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Caitlin Henehan's design, which had been the runner-up, depicts a firefighter, police officer and paramedic as super heroes.
CHICAGO -- City officials said Wednesday that the upcoming city vehicle sticker would not go to print after a controversy brewed that the winning design may contain symbolism associated with a notorious street gang.
Windshields will instead by adorned with a design created by Caitlin Henehan, a senior at Resurrection High School, who was the the first runner-up of the design contest.
Read the original report by NBCChicago.com
"We will never know the intent, but we have to look at the perception," said former police Supt. Jody Weis, who now heads the Chicago Crime Commission. He said the sticker was "very suggestive of a particular gang."
Weis spent the day discussing the matter with Chicago City Clerk Susana Mendoza, whose office sponsored the contest and issues the stickers.
She called the situation "disheartening," and said she plans to sit down and have a heart-to-heart talk with the sticker's designer, 15-year-old Lawrence Hall Youth Services student Herbert Pulgar.
"Many of them do come from troubled pasts, and that's what's so disheartening about this whole situation is that this individual could very likely be a representation of a lot of kids who are troubled and are trying to get their act together," said Mendoza.
Mendoza said a decision hadn't yet been made as to whether to revoke the $1,000 bond Pulgar has yet to receive. Nor has a decision been made as to whether Henehan will receive a similar award.
"We are reviewing what to do," said Chicago City Clerk spokeswoman Kristine Williams.
Nbc Chicago / NBC Chicago
Chicago officials said Wednesday that the this sticker would not go to print after a controversy brewed that the design may contain symbolism associated with a notorious street gang.
More than 18,000 people voted for Pulgar's winning design, which features the Chicago skyline, the city flag and outstretched hands.
When the sticker was chosen, Pulgar told NBC Chicago on "The Talk" that he created the design to thank everyone who helped him during a tragic incident more than 10 years ago. When he was 4 years old, he said his clothes caught on fire when he was playing with a candle.
"The paramedics came and they saved my life," Pulgar said, "and I'm thankful for that, and this is how I can repay them."
Some police sources and police blogs said the design resembles the signs often flashed by Maniac Latin Disciples, along with other iconography.
Pulgar's art teacher, Janice Gould, disagrees. Gould showed NBC Chicago the picture the boy used as his guide for the hands. He drew a near-exact replica of a "reaching for the stars" photo included in the teacher's "hands" booklet she gives to kids.
Gould said she wanted to teach Pulgar to believe in himself. "This has undone that," she said.
At a press conference hours before Mendoza's decision was announced, Pulgar's mother was adamant her son had never been affiliated with a gang.
"I am very upset. I feel very upset that something so positive could be so negative," Jessica Loor told reporters, adding that she and her son had been up all night worrying about the controversy.
"'I was trying to do something positive,'" she said her son told her. "'But everybody’s just kicking me down.'"
The upcoming design is the first sticker to bear Mayor Rahm Emanuel's name. Mendoza said the competition for the unnual design will continue, but said no determination has been made on how the sticker selection will be vetted in the future.
The 2012-2013 sticker goes to the printer later this week or early next week, NBC Chicago was told, and the change in design isn't expected to delay the process.
More content from msnbc.com and NBC News
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The little Dill Hole has gang Pics on his FB page
Never mind, he hid his FB, the littla gangsta!
He blocked his Facebook account once he realized that people were able to view his post and pictures.
I love how everyone ignores diquesteds comment and still whines about the kids unfair treatment...
further down is a link to his fb page, first reference after winning the prize is to DLOVE.
people, get your heads out of the sand...
no he doesn't you lying sack of bullballs
I think it's not that heads are in the sand, but rather that not everyone knows what you are talking about. It never says what the "gang symbols" were and I'm looking at the sticker and don't see anything that says "gang" to me. I'm not saying they're not there; I'm saying that not everyone is gang savvy. DLOVE doesn't mean anything to me, so I have no idea what you're saying. It seems to me, though, that if he does have some sort of affiliation with a gang or with gangs, then the sticker should be disqualified. If not, then maybe he could just remove the symbols in question and put something else in their place.
No wonder he was "up all night worrying", he knew the gig was up and he was found out! His momma needs to monitor his online activities if she doesn't even know whats on his FB.
