(RepublicanInformer.com)- Chuck Bennett, the Democratic Mayor of Salem, Oregon, has announced that a famous local mural that depicts the legendary flag-raising scene from Iwo Jima in WWII will be taken down. Why? A single complaint.
Seriously.
The famous local mural was painted on the side of a private business property, owned by Valley Roofing, and was specifically designed to honor the many friends and family of local artist Mario Jr. DeLeon who served in the military. It was a well-loved and recognized piece of artwork in the region, and now it’s about to be removed because of a single anonymous complaint.
The City told Jon Taylor, a local businessman who commissioned the mural to be painted on the side of his property, that he would be fined more than $200 if he does not remove the artwork – with the fine increasing the longer he delays removing the mural. He was also given the option of the City removing the piece and then donating it to a local art group.
But local people don’t want to see it go, and local veterans told the press that Taylor “does a lot for this community both personally and through his business.”
“He is a true credit to our fine city and a shining example of the sort of person we should all want as a neighbor and community leader,” they added.
It makes absolutely no sense that the local City would offer to remove the piece and donate it to a local art group, either, given that the mural is painted directly onto the outer wall of his property.
The artist, DeLeon, has gained a huge amount of support with the mural. A local petition to save the mural, which you can find here, now has almost 10,000 signatures. Click the link and you’ll also see a photograph of the incredible painting.
Where is the sense?
Perhaps if our readers also signed the petition, the City will see sense…
