The San Jose chapter of the NAACP and the Muwekma Ohlone tribe have called for the removal of an old mural in the Palo Alto Courthouse. They argue that it dehumanizes Native Americans by depicting their ancestors in a derogatory manner. The county, however, maintains the mural is a historic piece and has resisted efforts to alter it, despite concerns raised by court officials. Various stakeholders continue to discuss alternatives, including covering the mural to obscure its visibility without causing damage.
The portrayal of our ancestors as scantily clad and kneeling before those religious clerics who enslaved us glosses over the reality of our existence: a reality that has been marred by systematic genocide.
This mural is dehumanizing to all who walk the halls, especially those whose ancestors have been depicted in such a dehumanizing fashion.
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