The
anti-labor agenda in state government has extended to art. A mural
depicting working-class children, women and men was taken down on
orders of the governor of Maine.
According to the spokeswoman for
Governor Paul LePage [R], “The artwork was not appropriate for the
Department of Labor because it was one-sided in favor of labor
interests at the expense of business interest at a time when LePage
is pushing a pro-business agenda” (Associated Press, March 28)
The mural, created by local artist Judy Taylor, shows various scenes from the labor history of Maine, including “Rosie the Riveter” at Bath Iron Works and a paper mill workers’ strike in 1986.
The
painting was removed on the weekend of March 26-27 to avoid any
protest during regular business hours. Labor Department workers were
shocked to return on Monday to bare walls and spackle.
“This is
government censorship at its worst,” said state Rep. Diane
Russell. (Huffington Post, March 28)