Chicago selection officials. You weak dummies! You have given in to goofy police and right wing extremist paranoia. Nothing wrong with the flag design the kids gave you. All who look for sh^t will find it, even in a sterile bubble. I saw nothing wrong with the design. Fact, it was quite pleasing. You pissed in your mess kit with this one, and it's likely gonna cost you.
@Nicky - I am not "gang savvy" either but what I got from the article was the hands are the problem. Because the art teacher made the statement that the hands were almost identical to a book that she handed out on how to draw hands. And I also have no idea what DLOVE means unless it is someones fb identity. Maybe someone else will enlighten us.
If there is concern about gang imagery, and im assuming it's the hands - and the appearance of the fingers crossing? then just force him to change that.
Frankly, i find the runner up to be more offensive.
How come all the hero's are white?
change the hands, and keep the first design...
or keep the second design, and make 1 black and 1 latino...
neither are perfect
The maniac Latin Disciples sign is different from that. If you want to get stupid about it the new one the white chick on the left is giving a black power sign. the guy in the middle is holding a phalus and the guy on the right looks like he is about to flip you off and grabbing his nuts. But are they really doing that or can you make bs out of something that isnt there if you really want to. What sux about this article is these are the people who have guns and supposed to protect us and this is how they use thier brain and training. Now you know why the NRA PWNS the GOVT and we wont disarm ourselves to these ignorant people.
I agree with you Jessica, no diversity in the runner up sticker.
I agree with Jessica! Right when I saw the second runner up I thought that it did not represent all of the people of Chicago. Just the white people? Not fair.
First thing I thought of as soon as I saw the picture was "religion" -- specifically the CATHOLIC religion. Wow, looks like it IS a gang-related thing after all........
Ok am I the only one who thinks that it is kinda funny that the hands look like someone. Crossing their fingers. Whats next some gang starts using the peace sign and we have to eliminate that as well.
Maybe the Maniac Latin Disciples might have a sign similar. But really? let a gang have that much power over what the City Can or Cannot do. That is the problem!! To many scared people today. Gangs are everywhere in every society. Some groups just go by another name other than a gang.
I looked them up and they throw upside down I love you signs as well. Maybe we better not do that anymore either. FEAR
F alse E vidence A ppearing R eal
I Googled the gang name and the only resemblance I can see (and I have no idea of 'gangs') is the heart shape. Images on Google for this gang, is a heart with two triangular spikes on the top - where two of the hands are. We could be using a lot of 'gang related' symolism during Valentines Day, without even knowing it! Surely some research on this kids activities (and the FB posts in other comments appear that he's not as clean cut as he looks) would easily clarify the problem. In any image, any person can find something that offensive to someone's beliefs. If the student is guilty of gang related activity, then the poster should not be permitted to be used but instead if it is purely coincidental, then he should remain the winner.
So if his intent was so positive why worry about what the others are saying?
As for the $1000 reward for the design, if the kid was trying to say "thank you" to the folks that rescued him after he played with matches, he can only say thanks for the rescue when he gets the money or is it thanks for the money - you were just doing your job?
Agreed. It appears the only thing "gang related" about the first winning sticker, is that there were non-white people on it, the more "acceptable" sticker, no surprise, has all white people on it. This is trifling and quite blatant racism in my opinion.
I'ts quite obvious that people who oppose this drawing, do not even know what they are talking about and that's why one should not speak if he or she is ignorant to the facts. The gang sign that everyone is referring to are pitchforks and those do not look like pitchforks to me. He may not even be in a gang, but just want to appear to be hard. That's what alot of teenage boys do.If you were ever one, then you know what I'm talking about!
I think it is only the adults who are seeing things in these posters. They both seem to be saying just what these kids are wanting to say, so leave it alone and let us all get on with our lives. You're reading too much into this.
The one on the left is Asian with her hair dyed blonde. And the guy with the glasses is mixed.
There, happy now?
Back to your life...if you can find one...
I feel bad for the boy who originally won the contest. My 12 year old daughter and I think it is a complete overreaction and that the hand signs do NOT resemble gang signs. Shame on those who folded under pressure and hurt this poor kid with bs politics.
