Posted on 03/17/2007 4:30:38 PM PDT by groanup
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — When artist John Sims sees the Confederate flag, he sees "visual terrorism," and a symbol of a racist past. When Robert Hurst sees the flag, he is filled with pride as the descendant of a soldier who fought for the South during the Civil War.
Their differences have flared into a war of words, catching a local museum in the middle.
An art exhibit by artist John Sims, entitled 'The Proper Way to Hang a Confederate Flag,' is show on display at the Mary Brogan Museum of Art and Science, Friday, March 16, 2007, in Tallahassee, Fla. The exhibit has sparked controversy with the local chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans and they have asked the museum to remove it.
Hurst walked into the Mary Brogan Museum of Art and Science this past week and saw an exhibit by Sims, including a Confederate flag hung from a noose on a 13-foot gallows in a display titled "The Proper Way to Hang a Confederate Flag."
Hurst asked the museum to remove the display, along with 13 other pieces by Sims.
The museum, however, announced Friday it is standing by Sims' work, on display since Feb. 26, because it wants to inspire dialogue in the community about a symbol that engenders a diversity of strong responses.
"There's a balance between the nature of the art that we show and the outcome that we seek, which is to promote dialogue and conversation, and have you maybe think of something in a slightly different way," said Chucha Barber, the museum's executive director.
Hurst, commander of the local Sons of Confederate Veterans chapter, said Friday he has lost respect for the museum, calling the display of Sims' work "offensive, objectionable and tasteless."
(Excerpt) Read more at ajc.com ...
I think he would have gotten onto a lot of trouble if he had done that ... and he would have deserved it.
He would have been locked up as an arsonist.
If you want to burn a flag, you should be the owner.
Thanks groanup (great tag line)
From the Florida state Code:
256.10 Mutilation of or disrespect for Confederate flags or replicas.--No person shall publicly mutilate, deface, defile, defy, trample upon, or by word or act cast contempt upon the flags of the Confederacy, or replicas thereof, for crass or commercial purposes; provided however nothing contained herein shall be construed to prevent or prohibit the use of such flags for decorative or patriotic purposes.And according to Fl. Statute 876.52, flag desecration is a 1st degree misdemeanor, up to $1,000 fine.
He should have torn the display down himself.
Getting to the point you're going to have to defend your heritage and culture with force.
I would never abuse anyone's flag and call it "art"... They (galleries/museums/etc.) are more than welcome to display such "art"... However, they must live with the consequences of the choices they make. I find such "art" objectionable, and would refrain from patronizing said gallery for a year or more as my own personal form of expression. ;-)
I wonder what kind of art they would deem a man hanging by his phallus with a pink ribbon shown in great agony and entitled Immoral. Or two women kissing in a bottle of urine called Fitting environment. Let us say a very good artist portrayed these and other scenes like them and actually found a gallery willing to display them.
Would there be a national furor? You bet!
Would Rosie, Ellen and homosexual organizations get involved? You bet!
Would the ACLU sue the artist for a hate crime? You bet!
Would the gallery cave and take it down? You better believe it!
This is the era of the history robbers. Only PC history need apply whether in academia, the arts, or the fourth estate.
vaudine
This obviously posted by someone who ignorantly equates the politics of the 1860's with that of today. This is kind of like saying that we should have voted for Lowell Weicker because he was a "Republican." Please don't post such ignorant crap!!
By dragging that horrible flag out continually, the southern conservatives are pounding yet another nail in the coffin of conservatism.
I do not think Commander Hurst wants to be convicted of Arson.
However, if you want an Arson Wrap you can drive down to Florida and set the place on fire.
By launching a rebellion to protect an institution built on oppressing others?
But Stainless, this isn't crass OR commercial. This is Art!!!
>>Looks like Florida needs to levy some charges against Sims.
From the Florida state Code:
256.10 Mutilation of or disrespect for Confederate flags or replicas.--No person shall publicly mutilate, deface, defile, defy, trample upon, or by word or act cast contempt upon the flags of the Confederacy, or replicas thereof, for crass or commercial purposes; provided however nothing contained herein shall be construed to prevent or prohibit the use of such flags for decorative or patriotic purposes.
And according to Fl. Statute 876.52, flag desecration is a 1st degree misdemeanor, up to $1,000 fine.<<
If burning the American flag is protected speech then certainly other flags should not be given more protection.
I doubt that law is constitutional.
Only if it belongs to you.
You truly are clueless!
>>Mr. Hurst should have taken out his lighter and set fire to the offensive art work, thus exercising his own freedom of expression. The Supreme Court has ruled that torching the US flag is such expression, so the Confederate flag would certainly be fair game.<<
They didn't rule that you have a right to go into a museum and burn an American flag that doesn't belong to you.
No, that's been done by 40-50 years of Republican 'conservatism' thank you and 'true conservatives' advocating morality legislation at the national level to fit their agenda. Republicans have killed the ideal of limited government on this continent. Getting a Republican elected to office is not by definition a sign of conservatism. The lot sitting in Washington are no more 'conservative' than their Democratic counterparts
Sure, then we could have blacks tearing down art exhibits that they feel offend their culture, as could Jews and Christians.
As a Texan, I could destroy someone's work of art that offends my heritage.
Before you know it there would be thousands of groups running around destroying private property simply based on their being offended.
Thus, we would all be like Radical Muslims.
Great Idea, you have there!
Would the artist become rich and famous? You bet!
No such thing as bad publicity. Robert Mapplethorpe spent years shooting flowers and rock stars, but it wasn't until he photographed a guy with a bull whip in his butt that he became the most famous photographer in America, after (maybe) Ansel Adams.
Outrage is good for business.
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