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At Princeton's Bernstein Gallery, an exhibit boasts images of naked female torsos arranged in the shape of a cross, a ripped image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and Catholic devotional items linked under the title "Shackles of the AIDS Virus."
This official backing of "Ricanstructions" — works in oil, mixed media, and malice by Brooklyn artist Juan Sanchez — outrages Catholic students, who consider the art blasphemous. Like most colleges, Princeton has a conduct code requiring respect for the rights and sensibilities of all members of the campus community. Behavior that demeans another's religious beliefs — "is subject to University disciplinary sanctions." So Catholic students are wondering: Why is art that disrespects their sensibilities and demeans their beliefs receiving, not disciplinary sanctions, but official sanction? Looking for answers, some 60 students and faculty attended a forum organized by Wilson Dean Anne-Marie Slaughter to determine who prevails when artistic vision collides with sacred belief. As several students pointed out, the debate over "Ricanstructions" is not one of free speech, the benefits of provocative art, or the alleged sins of the Catholic Church; it's one of fairness and equal respect. By sponsoring "Ricanstructions," the Wilson School is singling out Catholic symbols for special abuse. Dean Slaughter, in a moment of candor she may regret, acknowledged it was unlikely she would sponsor art that abused the symbols of other campus groups — such as Muslims. (I believe her: It's impossible to imagine the Wilson School welcoming a collection that included, say, an Islamic crescent in a jar of urine, or Star of David surrounded by elephant dung — although prestigious museums have welcomed "art" featuring such abuse of Catholic symbols, to cheers from liberal art lovers.) Regarding Slaughter's blatant double-standard, Princeton student Daniel Mark, former president of the Center for Jewish Life, suggests she remove offensive "Ricanstructions" elements "or articulate principles based on which she can justify sponsoring art that is offensive to Catholics when, by her own admission, she would not sponsor some other forms of offensive art." When I asked Slaughter to reconcile a conduct code demanding respect for Catholics with art that makes profane use of their symbols, she replied via email that "Ricanstructions" has been "displayed without controversy in a number of highly respected museums" including Catholic St. Bonaventure University in New York. This is the moral
equivalent of defending a man who tells dirty jokes in Slaughter's presence
— even if such jokes offend her — because some women enjoy such
jokes. This is both Orwellian and Clintonian. Yes, Princeton's conduct code forbids attacks on the sacred beliefs of students — but some beliefs are more sacred than others. Yes, Slaughter feels the pain of offended Catholics — but, well, they'll just have to keep suffering through the end of "Ricanstructions"' run. During an interview
about the "Ricanstructions" controversy, Princeton professor
of politics Robert P. George invited me to imagine a work titled "Shackles
of the AIDS Virus," identical to the Sanchez work "except that
pink triangles are in the place of the scapulars, and the artist is an
HIV-infected ex-gay activist who has become a Catholic, renounced his
former lifestyle, and blamed homosexual promiscuity and the gay movement
for the spread of the disease. There is," George declares, "exactly
no chance that such a thing would be exhibited under university sponsorship"
— even though it would arguably challenge far more students than
one that attacks acceptable targets like the Catholic Church. Princeton could prove its commitment to fairness by torching the conduct code and inviting artists to offend anyone they wish. A more civilized approach is for Princeton to treat all groups with equal courtesy. Not an option, for a community claiming respect for all, is a policy that sanctions the abuse of one group's sacred images while protecting the symbols and sensitivities of all others. — Anne Morse is a senior writer for the Wilberforce Forum in Reston, Va. |
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rinceton
University has discovered an acceptable way to engage in hate speech,
bigotry, and slander: Just label it "art."