Kitty-1235182 - What this article isn't telling you is this kids gang affiliations. The Chicago Police Department has in their possession, pictures of this kid w/ other known gang members of Maniac Latin Disciples. They have pictures of him flashing these same exact gang signs that are alleged in this picture. Also, on his Facebook page that he has now blocked people from viewing, he has received comments from other people referring to him "D love" or Disciple love, "lkk" or Latin King Killer, "Herb Dilla" or herb dealer (sells weed), and my favorite, just simple "D" which is how a MLD member refers to another.
Even if the kid is trying to straighten out (and I truly hope he is) he has had gang affiliations and this should teach him an important lesson. If you want to be successful and have a clean image you need to shed that negative image you've had in the past. Posting pictures on Facebook of you flashing gang signs and people calling you a Disciple is not how you shed that image. I wish the best for him that he can clean up his image and I hope he knows even today, if he has to call 911 for anything, emergency services will still come to help him like they did when he was four.
@irish, I don't believe it. I live in Chicago, and I have been following this story closely. His teacher, who helped him draw the design, displayed the pictures from which she and the kid designed the sticker. I feel so bad for this kid. This kid has had his troubles in the past (none of them gang-related) and is trying to get his life together. I feel horrible for this kid.
You do have to be careful. I worked in a school that needed to be repainted. So the new school principal had the bright idea of seeing what the kids wanted. The overwhelming choice was to paint the school baby blue with blue trim. It seemed nice that such a large part of the school agreed so quickly on the color scheme. So they painted the whole school (at great cost) baby blue, with blue trim. You would have thought that the janitors who were responsible for painting over graffiti would have mentioned the fact that virtually all graffiti at that school had been done in baby blue paint color. It was only after everything was painted that everyone realized that baby blue was the local gang color.
Ask any gang expert. Gang symbolism is often very hard for non-experts to recognize. It often goes unnoticed intentionally. Even if a teacher was helping a student draw something, that teacher would not likely have known subtle gang symbolism that the kid certainly would have known.
I taught a 4th grade convicted drug dealer at the school mentioned above. Little kids do deal drugs, act as a part of gangs, and do a whole bunch of really bad things that might surprise you. This is not unusual. Given this kids history, it is very likely that he tried to slip something in that many would not notice.
kat-1015719 - Believe it w/ your own eyes - http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CYU6vrqKrt0/TzK0KWmJaOI/AAAAAAAACKc/_9urvGT3OTE/s1600/photo%25282%2529.PNG
I particularly like the Facebook picture of this 15 year old boy exhaling smoke. I'm wondering what exactly it is that he is smoking...Either way, considering his age, it's illegal.
This is his page after he won the award. Notice the first comment and the mention of dlove: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L6bhfn7EFzk/TzHmFAln8JI/AAAAAAAACJI/NHtBHgd2d0c/s1600/MLD-citysticker.jpg
Really? Where? And how in the world do you interpret these hand positions as 'gang signs?' Go ahead and google gang signs, they look NOTHING like the picture. Feel free to post links to these 'exact gang signs,' THEN I will believe it.
Wow, first we overreact to terrorists, and now to gangs. Are ALL Americans giant chicken-#@*$s anymore?!
That CAN'T be, after all, the DEA and ONDCP have been fighting the 'War on Drugs' for FORTY YEARS now, haven't they won it yet? Have they cleaned out one STATE? A CITY?!
Hmm, perhaps 40 years of failure might be a hint that what you are doing ISN'T WORKING.
4th graders aren't dealing, they are being manipulated by thugs, thugs empowered and enabled by the utter disaster that is our 'War on Drugs.' Congratulations DEA, you've failed yet ANOTHER 4th grader.
I agree with you. Some people can be very picky. The people who are complaining about the hands, more likely than not, would spend an hour or more trying to find a speck of fly manure in a tablespoon of ground black pepper.
Im surprised they didnt accuse the next superhero design of being racist , since all the heros are white.
I'm chuckling over the first tab on your desktop... Detective Shaved... What? lol.
I agree though. Totally inappropriate behavior for a 15 year old... and we're trying to make him a model peer? Yeah... right...
The kid has gang stuff on his facebook.
