Confederate Flag Exhibit Ignites Uproar
Updated:2007-03-18 10:59:52
Confederate Flag Exhibit Ignites Uproar
By STEPHEN MAJORS
AP
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (March 17) - 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.
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."
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http://news.aol.com/topnews/articles/_a/confederate-flag-exhibit-ignites-uproar/20070317223509990002?ncid=NWS00010000000001
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."
He called Sims an "irrelevant individual" with no artistic talent.
"There are some people who have great talent, and they rely on that talent to be successful. There are others who don't have great talent, and they have to rely on a gimmick," Hurst said.
Sims responded that he's about as irrelevant as the Constitution.
This is not the first time that Sims and the Sons of Confederate Veterans have sparred. In 2004, Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania drew protests from the group when it displayed the same gallows.
Barber said she was not aware of the confrontation in Gettysburg, but said it probably would not have changed her museum's decision.
Hurst says he has discussed the possibility of taking legal action against the museum, although he's reluctant to give Sims more publicity.
Florida statutes say it's unlawful to "deface, defile or contemptuously abuse" the Confederate flag, but say it's also illegal to prevent the display of the flag "for decorative or patriotic purposes."
"I think that we're well within the statute," Barber said.
Confederate Flag Exhibit Ignites Uproar
By STEPHEN MAJORS
AP
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (March 17) - 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.
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."
Go here for picture and/or to post your thoughts about this subject:
http://news.aol.com/topnews/articles/_a/confederate-flag-exhibit-ignites-uproar/20070317223509990002?ncid=NWS00010000000001
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."
He called Sims an "irrelevant individual" with no artistic talent.
"There are some people who have great talent, and they rely on that talent to be successful. There are others who don't have great talent, and they have to rely on a gimmick," Hurst said.
Sims responded that he's about as irrelevant as the Constitution.
This is not the first time that Sims and the Sons of Confederate Veterans have sparred. In 2004, Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania drew protests from the group when it displayed the same gallows.
Barber said she was not aware of the confrontation in Gettysburg, but said it probably would not have changed her museum's decision.
Hurst says he has discussed the possibility of taking legal action against the museum, although he's reluctant to give Sims more publicity.
Florida statutes say it's unlawful to "deface, defile or contemptuously abuse" the Confederate flag, but say it's also illegal to prevent the display of the flag "for decorative or patriotic purposes."
"I think that we're well within the statute," Barber said.
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quote:Florida statutes say it's unlawful to "deface, defile or contemptuously abuse" the Confederate flag, but say it's also illegal to prevent the display of the flag "for decorative or patriotic purposes."
I wonder if they have the same statute protecting the Stars & Stripes?0 -
quote: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. HA! Take that you multicultural feel-good hippy losers!
Diversity - it's a two-way street! I love it!0 -
It doesn't bother me in the lest what Sims painted. It's a free country and he should be allowed to express himself.
Now I would like to display a painting I've done.
It is of 5 black males surrounding a nubile young blonde girl. She has had her clothes savagely ripped and is in an obvious state of terror. The black males are intently eyeing her and foam is on their mouths. Their eyes are afire with jungle lust.
I entitled it "The reason to hang"
Think anyone would complain?0 -
quote:Originally posted by p3skyking
It doesn't bother me in the lest what Sims painted. It's a free country and he should be allowed to express himself.
Now I would like to display a painting I've done.
It is of 5 black males surrounding a nubile young blonde girl. She has had her clothes savagely ripped and is in an obvious state of terror. The black males are intently eyeing her and foam is on their mouths. Their eyes are afire with jungle lust.
I entitled it "The reason to hang"
Think anyone would complain?
I would not complain as long as you are man enough to carry the painting through the hood.[;)]0 -
quote:Originally posted by pistoljim
quote:Originally posted by p3skyking
It doesn't bother me in the lest what Sims painted. It's a free country and he should be allowed to express himself.
Now I would like to display a painting I've done.
It is of 5 black males surrounding a nubile young blonde girl. She has had her clothes savagely ripped and is in an obvious state of terror. The black males are intently eyeing her and foam is on their mouths. Their eyes are afire with jungle lust.
I entitled it "The reason to hang"
Think anyone would complain?
