U.S. Navy sailors and Marines aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Tarawa man the rails as the ship leaves San Diego to begin a scheduled deployment in support of the global war on terrorism, July 16, 2005. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Timothy F. Sosa

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Kim Dewerff, assigned to the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, holds his daughter prior to departing San Diego for a western Pacific deployment aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Tarawa, July 16, 2005. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Tony Spiker

U.S. Navy sailors and Marines man the rails as they leave San Diego for a western Pacific deployment aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Tarawa, July 16, 2005. The 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit is deploying with Expeditionary Strike Group 1 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Tony Spiker


U.S. Navy Cmdr. Jonathan Harden, commanding officer, USS Pearl Harbor, says goodbye to his loved ones before his ship departs Naval Station San Diego for a scheduled deployment in support of the global war on terrorism, July 16, 2005. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Patricia R. Totemeier

A mother and child say goodbye to their loved one aboard the dock landing ship USS Pearl Harbor, in San Diego, July 16, 2005. Sailors and Marines embarked aboard Pearl Harbor for a scheduled deployment in support of the global war on terrorism. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Patricia R. Totemeier


Two women wave goodbye to the U.S. Navy sailors and Marines manning the rails of the amphibious transport dock ship USS Cleveland before departing Naval Station San Diego, July 16, 2005, for a scheduled deployment in support of the global war on terrorism. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Patricia R. Totemeier

SACRAMENTO) - The controversy surrounding the display of an anti-American, anti-military, anti-Christian "art" exhibit at the publicly-funded California Department of Justice building in downtown Sacramento will take a turn in a different direction this week. The offensive anti-American art can be seen here:

Anti-American Art Display

Move America Forward, a non-profit organization based in Sacramento, California that supports our troops and their heroic fight against terrorism (website: www.MoveAmericaForward.org) will be organizing a pro-American counter art exhibit, titled, "I LOVE AMERICA" on the sidewalks outside of the anti-American exhibit.

"The offensive material displayed at the Department of Justice building sends the message to the terrorists around the world that American morale is low. Having just returned from Iraq I can tell you that our soldiers and Marines reported that every anti-American news story is used as a rallying cry by the terrorist insurgents as evidence that they are winning the war for hearts and minds," said Melanie Morgan, Chairman of Move America Forward.

"We are not saying people do not have a right to produce and display such offensive art, but it should not be sponsored by a taxpayer funded official and displayed in a taxpayer funded building. Does the Attorney General not have any shame by promoting a display that undermines American forces when we are in an armed conflict in the war on terrorism?" asked Morgan. While the Attorney General has tried to distance his involvement in the affair, Move America Forward has obtained the press release showing Lockyer's sponsorship of the exhibit. Lockyer said he was "honored" to sponsor the exhibit, praising the display's "style" and "beauty."

SEE: Press Release

"Instead of simply protesting that the display is in a taxpayer funded facility, and sponsored by the taxpayer funded Attorney General and California Arts Council, we wanted to do something pro-active and positive. And that's when we came up with the idea for the 'I LOVE AMERICA' art exhibit," Morgan said.

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PRO-AMERICAN ART EXHIBIT: "I LOVE AMERICA"
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The "I LOVE AMERICA" art exhibit will be featured in front of the California Department of Justice building (located at 1300 I Street in Downtown Sacramento) from 3:30 PM to 10:00 PM this Thursday, July 28, 2005. The pro-American art exhibit will be directly in front of the offensive exhibit on display on the first floor of the California Department of Justice building.

Members of the public are invited to contribute their own artwork to the exhibit. Move America Forward asks that entries be approximately 8.5" x 11" and be accompanied with a note of support for our troops serving in Iraq & Afghanistan, either on the back or on a separate piece of paper.

After the display is taken down Thursday night, Move America Forward will pack each individual display, along with note of support to our troops, and will ship them to the men and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan as a morale booster.