THIS WHOLE THING WAS VERY, VERY SIMPLE TO RECTIFY...I DO NOT KNOW FOR THE LIFE OF ME WHY DIDN'T SOMEONE JUST COME UP WITH THE IDEA TO SIMPLY JUST HAVE THE BOY TO RE-DO THE SHAPE OF THOSE HANDS? THAT'S ALL THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE.....YOU DON'T JUST TAKE THE WHOLE THING AWAY FROM HIM, THAT WAS EXTREMELY WRONG AND CRUEL! Also if any of you would have seen the channel 7 news story on this, it showed the photos of some hands that his very own school teacher had given him to use to draw from. The hands on the pictures that she'd given him look EXACTLY LIKE THE HANDS THAT HE HAD DRAWN......So this whole thing was all for nothing!!!
its not juz the hands,the red 6 pointed stars is a diss towards gangs who claim the color blue,painting those stars red is a a sign of dissrespect.Too many symbols there for it to b a coincidence
And the BLUE BARS that are also in the picture, is that a diss towards gangs who claim the color red? Or is it a simple and total destruction of your point?
Keep digging, you haven't got the slightest shred of proof yet, but maybe when you get close to China...
Eduardo - the stars depicted in the sticker are part of the Chicago flag. Also, I am familiar with the art teacher, and am quite sure that she would not have allowed him to submit the design if there was any possibility of gang signs.
so chicago is going with masked men in tights instead.....
The red stars and blue bands are colored that way BECAUSE THAT IS THE FLAG OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO. They have nothing to do with dissing one gang or another.
Oh my Gosh Gee zzzzzzzz uuus did you see the writing on the second rendering. IT has Gang style letters spelling out Chicagos heroes. They must have been trying to sneak that one in by hiding it behind white super hero faces.
Witch hunt here.
Thank god I read this article in time....
I almost wore my blue shorts with the red stars today (thanks, dear) until a "gang expert" advised me that I would be inciting gang violence inside my pants
It's clearly a gang symbol. The gang symbol itself is a heart with two horns. For those of you who don't see it in this pic, each individual horn is represented by 2 hands and the hat. Not to mention, that specific gang is very prevalent near 2700 S. Western--which is not too far from this kids school. Finally, based solely off of other peoples posts, I am under the impression this kid was throwing up multiple gang signs on his facebook page. Regardless if that is true or not, common people! This is a no brainer. Some punk kid trying to represent his crew. Strip the reward, strip the cash prize, and find a new sticker. No disrespect to him. Hopefully he can uses his talents to get the f out of the southside
It's clearly a gang symbol. The gang symbol itself is a heart with two horns. For those of you who don't see it in this pic, each individual horn is represented by 2 hands and the hat. Not to mention, that specific gang is very prevalent near 2700 S. Western--which is not too far from this kids school. Finally, based solely off of other peoples posts, I am under the impression this kid was throwing up multiple gang signs on his facebook page. Regardless if that is true or not, common people! This is a no brainer. Some punk kid trying to represent his crew. Strip the reward, strip the cash prize, and find a new sticker. No disrespect to him. Hopefully he can uses his talents to get the f out of the southside
It is? So HEARTS are now off-limits? Watch out folks, anybody who celebrates Valentine's Day is now supporting gang activity! (/sarc)
You can't be serious.
There are Gang's in Chicago?? I can't believe it. And they are "Minority Gang's"? Shocking. Who would have ever thought. I keep hearing that the Klue Klux Klan is the biggest problem in the country. I think they have about Ten member's.
Tarzan come out of your in-the-past century jungle, the kkk hasn't been taken seriously for forty years. The real problem is that terrific couple paranoia and ignorance such as yours.
Well Tarzan7 I'm a native of Chicago and I can testify that the klan is the least of your problems in Chicago, I adore Chicago it's beautiful and in some respects I believe that's the reason why people can't really make up their minds about the city itself. Al Capone gave Chicago it's stamp as the "midwest gang capitol" from Vice Lords, & Disciples to Latin Kings which have always been around but have had sub-divisions created by younger affiliates. Than we now add to the mix MS13, bloods, crips it's crazy. If the city has any chance of not impoding Mayor Emmanual has to find jobs, re-boot the city's education system, deal with the VIOLENT OFFENDERS head on with better police training, and of course my favorite idea END THE SEGREGATION PEOPLE IT"S 20&@&@12.
