Seattle museum closes as staff walks out over controversial language in anti-hate exhibit
(Source)
An exhibition aimed at combating hatred against minority communities led to the temporary closure of Seattle’s Wing Luke Museum after pro-Palestinian staff left due to concerns about the program’s language.
Key points:
More than 20 staff members participated in the walkout on May 22 after the museum opened its “Confronting Hate Together” exhibit.
Staffers demanded revisions to some of the exhibit’s language that allegedly associates Palestinian liberation and anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism.
The museum has pledged to engage in dialogue with staff and reopen its doors “at a later date.”
The details:
Trending on NextShark: This Chinese Woman Fell in Love with an AI Chatbot and the Internet is All for It
“Confronting Hate Together,” co-produced by the museum, the Black Heritage Society of Washington State and the Washington State Jewish Historical Society, aims to highlight anti-Semitism, intolerance and racism that promote division and hatred within minority communities.
The protesters, who made up almost half of the museum’s staff, announced their actions on a dedicated Instagram page. Of this group, 18 are public-facing front-line workers, while 10 are part-time employees without benefits.
The group reportedly raised concerns with museum management after seeing “Zionist language” in a media preview of the exhibit on May 14. The original text read in part:
“Today, anti-Semitism is often disguised as anti-Zionism, with Jews around the world expected to defend the actions of Israel’s right-wing government. Local examples of this can be seen following the horrific Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.”
Although the museum made revisions to the sign, the group said “the changes made still conveyed Zionist perspectives.”
The Wing Luke Museum addressed the walkout in a Facebook post Saturday, saying it recognizes and supports the rights of staff members to express their beliefs and personal truths. The museum said it closed “to seriously listen and engage with our staff.”
Employees created a GoFundMe page to raise money to compensate for lost wages related to the walkout. As of this writing, the campaign has raised $4,619.
Reactions:
Trending on NextShark: Hello Kitty releases a special Rubik’s Cube for its 50th anniversary
The walkout drew mixed reactions. One Facebook user commented: “Why does one opinion dictate to everyone what is right or wrong? It seems to me that those who opt out show why we need more exhibitions like this and more education in general. It’s okay to disagree and have dialogue, but stating your demands as if they are facts we can all accept is going too far.”
“Please also end all partnerships with the ADL, including Kendall Kosai, and instead start figuring out how to repair the relationships you have destroyed with the Palestinian community and listen to the voices supporting liberation,” pleaded another.
Download the NextShark app:
Want to keep up to date with Asian-American news? Download the NextShark app today!
yahoo
