WE HAVE TO BE CAREFULLY TAUGHT49 X 54.5 inches. Hand dyed and commercial fabrics, beads, twine and findings. Original design. 2001
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After September 11, 2001 hate speech ruled the airways and conversations. I wondered why the questions that I had were not being asked. So to answer my own questions I decided to find images of hate symbols to mount on the “jail of hate.” Words printed across the top are synonyms for “other” and fear.
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The triangles on striped background were the various Nazi designations for inmates in concentration camps during World War II.
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Row 1: Black for asocial, mental cases, lesbians; Britain; Shackles for slavery/incarceration; K is the 11th letter of the alphabet and there are three in KKK; Judaism; Purple for Jehovah Witnesses.
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Row 2: Communism; Green for “professional criminal”; Iran; Christianity; Red for “political prisoner”; Confederacy.
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Row 3: North Korea; Klan badge designates the “purity” of white blood; Biohazard (quote from William Trent’s diary dated May 24, 1763.); Yellow for Jews; Islam; silhouette of Stealth bomber.
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Row 4: Cruise missile; USA; Gavel for justice with quote from G. W. Bush (“WE know he’s guilty”); Lynching; 9/11.
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Row 5: Blue for immigrants; Nazi; Pink for homosexuals; General Custer’s personal Guidon; Syria.
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Row 6: Iraq; Executive Order 9066 authorizing “internment” of the Japanese during WW II; Little Boy – the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima; Brown for Roma (Gypsies).
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Printed on the bottom are the words from Rogers and Hammerstein’s “You’ve Got To Be Carefully Taught” sung by Lt. Cable in South Pacific. I changed them as follows:
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We’ve got to be taught to hate and fear,
We’ve got to be taught from year to year,
It’s got to be drummed into our dear little ear –
We’ve got to be carefully taught!
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We’ve got to be taught to be afraid
Of people whose eyes are oddly made,
And people whose skin is a different shade –
We’ve got to be carefully taught!
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We’ve got to be taught before it’s too late,
Before we are six or seven or eight,
To hate all the people our relatives hate –
We’ve got to be carefully taught!
We’ve got to be taught from year to year,
It’s got to be drummed into our dear little ear –
We’ve got to be carefully taught!
.
We’ve got to be taught to be afraid
Of people whose eyes are oddly made,
And people whose skin is a different shade –
We’ve got to be carefully taught!
.
We’ve got to be taught before it’s too late,
Before we are six or seven or eight,
To hate all the people our relatives hate –
We’ve got to be carefully taught!
A DVD documentary of Virginia's work along with video of her commentary is available for $20.00 + S&H. It contains three sections: biographical, political (with artist commentary about each piece), and a retrospective set to music.
To obtain a copy, email her at: vhquilts@sonic.net
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