A painting of Lady Liberty in hijab hangs in congressman’s office … – Washington Post

Each year, scores of high school students across the country compete in the Congressional Art Competition, submitting works of art for a chance tobe featured at the U.S. Capitol.

Now,for thesecond year in a row, a teenagers painting forthe contest has become the center of a political controversy, drawing ire from conservative groups. Thistime around, the artwork stirred complaints even before making it toWashington.

The painting, a finalist in the competition, currently hangs in California, in the Santa Anaoffice of Democratic Rep.J. Luis Correa. It depicts the Statue of Liberty wearing a hijab,holding hertorchacross the left side of her body.

While the painting is simply apiece of art createdby a local female high school student, its symbolism is clearly political. It evokes imagery similar to other works of art that have circulated since President Trumps election, such as thepopular We The People poster of a woman wearing an American flag as a hijab.

But for some conservatives, the painting has no place in the office of a congressman.

Whenlocal activist group We the People Rising saw the painting in Correas office, its membersset out on a campaign to have it removed, calling it a separation of church and state issue.

Early last month, a member of thegroup, which advocates for stricter immigration laws, wrote a letter to Correa requesting that his office take down the painting, sayingit was not appropriate for the public office of a congressman. The group said it receivedguidance from a legal consultant.

Ultimately, to attribute a specific religion to the Statue of Liberty is inaccurate, unprofessional and offensive, wrote Mike McGetrick, an activist in We the People Rising and a resident of Orange, Calif. In addition, the painting displays the torch of the Statue of Liberty, not as the heralded beacon of light, but rather held awkwardly to one side in a perplexing, even disturbing, manner.

Since then, the group has passed out fliers in local neighborhoods, urging constituents to contact the congressman and ask him to remove the painting. Itsays it will organize a protest on Sept. 11 at Correas district office if the painting is not taken down, the Orange County Register reported.

In a videotaped meeting with a representative for Correa, McGetrick called the painting reprehensible and more than a little bit insulting.

The artimplies we welcome Syrian refugees and all that, another group member said.

This week, as news of the painting circulated on social media, other conservative publications and figures joined in the criticism. Sarah Palin,former Alaska governor and 2008 Republicanvice-presidential nominee,shared a linkon Twitterto an article about the painting from the Young Conservatives website, with the message: Statue of Liberty painting found in Congressmans Office, Then America Spots Something Unusual.

But Correa saidthat he will not be taking down the painting. In an interview Tuesday morning with The Washington Post, Correa said the painting isan individual artists expression and is only hanging on the office wall because it was chosen as a finalist for the congressional competition. Policing art, and what is proper, what is not, he said, would violate freedom of speech laws and lead to a very dangerous slippery slope.

My thoughts were, heres probably a young Muslimlady who is trying very hard to be part of America, who is trying very hard to show people that she is an American, given the context that is going on around us in our country, Correa said, speaking by phone from Jerusalem. By me taking it down Im acknowledging that she did something wrong.

After receiving complaints about the painting, the congressmans office reached out to theHouse Office of General Counsel for guidance, said Andrew Scibetta,communications director for Correa. The legal team made clear that there was nothing wrong or in any way malicious in posting this photo, Scibetta told The Post.

Following advice from law enforcement, Correas office declined to identify the paintings artist,to protect her and prevent her from becoming the target of threats.

The students painting came in fourth place among entries in Correas district and is one of several runner-up art pieces displayed on the congressmans wall.Thefirst-place winnerof the Congressional Art Competitionfor Correas district a mural depicting Mexican American World World II veterans is displayed ina tunnel between the Capitol and House office buildings alongside more than 400 other works from other districts that won.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations shared the Orange County Registers story about the painting on Facebook, including the words Islamophobia Watch. In response, a number of people wrotethat the idea behind thenations symbol of freedom was initially conceived as an Egyptian woman and by default in those times a Muslim.

[Americas most famous statue was Muslim before she became Lady Liberty]

Indeed, before French sculptor Frdric Auguste Bartholdi brought his majestic vision for the Statue of Liberty to the United States, hehad conceived an idea for a lighthousethat would stand at the entrance to the Suez Canal. Bartholdi wantedto carve the likeness of an Egyptian peasant woman holding aloft a torch of freedom, according to historian Michael B. Oren. But the Egyptian viceroy could not afford to finance Bartholdis project, The Post reported.

[House battle over controversial student painting spirals out of control]

The California students depiction of Lady Liberty in hijab comes amid a broader national discussionabout the meaning of the famous statue,which many Americans consider a welcoming symbol for immigrants. But that notion was challenged last week by White House senior adviser Stephen Miller, who told CNNs Jim Acosta the monuments poem about the huddled masses is not part of the original Statue of Liberty.

[Give me your tired, your poor: The story of poet and refugee advocate Emma Lazarus]

Since the congressional art contest began in 1982, more than 650,000 high school students have participated, according to the competitions website. But as Scibetta said,it seems that every year theres something that drives people nuts.

Earlier this year, a painting inspired by the 2014 civil unrest in Ferguson, Mo., became the center of a House battle. The painting, created by Missouri teen David Pulphus, was selected as a winner in last years contest and was displayed in the tunnel between the Capitol and the House office buildings. The art work portrayed a horned animalsimilar to a wild boar in a police uniform tangling with a protester depictedas a wolf. Around them,protesters hold signs with words such as, Racism kills.

After it had been displayed for seven months, groups representing law enforcement officers called for its removal because of its perceived negative portrayal of police, The Post reported.Rep. Dave Reichert (R-Wash.), a former sheriff, asked House Speaker Paul D. Ryan to have the painting taken down,citing rules against depicting subjects of contemporary political controversy or a sensationalistic or gruesome nature on the Capitol premises.

Capitol officials ultimately decided the painting violated House rules and removed it.

But the saga didnt end there. The following month, theyoung artist, along withRep. William Lacy Clay (D-Mo.),filed a lawsuit in federal courts saying the paintings removal violated the students right to free speech in bowing to overt political pressure.