You guys missed Tarzan's sarcasm.
Well, Tarzan, you need to climb back up in the tress. I'm not sure what you're getting at, here, but this kid happens to be a white kid. And, yes, there are white gangs in this city, but this kid is not part of any gang (white, black, or latin). What they did to him was shameful. And, there is nothing sarcastic about his comment. Ignorant? Yes. Sarcastic? Fail.
pictures I've seen, the boy looks pretty hispanic to me...
you know, for the sake of truth and reality, just sayin...
and given all of his gang friends, it appears he is at least on the periphery of gangs...
get your head out of the sand, and quit crapping on cupcakes and calling it frosting...
The KKK is definitely around... they've just changed their look... Now they wear business suits and go by the name "POLITICIAN".... Don't be fooled and think the aren't out there wreaking havoc... Just a lot more subtle
Why is a picture of people with fists clenched a better choice?! Herbert Pulgar's design is the right choice in my opinion.
The fireman does look like he's going to punch the person in front of him dosen't he.
Looks like he's holding Elasticmans wang.
They are also unrealistic looking. The guys are super buff and the gal has a thin waist and large bosom. Real image setter this one.
The KKK is definitely around... they've just changed their look... Now they wear business suits and go by the name "POLITICIAN".... Don't be fooled and think the aren't out there wreaking havoc... Just a lot more subtle
And why is a design that shows *only* WHITE people a better choice?!? This is a bad move, on all counts. Message to Herbert Pulgar and your family: Don't give up. Don't let this b.s. get you down. You are a talented artist and your excellent design reflects your spirit. However this particular situation works out, you have a great future.
Don't you know white people are SUPER! They have never wronged anyone. :/
cause there's no blatant gang signs in it...
Yes! I've been refraining from comment for several hours since I first saw this story, but you said much of what I was thinking about. I think one of the characters in the new design may be Asian, but there are still no brown or black people, which is NOT representative of the Chicago I know and live in.
If the kid truly wanted to represent the aspects and diversity of Chicago he could have simply drawn a steaming pile of Crap. That's how the rest of the country see's chicago. Nothing good has ever come out of Chicago, NOTHING.
STFU. It was a contest.......that was voted on by the citizens of Chi town. The runner up was chosen because it was the second place entry. If it had skid marks on it and came in second, it still would be the next choice after the first one right. Stop trying to insert racism everywhere you look. Gang insignia is not and should not be part of a cities cultural expression. Let em paint those symbols in their neighborhoods. For the lily white see no evil crowd, just because you don't recognize gang insignia or signs doesn't mean it isn't there. You people have zero experience in identifying gang signs and i am more likely to believe a police gang task force when they regognize these signs and wanna be gangsters.
Both stickers are ridiculous.
They are by kids! Cut them some slack. They are being educated here after all.
kids my a**- the winning design was done by a senior. I could draw better than that in 5th grade...
was going to say, i thought those were done by 5th graders? seriously. if thats the best turnout available yikes!
I completely agree that both are stupid and this is just another complete waste of taxpayer money. Can't wait for the litigation to begin. Unfortunately, Chicago's gang population is all too real and there are an estimated 150,000 gang members in our state. I can't wait to leave this sad state.
Chicago public schools at their finest.
The sticker should have Rham holding down a taxpayer and Quinn taking his money.
I won't even get into how ridiculous this is. But one point. The kid admits he drew the hands from a graphic in a pamphlet his teacher gave him. Believable and innocent enough for a kid. But the owner of the pamphlet could now make a TM infringement case against Chicago if they used the design knowing that part was basically 'plagiarized'. Grey, I know but do you think they(lawyers) are not considering that now?
Just using the hands as a basis is fine, artists do that all the time, as long as it is an original rendering --only if he copied an entire work in a general way.
Considering it was a "How to Draw Hands" book, I highly doubt they have much room to complain that some art student used the book as a reference in how to draw hands...
