PURELY POLITICAL!

Back and forth arguments such as the one over whether or not Chinese sculptor Lei Yixin can accurately depict Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. positively infuriate me. There is absolutely no reason why Lei Yixin should not be able to sculpt/depict an African American. To propose that it must be an African American artist in order for it to be an accurate depiction of Dr. King is absolutely ridiculous! Yixin was chosen for his skill in carving granite- END OF DISCUSSION! As a professional artist I am sure Lei Yixin studied ample amounts of reference material in order to ensure the most accurate depiction of Dr. King as possible. It seems to me as though the foundation searched for someone who was well qualified for the job; qualifications for carving an image from granite have nothing to do with political beliefs, ideology, race, or ethnicity. Those individuals that insist on having an African American artist create the memorial may be missing the boat here. After all, Dr. King emphasized equality for everyone. By claiming that only an African American artist can depict an African American you create a sense of isolation or segregation, as if only those with direct ties to the African American community can understand and appreciate all that Dr. King stood for.