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PSU (Penn State) censors exhibit
The Daily Collegian ^ | 4/21/2006 | Jessica Remitz

Posted on 04/21/2006 10:46:17 AM PDT by Happy Valley Dude

For Penn State student Josh Stulman, years of hard work ended in disappointment yesterday when the university cancelled his upcoming art exhibit for violation of Penn State's policies on nondiscrimination, harassment and hate.

Three days before his 10-piece exhibit -- Portraits of Terror -- was scheduled to open at the Patterson Building, Stulman (senior-painting and anthropology) received an e-mail message from the School of Visual Arts that said his exhibit on images of terrorism "did not promote cultural diversity" or "opportunities for democratic dialogue" and the display would be cancelled.

The exhibit, Stulman said, which is based mainly on the conflict in Palestinian territories, raises questions concerning the destruction of Jewish religious shrines, anti-Semitic propaganda and cartoons in Palestinian newspapers, the disregard for rules of engagement and treatment of prisoners, and the indoctrination of youth into terrorist acts.

"I'm being censored and the reason for censoring me doesn't make sense," Stulman said.

Charles Garoian, professor and director of the School of Visual Arts, said Stulman's controversial images did not mesh with the university's educational mission.

The decision to cancel the exhibit came after reviewing Penn State's Policy AD42: Statement on Nondiscrimination and Harassment and Penn State's Zero Tolerance Policy for Hate, he wrote.

Garoian could not be reached by The Daily Collegian for further comment by press time yesterday.

Penn State spokesman Bill Mahon wrote in an e-mail message that "there are other issues involved in the display that has caused a problem, issues that have nothing to do with the content of the painting." Mahon wrote that he did not know all the details.

"We always encourage those who are offended by free speech to use their own constitutional right to free speech to make their concerns known," Mahon wrote. "This is an educational institution and people should embrace opportunities to inform one another and the public. ... We don't have a right to hide art."

Stulman said the exhibit, which is sponsored by Penn State Hillel, aims to create awareness on campus about the senselessness of terrorism and drew inspiration from images that have appeared in the public through newspapers and television.

He said he was shocked at the university's decision to cancel the exhibit and that he has tried to meet with Garoian on numerous occasions to discuss his artwork.

"It's not about hate. I don't hate Muslims. This is not about Islam," Stulman said. "This is about terrorism impacting the Palestinian way of life and Israel way of life."

Stulman said advertisements for the event were defaced in the Patterson and School of Visual Arts buildings, one of which had a large swastika on it.

Stulman, who is Jewish, said he felt threatened and abused by the Nazi symbol and is concerned for his artwork and his personal well-being.

Garoian also wrote that exhibit space in the School of Visual Arts is reserved for students and faculty, not groups with a particular agenda.

Stulman said he created his paintings on his own and he approached Penn State Hillel in February to help with advertising costs and food for the opening. He said the School of Visual Arts did not object to his earlier exhibit, also sponsored by Hillel.

Tuvia Abramson, director of Penn State Hillel, said while Hillel sponsored the Stulman's exhibit, the group had nothing to do with his message or content.

"We don't have a political agenda except to support the voice of Jewish students," he said.

Abramson said Hillel is exploring other venues for Stulman's exhibits to ensure his message does not go unnoticed.

"It's about opening eyes and challenging viewpoints," Abramson said. "Artistic expression is the basis for creativity -- but here, it was blocked."

--Collegian staff writers Meaghan Haugh and Devon Lash contributed to this article.

Josh Stulman examines his artwork, previously scheduled for an art exhibit that was canceled by Penn State. The painting to the right, by Stulman, is titled “Our Greatest Hero” and depicts Hag Amin Al-Husseini, who was hailed as the greatest Palestinian hero by Yasir Arafat. Other works by Stulman address terrorism toward Jews.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Government; Israel; News/Current Events; US: Pennsylvania; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: antisemites; antisemitism; art; brainwashing; censorship; diversitytraining; doublestandard; indoctrination; pc; pennstate; politicalcorrectness; politicallycorrect; propaganda; propalestinianwar; reeducationcenter; thoughtcrime
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To: Joe 6-pack
"the college library where I had done work-study for four years (and two summers) gave me exclusive use of it's prime exhibit space for the duration"

:-)

41 posted on 04/21/2006 1:18:04 PM PDT by Sam Cree (Delicacy, precision, force)
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To: sauropod
Penn State, home of the Nittany Kittens, is one of the most PC places around.

How so?

42 posted on 04/21/2006 1:18:51 PM PDT by eskimo (Political groupies - rabid defenders of the indefensible.)
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To: Joe 6-pack

I recently took a few art classes at FIU.

There was in fact a portrait painting class given there by a qualified instructor, but only at night and not for the full semester, and only for the art education students, not the actual art students, who had no access whatsoever to that kind of thing.

I believe the instructor was, as you say, an adjunct.


43 posted on 04/21/2006 1:23:42 PM PDT by Sam Cree (Delicacy, precision, force)
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To: weegee; Buck W.

I was under the impression that "Penn" ==> U. of Penn (Ivy League), and Penn State, aka Nittany Lions, state school...


44 posted on 04/21/2006 1:37:57 PM PDT by Calvin Locke
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To: Happy Valley Dude

My brother and sister-in-law's alma mater and they always seem to think it is better than mine (Florida State). Now I have something to retort on their continued "greatness" of PSU.


45 posted on 04/21/2006 2:04:32 PM PDT by napscoordinator
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To: Sam Cree

I'd actually like to see the paintings. I'm not thrilled with the one in the illustration, but it would be interesting to see more of them.

I wonder if, in time, someone like Josh Stulman could send images to be posted on an alternative web site (like a thread a FR?). That way more people would be able to see his pieces than might just at Penn. And more discussion would ensue.