You gotta be kidding me? If you scrutinize anything close enough, you can always find a negative connotation. So, then in the spirit of all that is "PC Amerika", I'm offended by the fact that they are all white, the girl is blond, they are flying so that must mean they're high on drugs, the girls extra thin waist will cause emotional damage to those already self conscious about their weight, they have clinched fists so they must repreesent white supremecy and the middle guy is holding what appears to be a phallic symbol. Oh, and they're not wearing helmets so that must mean we're not teaching kids about safety. Looks like we'll have to go to the 2nd runner up but I'm sure I'll find problems with that too. I sure hope these kids are apprehended and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
I feel so sorry for our younger generation.
Oh, one more.
If the kid copied the hand from a pamphlet handed out in school. How come the school is handing out material with gang signs?
The City of the Small, Quivering, Bent Shoulders is afraid of a picture? Drawn by a 15-year old? Ooh, ooh, run away! Gosh, lucky no one said he was a witch! Isn't it about time grownups declared and lived out their courage, and refused to enter into power struggles with teenagers? Blue is OUR color. Red is OUR color. Hands are parts of human bodies. Courageous adults walk through the valley of the shadow of death, and if they fear evil, they keep on walking, but these [I deleted a scornful reference] are afraid of a picture? Sigh.
You're an idiot! It's not about a picture, fool, it's about what it stands for. Are you offended by the painting of Harold Washington wearing a bra or Obama in front of a Nazi symbol? Many are, even though these depictions have never incited the kind of violence that Chicago's gangs are capable of. This kid was probably looking forward to firing at will on every sticker-bearing Chicago vehicle he could find. Sadly, this is the state of the state of Illinois and Chicago in particular, so put down your bible and pick up the newspaper. Gangs are a huge problem for our city, so much so that Jody Weiss has published a book of gang photos, colors, territories and symbols. This is certainly not just about grownups in a power struggle with a bunch of teenagers!
The position of the fingers looks pretty generic. I guess hands reaching upward are a no-no in Chicago.
All the good gang signs were already taken, so this was the best MLD could come up with.
lol, Rham got busted trying to pay off his "enforcers"!
wookie girl and the otp are not going to be pleased.
Rham Emmanuel is a member of one of the most notorious gangs to ever infest Chicago, The Dems.
is their sign a hammer and sickle? Or would it just sticking out your hand with the palm facing up?
I once knew a "gang expert" in Florida. He was a boor and practically a mental basket case. For that matter, check out Robin's right hand in the new sticker -- it is much more obviously a gang symbol than the upward reaching hands in the first one!
what i would like to know is why the black man or women is not represented if this is going to be the new city sticker
turttle26x - It must mean the artist is racist and planning a secret white revolution.
Turttle... why are black people always insulted when they're not "included" in everything?!? We don't hear other ethnic groups complaining that they were left out.... Miss Black America; Black Entertainment Television; United Negro College Fund; etc., can't imagine what would happen if we had a Miss White America contest... we are ONE NATION UNDER GOD and it is time for everyone to stop crying wolf and just get the heck to work and quit abusing the system so there is something left for those who really need it. And while I'm at it, drug-testing for those on Welfare (one of the many abused systems). After all, I have to take a drug test to receive my paycheck!
Why is everything about race. Maybe it is because all the taxpayers in Chicago are white.
dbeck... you're not helping :-b
If we're a bunch of racists then why do we have a black President!?!? Time to "get over it" and quit raising that card everytime something doesn't quite go our way. Seriously, we have more than paid our debt for what our ancestors did and while we can't change history, we can stop using that as an excuse for special privelages. Smile on your brother, try to love one another right now...
Diversity police, come and get em... Let me guess, your the reason why every show HAS to show an asian, a white, a black and a hispanic all hanging out together like they have been best friends forever. That would not be an accurate depiction of the real America now would it. The only places you do see it is in the youth who havent been indoctrinated into their parents narrow minded views of race and culture. However, i see it as an affront to my intelligence to show every aspect of society as a melting pot when the real world shows most cultures are more comfortable when they commiserate with like-minded and looking people. Perhaps it is time to bring the issues of racism to the forefront and actually force people to talk about what their problems are or what reasons they have for taking issue with another race/color/creed. Unfortunately, instead of coming together to talk about the issues, we continue as a society to allow different cultures to become further isolated from the mainstream by allowing them to remake communities in their images instead of adopting an American standard for all to be proud of. We need to talk about our differences and admit that we have them in order for a breakthrough to happen.
