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| Schwarzenegger sorry after workers cover 9/11 mural |
| 2010-07-04 |
| This is what happens when people turn into bureaucrats and lose touch with their humanity. SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger apologized for a decision by state transportation officials to paint over a giant American flag mural on the side of a Northern California freeway. The 35-foot long flag was painted on a concrete slab near Interstate 680 in Sunol by three men about two weeks after the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington. Even though the mural had been in clear view of commuters for nearly nine years, a Caltrans spokesman said it wasn't until last month that someone in the agency asked if the flag was on state property. Spokesman Allyn Amsk said it was covered up Wednesday morning. "We don't allow graffiti on state property," Amsk said Wednesday, the San Jose Mercury News reported. "No matter what kind of graffiti it is, we don't show favoritism." Obviously. Thanks for working in my interests, a$$hole. 'Patriotic and meaningful' However, Schwarzenegger issued a statement Friday expressing profound regret. And if this is true, then you won't mind docking their future budget by exactly the amount of funds it took to wipe out this heartfelt, appropriate and popular folk memorial. Might not hurt to have Caltran officials sign an acknowledgment each year in the future, too, as a condition of receiving their budget and keeping their jobs. “It has come to my attention that Caltrans has recently removed a patriotic and meaningful flag mural that was painted on the side of Interstate 680 following the tragic events of 9-11," he said. "To do so only days before we celebrate our independence and reflect on the freedoms we are lucky enough to enjoy in America is unconscionable," he added. "I extend my apologies to the artists whose mural inspired drivers along 680 for over eight and a half years.” R.J. Waldron, Eric Noda and Thomas Hanley — the three artists who painted the flag at the top of the Sunol Grade — have since received messages of support from across the country, the Mercury News reported. "I think that just gave me the chills and I got all choked up a for second," Noda told the newspaper after being asked about his reaction to the mural being covered. He said Friday had been "quite a phone call-inundated day" for each of artists as people from all over the U.S. expressed their views. "I didn't realize the gravity of it until this all happened," Noda told the Mercury News. Hanley sought permission from Caltrans officials to repaint the mural and was asked by Bijan Sartipi, the Bay Area director for Caltrans, to come for a meeting to discuss what to do, the Mercury News reported. "We don't want to do anything illegal again," Hanley told the paper. "We want to go through the proper channels to get it repainted." |
| Posted by:gorb |
| #9 How mature. And it makes me feel so comfortable to know this same level of maturity will be brought to the table in their contract negotiations. |
| Posted by: gorb 2010-07-04 23:25 |
| #8 A friend of mine who is an engineer with a city and not with Caltrans said that she heard that the Caltrans workers painted over the flag in protest for being placed on minimum wage pending new contract negotiations. |
| Posted by: crosspatch 2010-07-04 16:17 |
| #7 Thanks, CF. Everything is clear It's always so nice hearing from anonymous trolls with fake IPs... |
| Posted by: Pappy 2010-07-04 16:12 |
| #6 Bijan Sartipi - a muslim Iranian. Everything is clear |
| Posted by: vendaval 2010-07-04 13:47 |
| #5 You right Pappy - that was pretty stupid. Apologies. |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2010-07-04 12:56 |
| #4 I wonder if that 'someone' has a Arabic or Hispanic surname. Does Caltrans hire illegals? Grow up. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2010-07-04 12:09 |
| #3 I wonder if that 'someone' has a Arabic or Hispanic surname. Does Caltrans hire illegals? |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2010-07-04 10:55 |
| #2 I wonder if they gointo those gang neighborhoods and start wiping out graffitti with the zest that they seemed too do this with? Could they really not find anything else too do? |
| Posted by: chris 2010-07-04 10:46 |
| #1 someone in the agency asked if the flag was on state property Erm, aren't there US and state flags on state property ALL OVER THE COUNTRY?!?! |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2010-07-04 10:17 |