The MOChA (Museum of Children’s Art) organization has cancelled an exhibit of Palestinian children’s Art of their life in the midst of conflict. The exhibit was scheduled to open on September 24 and close in Mid-November.  The name of the now hostless project is “A Child’s View From Gaza.”

The Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA) and MOChA have been planning this event for a number of months.  Sadly, some community groups have pressured the museum to drop the project.  Now, I don’t want to say that the decision was racially biased, but given the history between the “groups” and the place the children are from, one has to wonder…

Of course the reason being “offered” was that the subject detracts from the museums mission of children’s exposure to Art.  Here’s where I have a problem: Their past has shown two exhibits of this nature already.  That’s right…TWO.  So what makes this one different?  I refer back to the previous paragraph.  Although, if the shoe were on the other foot, I think I can 90% guarantee that it would be shown with a crap-ton of hype and hoopla.

The other thing that one has to wonder about is why this little story didn’t make the news.  Granted, it’s not a big huge deal, but I think it would have made a great “human interest” story that the networks are always trying to find.

I credit KPFA radio for making this story a little blip in their newscast.  When I tried to find info about when the exhibit was supposed to open or what would be in it’s place, there is absolutely nothing on the MOChA website.  How interesting!  So then, I tried to find out what MECA was all about.  And sure enough, thanks to it being a foreign organization, there was an article up on their site.  To read the whole story, just go HERE. Read this one and you’ve read them all.  They almost say the same thing, verbatim. While the organization is aimed at humanitarian rights, their focus is on children.  So don’t be overwhelmed if you visit the site and see all the world news on it’s front page.  Nearly every other country in the world reports all the news.  Not just the stuff that affects their country’s interests.

I just think it’s so sad that these little works of Art from children won’t be seen.  Not just seen, but seen by other children.  I really think that seeing these works would make other children more open minded.  This, in the future, if we are to have one, is one more step closer to true peace.