"November 2, 2018
To the recipients of BMAC's e-newsletter:
We recently sent out an e-newsletter that contained the image below alongside the announcement of a forthcoming panel discussion on addiction and recovery in our community.
It was subsequently pointed out to us that our use of that image in connection with that event could perpetuate harmful stereotypes about people of color. We regret not realizing that ourselves, and we apologize for our mistake, which we appreciate having been brought to our attention.
We will try not to make similar mistakes in the future.
Sincerely,
Danny"
I guess the question I would have is what color hands could be used without potentially creating the racist incident du jour. This image of two black people expressing support and need of support would be racist in what way? I mean wouldn't the person who objected to this already have a racist agenda. And if so, how will not publishing images of caring somehow perpetuate the make-believe "we aren't racist" stereotype so carefully cultivated by the system?
I guess one solution would be to have hands of every color person represented like some kind of happy go lucky superhero group that is a Noah's Ark of racial representation.
OR, and I like this idea a lot, the art community needs to re-establish its autonomy. In recent decades Art has become co-opted by the social services to the degree that museums are no longer about art but about therapy, local politics, and its funds diverted away from artists and into the hands of State Social Services Agencies.
The Arts in America have become politically diseased. I have little hope that in my lifetime this will change.
Sad. Sad. Sad.
Sad. Sad. Sad.