I would not complain as long as you are man enough to carry the painting through the hood.[;)]
It's easy to see you don't know me very well. I'm the guy that crapped on a picture of Mohammad with my address posted. I'm still waiting.0 -
quote:Originally posted by p3skyking
quote:Originally posted by pistoljim
quote:Originally posted by p3skyking
It doesn't bother me in the lest what Sims painted. It's a free country and he should be allowed to express himself.
Now I would like to display a painting I've done.
It is of 5 black males surrounding a nubile young blonde girl. She has had her clothes savagely ripped and is in an obvious state of terror. The black males are intently eyeing her and foam is on their mouths. Their eyes are afire with jungle lust.
I entitled it "The reason to hang"
Think anyone would complain?
I would not complain as long as you are man enough to carry the painting through the hood.[;)]
It's easy to see you don't know me very well. I'm the guy that crapped on a picture of Mohammad with my address posted. I'm still waiting.
After reading you last 2 posts, I am glad I don't know you at all.0 -
Back in NYC I had to "tolerate" an arse-wipe douche-bag of an artist placing a crucifix in a large mayonnaise jar filled with his own urine and calling it "Piss Christ". Guiliani banned it from the City's museums but he was summarily overruled by the courts. And so it was displayed as art. Some f*cking "art" - huh?
That this "irrelevant individual" sees the Confedrate Flag as "visual terrorism" is beyond any and all comprehension.
While he IS entitled to display what he capriciously believes to be actual "art" under the 1st Amendment, I'm one tried-and-true Yankee who sees the Rebel Flag for exactly what is now and was back then and what it remains to intelligent, unthreatened, clear-thinking people - a symbol of both enormous pride and enormous dissent in a bloody and painful chapter of this great Nation's history and development.
I can't and won't speak for the mental midgets - the minority - who see the Flag of the Confederacy as being anything more than a 140-year old symbol from another time, culture, economy, political climate, and mindset.
They need far more intellectual help than this Yank has to offer them.
Strike up the band and play "Dixie" for the little chit Sims. Maybe he'll take up music next.0 -
quote:Originally posted by p3skyking
It doesn't bother me in the lest what Sims painted. It's a free country and he should be allowed to express himself.
Now I would like to display a painting I've done.
It is of 5 black males surrounding a nubile young blonde girl. She has had her clothes savagely ripped and is in an obvious state of terror. The black males are intently eyeing her and foam is on their mouths. Their eyes are afire with jungle lust.
I entitled it "The reason to hang"
Think anyone would complain?
Very nice, but may I suggest a more realistic name? "Saturday night in Atlanta."0 -
quote:Originally posted by pistoljim
After reading you last 2 posts, I am glad I don't know you at all.
I tend to agree since I don't keep 911 on speed dial. Now you can go back to reading Tiger Beat or Us0 -
I always considered it more a rebel flag, and proudly displayed it
as such.
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quote:Originally posted by Rocklobster
quote:Originally posted by p3skyking
It doesn't bother me in the lest what Sims painted. It's a free country and he should be allowed to express himself.
Now I would like to display a painting I've done.
It is of 5 black males surrounding a nubile young blonde girl. She has had her clothes savagely ripped and is in an obvious state of terror. The black males are intently eyeing her and foam is on their mouths. Their eyes are afire with jungle lust.
I entitled it "The reason to hang"
Think anyone would complain?
Very nice, but may I suggest a more realistic name? "Saturday night in Atlanta."
RL, since Al the racist Sharpton wants to hang a tarp over the Stone Mountain Monument, "A Hanging Night In Georgia" seems fitting as well.0 -
quote:Originally posted by p3skyking
It doesn't bother me in the lest what Sims painted. It's a free country and he should be allowed to express himself.
Now I would like to display a painting I've done.
It is of 5 black males surrounding a nubile young blonde girl. She has had her clothes savagely ripped and is in an obvious state of terror. The black males are intently eyeing her and foam is on their mouths. Their eyes are afire with jungle lust.
I entitled it "The reason to hang"
Think anyone would complain?
You should have titled it "the internet".
Not that I...0 -
quote:Originally posted by spryor
I always considered it more a rebel flag, and proudly displayed it
as such.
Nice picture, spryor.0
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