There should be law against it
AN OUTSIDERS VIEW |
Ken Fuller |
Doubtless this outsider was not the only one to be shocked by the title of Tony Lopez’s column in the Manila Times on Aug. 18: “We must live, die and kill for our religion.”
This was his contribution to the discussion of the work by Mideo Cruz recently exhibited as the Cultural Center of the Philippines – until the bishops, a number of politicians and others expressed outrage (and threats), and as a result the CCP pulled down the curtain. The outrage (and that may be too weak a work to describe Lopez’s reaction, who seems so consumed with bile as to become almost incoherent on occasion) was caused by the artist’s juxtaposition of an image of Jesus Christ, a wooden penis, a condom, and various other artifacts. That, at least, is how I understand it. I haven’t seen the work, have no idea whether it qualifies as “art” or, if so, whether it is “good” or “bad” art.
Much of the debate around this work has seen the champions of freedom of expression fighting a defensive battle against those who would deny anyone the right to offend the religious sensibilities of others, particular when public money is involved. Among the latter, one group has filed a case with the Ombudsman..... MORE
Source: The Daily Tribune
URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110823com5.html
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