Because I pay taxes just like you do. The sticker also wrongly does not include any Latinos or Asians on it. If that is supposed to be a city symbol, produced by a pupil of the schools that I pay taxes for, I don't want my community misrepresented.
Oh God, do people who practice racism go to meetings to practice their racist code/rhetoric?
- Miss Black America exists because blacks WERE BARRED from the Miss America contest for years...Even now, there has been NO even medium skinned black person who has been close to winning Miss America.
- BET is a company that produces "black entertainment" (so they say) owned by white people.
- UNCF: all you people do is complain. You go on ranting about welfare in the next paragraph, but when we have a fund set up so black people can go to college and improve their quality of life, you complain about that as well.
- Miss America IS Miss White America. "White" is the default in this country. Black, Brown, Yellow, or Red is the "other". Imagine this: a company called "White Entertainment Television" ran by black and brown people that really doesn't speak to white interests or issues, or has sparse quality programming. Could you imagine that happening in America?
Again, I explained why non-white people not being represented in this image is a reasonable concern. Are there no white people on welfare programs?
I'm sorry if this POS economy doesn't provide people who serve you coffee at starbucks or take care of your sick mother who you're too lazy to take care of in a nursing home enough income to live on, but i'm sure you'd just rather those people choose between food and a place to live, right?
Personally, I think the chosen design is an accurate portrayal of the real America...
@TekKnowledge - First of all, There have been eight black miss america winners. Second, Robert L. Johnson founded BET (he's black) if he sold out, then blame him. Third, the pageant changed from all white. to accepting all races in the 60's. Thats over 50 years ago. How much longer do you need to whine about it? Fourth, sorry there is no asian or latino or black person in the picture. Maybe you should write to the artists' parents so they can teach him not to be such a racist.
Please do a least a little research before you rant and rave with that big chip on your shoulder. I especially like the starbucks and nursing home comment. We all know its easy to take care of an elderly person with dimentia while working full time and raising a family. The nerve of people getting help and 24 hour care for their mother. lol.
I wonder if there would still be controversy over the initial design if the hands had all been white. It's interesting that the new design has no people of color in it. I've been to Chicago several times and it's definitely a multi-cultural city rich with ethnic and racial diversity. It's sad when an entire group of people who contribute so much are left out of even the smallest moments of pride such as a child's drawing.
What is the difference between "colored people", and "people of color"? Kinda like saying, "I drive a car of green, and live in a house of white".
@ spike - The definition changes more often than I change my underwear. It all depends on the race or nationality that uses the term. Speaking of which, I would now like for whites to be referred to as "Pigmently challenged" or "People of Non-Color". If this term is not used, I will sue.
For several years now, whenever I see Afro-American as an race option on a form, I check "other", and fill in Euro-American.
I totally agree spike...... I can't stand that stupid AA term. I type medical records and when the doc says AA, I type black. You cannot be African-American. You would have to have dual citizenship in both countries and since Africa does not allow dual citizenship, there is no such thing as an African-American.
KPW1, why do you care what people call themselves???? It's really none of your business.
KPW1...Africa is not a country. It is a continent. Spike, Europe (as in Euro-American) is a continent also. America is a continent. All three continents have several or even many countries comprising the divisions upon the continents...just a little geography lesson.
Rebeljrs, I think you are definitely on to something there! Were all the hands "White," the question of gang symbolism would never have been raised and the drawing would still be Chicago's new city vehicle sticker. I think there was definitely an over-reaction here and city officials have yielded to fear. For that, not only did young Mr. Pulgar lose, but they lose as well. In addition, the selection of the second runner up which depicts only whites as Chicago's heroes sends the wrong message to the city's Black and Brown youth. Did Chicago officials learn nothing from the doll experiment that contributed mightily to the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954) decision?
p.s., I should have included Asian and Native American youth in my comment among those left out and de-valued.
historymajor,
I never implied, nor said, that Europe was a continent. KPW just made an mistake in word choice--his implication was clear.
BTW---America is NOT a continent, it is a nation in the continent of North America. Just a little 6th grade geography lesson.
Should be "was not a continent".
How does one know their friends step aunt anyway?