Actually, we don't know if he is indeed a conservative. But it is somewhat interesting that this is the second story in a day or two whereby the ruckus is over non-liberal views in art. I'm thinking, of course, of the "right wing attack chair" by another young art student (a blonde bombshell). It would be nice if the truly rebellious became conservatives, in the long-overdue swinging right of the pendulum.


46 posted on 04/21/2006 2:27:15 PM PDT by Republicanprofessor
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To: Happy Valley Dude
I sympathize with the kid's disappointment, and detest the shambles of academe, which seems to have been completely suborned by the Left, but frankly, the judges of the exhibition could've excluded his work on solely aesthetic grounds. From what I can tell, he simply isn't very good. Granted, the only piece I can see is "Our Greatest Hero", and that from a photograph, so my judgment of his work is necessarily qualified and narrow, but his draughtsmanship, composition, handling of materials, and use of color and form--at least in "Our Greatest Hero"--demonstrate an earnestness that simply doesn't translate to artistic merit. I don't doubt his sincerity or his convictions--which puts him head and shoulders above the postmodernists, in my view, but I don't think earnestness and sincerity are substitutes for talent.

Politically oriented stuff isn't usually very good, anyway, either left or right. (I must admit, though, that I've been sorely tempted to 'do' Mohammad in a particularly scathing and blasphemous way, but resist the urge as a waste of time--life's too short to spend any part of it showing the founder of Islam canoodling a pig.)
47 posted on 04/21/2006 2:46:51 PM PDT by Rembrandt_fan
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To: Republicanprofessor

I guess the odds are that the guy is a "liberal." After all, Israel itself is more or less socialist, I believe.

Yes, agreed that the Right, to the extent that there even is such a thing as "the Right," is the counterculture these days in America, at least in Academia.


48 posted on 04/21/2006 2:56:55 PM PDT by Sam Cree (Delicacy, precision, force)
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To: Crispus Attucks Patriot
If you believe that you are an ignoramus. I believe that everyone should have the right to express themselves freely and without retribution. That is why I have joined the U.S. Army, so I can defend people's rights, not crush them as our enemies do.
49 posted on 04/21/2006 2:57:38 PM PDT by PV2Sheppard
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To: Happy Valley Dude
Looks like political correctness is alive and well at in Happy Valley. God save JoePa.

Amen. . .

Are we as doomed as we appear by this cultural mind control? Is our 'frog cooked'?

PC continues with little resistance, it's pathetic and dangerous trail of erosion. . .

50 posted on 04/21/2006 3:04:02 PM PDT by cricket
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To: PV2Sheppard
Your rather strong reaction is confusing. Whose rights would be crushed if this particular student sued to allow his artistic voice to be heard? If you believe everyone has a right to express themselves, then why do you feel they wouldn't have a right to sue for their right to free speech?

BTW, welcome to FR.

51 posted on 04/21/2006 4:34:45 PM PDT by Sisku Hanne (Embrace Freedom....Hug a Vet!)
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To: Happy Valley Dude

Outrageous. However, no doubt an anti Jewish display would be okay, even applauded.


52 posted on 04/21/2006 4:39:11 PM PDT by Dante3
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To: Owl_Eagle; brityank; Physicist; WhyisaTexasgirlinPA; GOPJ; abner; baseballmom; Mo1; Ciexyz; ...

ping


53 posted on 04/21/2006 5:23:42 PM PDT by Tribune7
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To: eskimo

"You want me to give you instructions on how to perceive what I say?"

No. It's just common courtesy. So since there is no sarcasm tag and the subject was Palestinian terrorism and you seem to be implying that it is a strictly religious exhibit and you seem to agree that exhibits should be banned because of the potential of a violent response THEN I "perceive" your comments as idiotic.

/no sarcasm




54 posted on 04/21/2006 5:50:50 PM PDT by torchthemummy ("Reid...Kerry...Rockefeller. They were unable to attend due to a prior lack of commitment." - Cheney)
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To: torchthemummy

Perhaps there is something wrong with your "perceiver".


55 posted on 04/21/2006 8:33:03 PM PDT by eskimo (Political groupies - rabid defenders of the indefensible.)
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To: Happy Valley Dude

Sad news for this PSU grad to read.


56 posted on 04/21/2006 9:31:40 PM PDT by Ciexyz (Let us always remember, the Lord is in control.)
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To: Calvin Locke

You are correct.


57 posted on 04/21/2006 11:08:21 PM PDT by Buck W. (Avoid Evian Flu--Don't Drink Bottled Water.)
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To: Happy Valley Dude

president@psu.edu


58 posted on 04/22/2006 12:14:02 AM PDT by ncountylee (Dead terrorists smell like victory)
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To: Ciexyz
Disappointed class of 66.
59 posted on 04/22/2006 12:15:16 AM PDT by ncountylee (Dead terrorists smell like victory)
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To: PV2Sheppard
"If you believe that you are an ignoramus"


Believe what? That the FIRST AMENDMENT means exactly what it says? You do do remember that pesky lil' part of the very same Constitution you swore an oath to preserve, protect, and defend, don't you?

So you believe, (and will defend with your life I presume), a university that receives federal funds, (making it a legally quasi-governmental institution), has the right to censor and ban free speech, huh? All under the, (typically liberal), misnomers of "tolerance" and "diversity"?

In all honesty I believe that you simply misunderstood me. Re-read what I said and you might discover that you and I are in complete concordance on this one......and one more thing, soldier,

THANKS!

:-)
60 posted on 04/22/2006 12:07:27 PM PDT by Crispus Attucks Patriot (The first to give his life for your liberty was a Black man!)
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