About The Painting
www.JonMcNaughton.com
America needs to have a conversation.
Not about who deserves something and who doesn’t.
It’s not about whether Cliven Bundy deserves to graze his cattle on the land of his fathers,
But whether he has the right to stand up for himself.
America needs to have a conversation.
Not about wether Officer Darren Wilson has the right to defend himself,
But whether one American has more rights than another.
America need to have a conversation my brothers.
Not about whether I am my “brother’s keeper,” but whether God will honor us for being brothers.
America needs to have a conversation.
Not about whether our government has all the answers,
But whether we’ll have a conversation with the One who does have all the answers,
And to choose love instead of hate.
It’s time to have a conversation.
Pray For America
In April of 2014 I went down to Nevada to visit with the Bundy family with the idea of doing a painting. I was apprehensive, not knowing what to paint that would reflect the conflict in a proper way. As I arrived I was expecting to see a large ranch like the Ponderosa, but was met by humble people in a simple home who prayed together and spoke of their love for America.
I was told the firsthand story of their struggle with the BLM to maintain their ranch that had been in the family for generations. As I was preparing to leave, Cliven asked to speak with me privately. He wanted to share some ideas for future paintings. He hoped I would paint a picture that would tell the story of the people who had worked hard to settle Clark County. Then he wanted to know if I could paint something to show the plight of the minorities in America. He was concerned about black Americans who are living on the dole of the US government and need to be freed from oppression. He spoke of the hard living conditions for them and also the Latino people who struggle in America. He had tears in his eyes as he rehearsed almost the same things he would notoriously speak the following day and bring the media’s ire crushing down upon him. Some have said, “Cliven should have kept his mouth shut. Those old school cowboys are just racist.” I think Cliven is the farthest thing from being a racist. He is a man of the West who loves his country and loves other people. There are many who don’t like him because he is different. He doesn’t just do what he’s told and say what he’s supposed to say.
I thought about what I should paint and felt that this painting is bigger than one man. It’s about what is important to America. What have we become? Why must people hate each other for a word? Why can’t people fight for their freedoms to the extent they fight against racial hatred? Why can’t we hug each other instead of hurt each other?
When you see this painting, the way you view it is a reflection of the world you choose to live in. If you see racism, hate, oppression, and religious diatribe, you surely won’t like this painting. If you see the love of country, family and a prayer to the God who loves all men and women regardless of race or color, you understand what I meant when I painted, PRAY FOR AMERICA.
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