Jamaican born artist Renee' Cox has found her latest exhibit [Yo Mamma at the Last Supper] in the middle of a firestorm with NY Mayor Rudy Guilianni. The exhibit depicts the artist standing in frontal nudity as a substitute for Christ amidst the disciples during the Last Supper. Mayor Guilianni and other concerned Catholics have blasted this art form as obscene, tasteless and anti-Catholic. The Mayor is considering imposing sanctions on the Brooklyn Museum of Art as a signal of his personal displeasure. A similar brouhaha with the Brooklyn Museum occured several years when the mayor attempted to use litigation to have certain art removed because it offended Catholic sensibilities. I think this is a fascinating topic which merits reasoned responses. Should art galleries receiving public funding be exempt from sanctions when the "artistic" talents imply religious bigotry or intolerance? Suppose an artist depicted Richard Allen in drag and Mayor Guilianni condemned the exhibit, would AMEs have a different opinion of the mayor? QED

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2001

Answers

"Never ask for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee." It is not about Catholic, or Baptist, or A.M.E. What you have described here is offensive to Christians. I strongly believe that Freedom of Speech is a sacred right, which we must always defend and protect for the good of all. However, If Christians would truly exhibit the properties of "Salt and Light" and fail to support what is offensive to Christians--such as buying hot or stolen goods or lending support to organizations and business which display what offends us as Christians--much of what offends us would no longer be.

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2001

Robert; Amen!!!

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001