First published in the Feb. 18 print issue of the South Pasadena Review.
In response to the Black Lives Matter mural awaiting final OK from the City Council, this mural is offensive.
It is disrespectful to South Pasadena Police officers and to police officers everywhere. The Black Lives Matter movement is anti-police.
Racism is something that occurred all across the United States since the birth of our country. Racism was not right then, and it is not right now. The posting of this mural with all Black people represented on it is in fact racist to all the other races in this town. Then we need to have murals for every race or cause. All lives matter.
We grew up in this town since the early 1960s. We attended the South Pasadena schools and community activities where race, color or religion did not matter. Every color of the rainbow swam in “the Plunge” pool. We respected each other as people and judged each other by their character, and not by the color of their skin.
One prominent Black leader selected for this mural is Malcolm X, who condoned Blacks’ use of violence, if necessary, against white oppressors. He spent 10 years in prison for robbery. He was even opposed to the non-violent teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King. This ideology is the foundation of Black Lives Matter. I don’t believe Malcolm X is a good role model for our youth and should be removed from any consideration on this mural.
A club that is called the “Anti-Bias Club” is being biased and hypocritical towards others in this community by selecting only Black prominent figures for this mural that is planned to be painted on a community facility wall used by all South Pasadena citizens.
Why don’t the citizens get to vote on this mural? It is not inclusive or representative of the true spirit of uniting all the diversity of this special town.
Julie and Dean Papadakis
South Pasadena
