"Artistic self-censorship — over one complaint
Move over comedy — art may be the new offense on college campuses.
Case in point: A mural of a gun shooting flowers was largely covered over after it was accused by one student of being an “emotionally triggering” image that threatens black students at Pitzer College.
“My Black Mental and Emotional Health Matters.
I shouldn’t be reminded every time I leave my dorm room of how easy my life can be taken away, or how many Black lives have been taken away because of police brutality.
This is emotionally triggering for very obvious reasons,” student senator Gregory Ochiagha had said in a mass email to students recently.
Original intent for the mural was to comment on peace movements during the Vietnam era with no intention to weigh in on police brutality....But student artist Selena Spier agreed to re-conceptualize her masterpiece over the one complaint.
“I spoke with Gregory earlier and we agreed on a modification that preserves the integrity of the original piece while avoiding any potentially triggering content—it’s a change I was absolutely happy to make in the interest of creating a safe and inclusive environment for everyone in my community,” Spier told the Claremont Independent.
Not everyone agreed with the decision."
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