Posted on 12/15/2009 11:50:40 AM PST by greatplains
JAKARTA, Indonesia -- A statue of President Barack Obama as a boy erected in a Jakarta park has been targeted in a Facebook campaign by thousands who say it should be removed.(snip)
"Everybody knows that Obama is a world leader, but he is not our national hero who deserves to be awarded a statue," Nugroho said.
"This has hurt our national pride because there are many Indonesian figures who gave worthy service to this nation but no statue has been built for them," he added.
Many Indonesians are proud of the fact that Obama lived in Jakarta from 1967 to 1971 with his American mother, his Indonesian stepfather and his half-sister.
He went by the name "Barry," attended the local elementary school near where his statue now stands and owned a pet monkey.
Ron Mullers, a Jakarta resident who came up with the idea of the statue and raised money for it, said it was supposed to inspire local children to follow their dreams.
"It's ridiculous. I'm shocked," Mullers, chairman of the local nonpolitical Friends of Obama Foundation, calling the move against the statue political.
Mullers likened the backlash to the controversy over whether Obama deserved the Nobel Peace Prize. Obama accepted that accolade in Oslo the same day as his statue was unveiled by Jakarta Mayor Sylviana Murni.
Murni ruled out moving the statue, saying that it has been erected the correct approvals and without political motive.
"Everyone in this country can express their opinions freely and give awards like statues to anyone freely," Murni said. The governor was overseas on business and was not available for comment Tuesday.
The statue cost more than $10,000. The money was donated by eight Indonesian patrons, a television station and a disaster relief charity.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Waiting for the first “healing” to be attributed to the statue.................
“Locally born muslim boy takes over the infidels.”
Well, some would say he is a disaster.
Everyone remember the Chinese “flaming 0bama” statue?
Man, if that thing wasn’t mentioned in Biblical prophecy, it should have been.
The chief problem of this mess is that a charity got involved....and there are thousands that could still use help. A serious poor judgment call by the charity.
Cool, he’ll soon be covered with bird droppings.
Obama will move his statue to the Temple Mount soon enough.
Why is such a "charity" involved in making a statue?
...not to mention that it’s total BS with the a butterfly landing on the Obama child’s outstretched hand. gag!
The statue cost more than $10,000. The money was donated by ...and a disaster relief charity.
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Which “disaster relief charity” ???
I douibt if the peoplewho donated to that “disaster relief charity” intended their hard earned money to go to something to glorify Barry Dunham-Soetoro..
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