( #Smithsonian, #CatholicLeauge, #EricCantor )
If you haven’t been following the news, the Smithsonian is taking a lot of heat by Christian organizations and (mostly Republican) politicians due to an exhibit called “Hide/Seek” which features explicit and controversial work by Gay/Lesbian artists. A certain video in particular seems to be drawing most of the attention. The clip by David Wojnarowicz features statues of Jesus covered with ants. Personally—I think the video is pointless and doesn’t invoke anything (for me), so I don’t think it is all that offensive (just not interesting).
Shield your Christian eyes, because I found the clip….
The video seems to have pissed off all the right people who are now saying that the Smithsonian is using public funding to offend Christians. I don’t think any of the people working at the Smithsonian set out to offend any religious organization. Some people get offended at Michelangelo’s David (Gasp! a penis), people get offended by crosses, hell, people get offended by toilet tissue commercials! The purpose of the Smithsonian is to collect this stuff, display it, and let you make up your own mind.
One of the critics (and think it was Bill Donohue of the Catholic League), said that the Government might as well fund professional wrestling since the American people enjoy that more than museums. While I enjoy ladder matches as much as the next guy, whoever said this quote is an ass—a politician or a person in a leadership position should be less concerned with controversial art and more concerned with people not going to museums and seeking knowledge.
I am starting to see another agenda: I keep reading that politicians (again mostly Republicans) and “interest groups” (usually Christian) calling for cutting funding on museums, libraries, and schools—places were people learn to actually think critically. They ask “who uses them” because they have their own private sources of information (that they can control to support their own end game). A less educated population is an easily controlled population (that sounds familiar) While there is a substantial economic problem facing the United States, if we cut sources of knowledge what the hell are we trying to save? What kind of country will we become?
Sure – let’s have everything privately funded so nothing controversial and thought provoking is ever made accessible to the public. People will generate art and distribute via the internet which will only be accessible to people who can afford it (since the libraries will all be closed), until the companies that control the data lines decide that they don’t want to be involved and block transmission. With so much information accessible, how the hell is this country headed for another cultural dark age?
Read More: The New American
PS: Step this back a few days, remember that article by Philadelphia Magazine about “kids getting stupider”? Read that article (and my response) in light of this information. Makes you wonder if there really is an agenda happening…
