What has happened to intellectualism and art? Perhaps I am too sensitive, but over the years I have watched the decline of intellectualism and art appreciation in the United States. In the past decade there seems to have been an all out assault on the value of the intellectual and the artist. What started out as a grumble of protest over such works as Piss Christ, has grown to a deafening howl by those with fundamentalist views. I have personally experienced the wrath of the right wing in the past 17 months since my involvement in an online art community.
Those who follow my work have come to expect that I will not back down, nor will I ever make an apology for my work. The current source of disturbance for my devoted detractors is ATTENTION PHARMACY CUSTOMERS. It seems that my use of the word bigot in the description of my work has been perceived as an attack on Christianity. Please! Take a pill folks (that is if you can get the prescription filled). But seriously, if a person is "utterly intolerant of any differing creed, belief, or opinion" that person is a bigot. No I'm not going to apologize, and I am not going to change the description. A brief examination of the political views of the religious right in the United States reveals that they are generally, anti- abortion, anti- gay, undermine civil rights and equal rights of women and minorities, and have taken their cause to the political arena.
My poem, Pigeon Religion, has also upset a few religious minded people as well. It is a silly poem about the futility that I feel about religious ritual. Our spirituality does not come from making public prayers, going to church, or sharing a sacrament. It comes from within. Whatever we do outwardly does not reflect what we are inwardly. In my opinion (and yes I am entitled to an opinion) all the public praying is nothing more than a big show designed to get attention and give the appearance of righteousness. The outrageous braying about anything that can be perceived as not Christian is so much pigeon crap. Get over yourselves, religious right wing fundamentalists. Not everyone shares your views.
Those who follow my work have come to expect that I will not back down, nor will I ever make an apology for my work. The current source of disturbance for my devoted detractors is ATTENTION PHARMACY CUSTOMERS. It seems that my use of the word bigot in the description of my work has been perceived as an attack on Christianity. Please! Take a pill folks (that is if you can get the prescription filled). But seriously, if a person is "utterly intolerant of any differing creed, belief, or opinion" that person is a bigot. No I'm not going to apologize, and I am not going to change the description. A brief examination of the political views of the religious right in the United States reveals that they are generally, anti- abortion, anti- gay, undermine civil rights and equal rights of women and minorities, and have taken their cause to the political arena.
My poem, Pigeon Religion, has also upset a few religious minded people as well. It is a silly poem about the futility that I feel about religious ritual. Our spirituality does not come from making public prayers, going to church, or sharing a sacrament. It comes from within. Whatever we do outwardly does not reflect what we are inwardly. In my opinion (and yes I am entitled to an opinion) all the public praying is nothing more than a big show designed to get attention and give the appearance of righteousness. The outrageous braying about anything that can be perceived as not Christian is so much pigeon crap. Get over yourselves, religious right wing fundamentalists. Not everyone shares your views.
Well said Helen, I can't believe how active (busy) you are.
ReplyDeleteMatt P