So if your index finger is a little bit above your others when you reach up you are flashing gang signs? This is absolutely ridiculous.
google "prison gang signs" and you'll see what's absolutely rediculous.
Stoker
I sure wish I had a "stupid" button to push on some of these comments... Ignorant is still no excuse for stupid...
You need to do a bit of research before adding your ignorant $.02
There's nothing ridiculous about it and yes, children have been killed in their own neighborhoods because they were thought to be making a rival gang sign. Gangs are a true problem in the city of Chicago and thinking they are not is what's ridiculous.
Does Chicago ever get anything right? Has it ever gotten anything right? Maybe, Mrs. O'Leary's cow?
Chicago is the birthplace of skyscrapers. After the fire the had a blank canvas to work with. So thank you Chicago for inventing tall buildings.
Chicago is not New York or L.A., so yes, it got THAT right.
Shame on the City Clerk's office. The original design in no way depicted gang symbols. There were generic hands and a heart. Are we to now avoid using hands and hearts on all printed matter because someone, somewhere suffers from paranoia? The child's alleged gang affiliation does not matter. Even if true, does any heart or hand he subsequently draws get labeled, "Gang Symbol?" Those were not gang symbols. Period.
Former police Supt. Jody Weis is quoted in a previous story as saying he enlarged the picture on his iPad and could clearly see gang signs. I say Supt. Weis is a liar.
i say- do your homework. the kids fb page is full of gang references.
Well, I have done my homework. I've lived in Chicago all my life, have seen gangs form, move around areas, form alliances, have fallings out, regroup. What that kid drew were not gang symbols. And that should be all that matters.
Doyourhomework, you would probably think hailing a cab was a gang sign.
Actually, it would depend on where you were hailing that cab. In front of the Metra station...probably not a problem but just give it some time - I'm sure that can change too.
Do the majority of ALL the people in Chicago recognize gang signs? I think what has been done to this boy is terrible - even if he WERE a gang member, clearly he was trying to do something positive and has now been totally trashed. To me the sticker he designed was completely positive and I'm ashamed of the people who took what could have been his first moment of glory away from him. If you look hard enough you can see something bad in nearly everything. This is REALLY sad.
If you are a member of a CRIMINAL gang, then if not legally, you are morally a CRIMINAL and criminals should not win awards. By choosing to be a criminal, you fail to live up to the responsibilities as a citizen and thus, voluntarily, give up your full rights as a citizen.
From his FB page, if he is not a full member, then he is associated
Its the same thing as illegal immigrants...they are all CRIMINALS! Plain and simple. Doesn't make them bad people but they are criminals and thus do not qualify for ALL the legal rights of a full citizen with no criminal record
BTW...i am for securing the border then processing everyone here illegally into citizens
Just replace the hand gestures with swastikas. Oh wait, that's another Chicago gang symbol.
Holy crap I actually thought the "Heroes" poster had the gang symbols and that the "Hands" one was ok. This is totally retarded.
They should pass a law telling the Gangs to change their symbol instead. I mean isnt that the normal solution? Pass a law to control everyone?
Congratulations to both kids. They are both good, talented artists. But the new sticker is much more appropriate.
I am actually kinda offended by the new sticker. Everyones's wearing tights. And who wears a cape today. BTW, the person in the middle is holding a skin colored flaccid hose. It could be theorized the girl that came up with this might be some sort of sex freak. You know after all she did come from a Catholic School. And you know what they say about Catholic School Girls (snicker, snicker)
The new sticker doesn't represent Chicago's diversity.
I guess it would be appropriate... if ALL of chicago were crackers. It's obvious this is an attempt to put minorities in their place. Ditch the winner for the clear white supremacy bs.
It does give off an air of safety though. I like the three man Hero squad. That image represents safety to me.
TRANCE;
If White America could put minorities in their place they would no doubt deposit them back to their countries of origin, regardless of when they came here. Now that would truly be putting them back in their places. They missed their chance a long time ago on that one.
now seriously EdMcT-2404427, you're saying that if you had saw that sticker before all of the controversy, you would have saw it as inappropriate
Azrael:
Hey, I was a Chicago Catholic School Girl. I resent that comment!!! (snicker, snicker right back at ya)