I was browsing through Newseum today, and the very first cover that came up - the Anniston Star from Anniston, Ala. - gave me pause. At first glance, you would think this centerpiece was some sort of art story, with all the colorful masks. But they're actually using the masks to try to illustrate a pretty serious story about the diversity in the Hispanic population of immigrants in Alabama and the measures that are currently being debated in the legislature to keep immigrants out.
These masks don't say anything about the story, and there's not even any sort of cutline to let you know what the significance of the masks are. Some of them even look African - if they are from different Hispanic populations, you wouldn't know which ones. Besides, ceremonial masks don't very often say much about their populations - I feel like this would be like a paper in a different country putting a picture of an Uncle Sam mask on its cover to illustrate a story about American immigrants. At best, it seems like a tacky illustration for the story, and at worst, it could be taken as downright offensive.
What do you all think?
1 comment:
I think it is ridiculous as well. Why couldn't they use true human faces from different races. Why the masks? It doesn't make any sense at all, and I think that it would be looked at offensively. I have never really associated those masks with Hispanic culture, and I imagine that most readers would not make the connection. I agree with Stephanie here. Not hot.
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