Wyden, DeFazio blast China on Corvallis mural removal request
CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) - Rep. Peter DeFazio is critiquing Chinese diplomats for urging the mayor of Corvallis into forcing a local business owner to take down a mural advocating independence for Tibet and Taiwan.
Now, Oregon Senator Ron Wyden has also joined the fray over the mural with a terse letter about free speech and human rights addressed to Chinese Ambassador Zhang Tesui.
The Corvallis Gazettle-Times reports that the Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco complained about the mural in a letter to Mayor Julie Manning last month, then sent two high-ranking officials to Corvallis to press their case in person.
Manning told the Chinese diplomats that freedom of expression is protected under American law.
DeFazio said on Wednesday he's appalled Chinese diplomats have failed to read the U.S. Constitution. >>Watch his short speech in the U.S. House on the matter
Painted by Taiwanese artist Chao Tsung-song, the mural depicts violent repression of Tibetan protesters by Chinese riot police and defiant images of Taiwan. China considers both regions part of its territory.
"I am writing to express my deep displeasure and concern with these actions" in regards to the mural, Wyden wrote.
"Limitations on speech and expression are incompatible with fundamental human rights anywhere in the world, and an attempt by your representatives to limit freedom of speech in the United States is a grave affront," he added.
"As you know, the right to freedom of speech, which includes artistic expression, has been enshrined in the Constitution of the United States since 1791," Wyden continued. "This also includes the right to freedom of religion, of the press, and the right of people to peacefully assemble. While these rights might not be respected in China, they are values that all Americans hold dear."
"The mural will remain so long as Americans who painted it and host it wish it to remain," he said in closing.
(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press and KATU News. All rights reserved.)
C-SPAN: Rep. DeFazio speaks at the U.S. House of Representatives about the mural incident:
 @KW mom - I have young children also. However, rather then avoiding the "violent" scenes the mural depicts, I would use it as a starting point for a conversation with my boys. Keep it age appropriate, but don't be afraid to talk about what goes on in the world. Otherwise, your children will get their information from tv or friends, and neither one is as good as coming from their parents.
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Thank you, DeFazio and Wyden, for standing up for the right to free speech.
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As to those who suggest the image is too violent, please note that there isn't blood or anything. Â The most violent aspect is a man holding a club with another on the ground, but no direct depiction of violence. Â There is worse than this in the Saturday morning cartoons our children watch.
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I'll be visiting that restaurant when they open and eating whatever they have to offer.
"DeFazio said on Wednesday he's appalled Chinese diplomats have failed to read the U.S. Constitution." What a joke. Peter Defazio may have read the Constitution, however he either does not believe it or he has chosen to disregard it on numerous occasions. I wonder how many of our Representatives, and Senators have ever read the Constituion, the Bill of Rights, The Declaration of Independence, the Federalist Papers. I would bet that quite a few have not read more than one of the aforementioned. They certainly don't conduct business in any manner that would suggest that any of them have.
The two Chinese Consulate officials should be labeled PERSONA NON-GRATA and send home.
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FREE TIBET Â !!Â
I think it's not appropriate to display such violent images in public. I have small children and won't walk them past that building. Yes he can paint it, but should he paint on the side of a building?
 @KW mom It's his building to express himself on.  If you are concerned that TRUTH will harm your children, walk a different route.  And MAKE SURE YOU TURN OFF THE TELEVISION  !!
@KW mom your kids probably see more violent watching cartoons than that shows on the wall, you must be one of those far lefties....
so if china kills a few people over this mural will obama find a way to threaten the artist,like he is doing with the muslim film guy?thats a heck of a president yall got
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@LifeisGOOD007 ok I will come to your house and you can give me therapy hows that sound,you still at the mission?
@Iam1woody I see you have a fan, another one that can only resort to name calling. Isn't the intelligent level great.
 @Iam1woody and yet another ignorant republicant weighs-in!