Plea to Baltimore Museum re: "Piss Christ" - Please treat Christians as nicely as you do Muslims

Catholic League ^

[Notwithstanding]

November 7, 2001

BALTIMORE MUSEUM OF ART OFFERS “PISS CHRIST” POSTCARDS IN GIFT SHOP

The gift shop in the Baltimore Museum of Art is selling souvenir postcards that feature a picture of the Andres Serrano “Piss Christ” artwork; it shows a crucifix submerged in a jar of the artist’s urine. Catholic League president William Donohue spoke to this issue today:

“After 9-11, the Baltimore Museum of Art removed a painting by Christopher Wool entitled ‘Terrorist’ simply because the name of the artwork appeared on the painting. The museum issued a statement saying that the action was taken ‘out of respect to visitors’ sensibilities.’ Doreen Bolger, the museum’s director, went so far as to say, ‘The work hasn’t changed, but our perception of it has.’

“This is so amusing. For years we’ve been told by the postmodernists that art has no meaning save what people attribute to it. Yet the doyens of our culture now seem to have discovered the precise meaning of Wool’s contribution and allow for no diversity of opinion: they know what it means and they are offended. Therefore it must be removed. But when it comes to dunking the holiest Christian symbol in urine, they withdraw their censorial knife. That’s because they really don’t have respect for the sensibilities of Christians. Nor has their perception changed regarding the Serrano hate art: they like it as much today as they did before 9-11.

“Five years ago the Baltimore Museum of Art featured an attack on Mother Teresa. That was done under the auspices of Arnold Lehman, who has since moved to the other ‘BMA’—the Brooklyn Museum of Art—home of dung-laden portraits of Our Blessed Mother and defamatory portrayals of the Last Supper. This is quite a gang. Not even the reality of airplanes flying into tall buildings killing thousands of innocent persons is enough to change their perception of Catholics.

“It is the goal of the Catholic League to get the artistic community to treat Catholics the way they do Muslims.”

[OWK]

The thing that truly torques me about much of this "art", is that it is promulgated and displayed with money stolen from us, and redistributed under NEA grants.

[Askel5]

Hear hear.

(Which is why the clearly disparate treatment by those sponsored by our government is of particular interest.)

[headsonpikes]

The 'clearly disparate treatment' is the saving 'grace' of socialism.

The contradictions are simply too odious for people to endure for more than a generation or two..

[Egg]

You said it! It escapses me that to this very day NOTHING has been done about relinquishing the federal government's role in the funding of art (any art, much less controversial). In fact, such funding has just been increased if I'm not mistaken.

[Lurker]

Exactly.P> L

[He Rides A White Horse]

But when it comes to dunking the holiest Christian symbol in urine, they withdraw their censorial knife. That’s because they really don’t have respect for the sensibilities of Christians.

Probably more they don't think they would enjoy the lifestyle of Salmon Rushdie.

[LaBradford22]

We need some contact information so we can FREEP these bastages...

[Vince Ferrer]

“It is the goal of the Catholic League to get the artistic community to treat Catholics the way they do Muslims.”

The Catholic League can get a lot of milage out of that angle.

[a_federalist]

It's interesting as I was discussing this topic just recently. My thought was, what if you took a muslim holy symbol like the dome of the rock, made a replica of it, stuck it in a jar of urine and tried to have it displayed as art?

You know the response would be that it was hate speech or some such drivel and it would never be displayed in any museum.
Do the same thing with a symbol that some Christians revere and then it's a free speech issue.

I hate and despise the communists who have been allowed to get away with this.

[RnMomof7]

Right!

[Darksheare]

Yet you sound the clarion for all things 'gay' and seem to ask for understanding for their cause. Why are you so upset by the NEA using your money to fund so called art? They want to use your money to make gays a special protected class with special rights above and beyond what you and I have. Any thoughts besides what you get fed?

[bookwurm]

What else is new? This is why I don't think Taxpayer money should go to any kind of arts funding. Let the rich society people, Hollywood Elite and people who just want to patronize the arts (they will ALWAYS exist) support the arts with their money. We shouldn't have to pay for this kind of trash and I am, frankly, sick, sick, sick of it. And it's not even art. A few years ago they had a guy doing performance art and he had HIV. He would cut himself on stage and drip the blood on papertowels and then clothespinned them onto a line that he reeled out over the audience so the blood was dripping down on people. Gross! Yep, and I think taxpayer money went to him too.

[tutstar]

If my memory serves me right the original artwork "was" funded by the National Endowment of the Arts. I wonder how much the government would save by getting rid of the NEA.

[He Rides A White Horse]

Post 10, 11.......he's right on target with it.

[OWK]

You really aren't very bright, are you?

[Michael2001]

“It is the goal of the Catholic League to get the artistic community to treat Catholics the way they do Muslims.”

Maybe Catholics ought to start flying airplanes into buildings

[Notwithstanding]

bump

[Darksheare]

Better than you, apologist boy.

[OWK]

Apologist?

Aparently you missed my condemnation of the use of government money for this or any other "art".