Art Museum Bolsters Lawsuit Against Giuliani
Every9man
politically. Giuliani has been known for taking vengeance out on those who
oppose him, I wonder just how long it will take him to turn a deaf ear on the
renewals of the funding for the 23 cultural insitutions which sent in a letter
of protest.
Barbara
October 2, 1999 NY Times
Art Museum Bolsters Lawsuit Against Giuliani
By DAVID BARSTOW
he Brooklyn Museum of Art on Friday refined its lawsuit against Mayor
Rudolph Giuliani, contending for the first time that the mayor should be
held personally liable for his campaign to cut off public financing and
evict the museum on the basis of his displeasure with an exhibition of
British art.
The exhibition, "Sensation," is to open to the public Saturday, and
several protests were planned by groups angered at various pieces in the
collection, which includes dead cows sliced and suspended in
formaldehyde and a portrait of the Virgin Mary with a breast fashioned
from elephant dung.
BROOKLYN MUSEUM'S CONTROVERSIAL ART EXHIBIT
Recent Coverage
姫olitical Memo: Museum Fight Carries Unclear Senate Impact Oct. 1,
1999)
姫rivate Collections Routine at Museums (Oct. 1, 1999)
膝iuliani Deputies Accuse Museum of Conspiracy to Inflate Art Value in
Show (Sept. 30, 1999)
筆useum Fight Pits Free Expression Against Control of Public Spending
(Sept. 30, 1999)
匹olumn --The Big City: Open Market for Artifacts Aids All Sides (Sept.
30, 1999)
稗rooklyn Museum Sues to Keep Mayor From Freezing Its Funds (Sept. 29,
1999)
匹ritic's Notebook: Defenders of the First Amendment Are Late to
Battlefield
彦irst Lady Assails Mayor Over Threat to Museum (Sept. 28, 1999)
匹hris Ofili: British Artist Holds Fast to His Inspiration (Sept. 28,
1999)
百eeking Buzz, Museum Chief Hears a Roar Instead (Sept. 25, 1999)
膝iuliani Threatens to Evict Museum Over Art Exhibit (Sept. 24, 1999)
匹ritic's Notebook: Cutting Through Cynicism in Art Furor (Sept. 24,
1999)
膝iuliani Vows to Cut Subsidy Over Art He Calls Offensive (Sept. 23,
1999)
Event Listing
筆ore Information About "Sensation" from New York Today (Oct. 1, 1999)
Slide Show
肘mages from the Exhibition (12 photos)
Forum
弼oin a Discussion on Mayor Giuliani and New York City Politics
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The mayor has called the portrait "sick stuff," but the museum asserted
in a federal lawsuit this week that Giuliani had violated the First
Amendment when he withheld public funds from the museum and then began
eviction proceedings because the museum refused to withdraw the disputed
works.
Friday, the museum amended its complaint. In addition to the First
Amendment claims, the museum now contends that the mayor, by singling
out the museum for punishment, has violated the Constitution's guarantee
of equal protection under the law. In a third allegation, the museum has
accused Giuliani of violating the state constitution and the City
Charter by refusing to release money already appropriated to the museum
by the City Council.
Whereas the museum's initial lawsuit was against Giuliani "in his
official capacity," the amended lawsuit is directed against Giuliani
"individually and in his official capacity." It also seeks punitive
damages, not simply lawyers' fees, in addition to a judicial declaration
forbidding the mayor from punishing the museum in any way for staging
the exhibition.
City officials did not return phone calls seeking comment.
Hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the museum Friday night to
denounce the mayor. "Lust for higher office and cultural terrorism --
that offends my religion," read one protest placard. Speaker after
speaker warned of a chilling effect on all local arts institutions
should the mayor prevail. The demonstration, organized by the New York
Civil Liberties Union and People for the American Way, seemed a sign of
things to come Saturday, with counter protests scheduled by
animal-rights and religious groups.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Mark Denman
a gift.
--
Mark Denman ~W.W.J.J.D.?~ <"what would judge judy do?">
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benzy
benzy
Josey
>give back a gift...as a result of others not liking that gift....
>
>benzy
Because the gift was bought with stolen money.
>Mark Denman wrote:
>
>> Arts funding is a GIFT. Pretty shitty to sue someone for not giving you
>> a gift.
>>
>> --
>> Mark Denman ~W.W.J.J.D.?~ <"what would judge judy do?">
Just another victim of the in-house drive-by,
Josey
"Democracy means simply the bludgeoning
of the people, by the people, for the people." --Oscar Wilde
Every9man
From: Mark Denman <mde...@pacbell.net>
Arts funding is a GIFT. Pretty shitty to sue someone for not giving you
a gift.
--
Mark Denman ~W.W.J.J.D.?~ <"what would judge judy do?">
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Read the article Mark. No one says the government ~has~ to fund the arts. The
law however prevents them from taking the funding away once they've given it in
an effort to stifle free speech.
Barbara