Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (May 27, 1992)
Ç__L_A__C_K__A_M_A_S. Ç—Q_M_JL_U_JL±J1_Y Ç_Q_L_L_E_G_E 'P'tMÎ Oregon City, Oregon________________ May 27,1992 Vol. XXV No. 25 Ideas sculpted during art funding forum by Robert A. Hibberd Co-Editor-In-Chief The question of whether or not public money should pay for controversial art was debated yesterday in the McLoughlin The atre. The forum, entitled “Clash of Ideas,” was sponsored by the CCC Division of Humanities and Social Services. John Hooley, assistant dean of humanities and Susanna Lundgren, art history teacher, said no, while English Instructor Kate Gray and Social Science Instructor Joe Uris said yes. The issue of public funding for the arts has gained national attention because of Congress' management of the National En dowment for the Arts (NEA). Each forum participant was given seven minutes to represent Susanna Lundgren, art his tory teacher, represents a view that opposes public funding of controversial art. photo by David VanKauran his or her position; then the par ticipants questioned one another, followed by a period of audience questions. Gray was the first forum participant to present a platform. She attempted to define the role of the NEA. “In the very legislation, it states that the intent of this act should be the encouragement of free inquiry and expression,” said Gray. Gray also emphasized the im portance of an NEA grant to the individual artist. “The award carries the pres tige that private funders seek to get,” said Gray. “When you get an NEA awaid, a lot of people want to give you money. It’s a hot item.” To emphasize the importance of free expression, Gray quoted Arthur Miller as writing, “No writing can comeabout when an author fears questioning absolutely everything, when he regards any institutions habit or customs as being either everlasting, immti- nitable or inevitable.” Gray summarized with a statement regarding the role Fed eral Government plays in art. “The role of Federal Gov ernment, therefore, should be the expansion of human nature through art, the empowering of humans to find a home for imagi nation and experiences,” con cluded Gray. Hooley was another partici pant to speak during the opening period. Hooley seems to believe that people who visit galleries Social Science Instructor Joe Uris and English Instructor Kate Gray supported the idea of public funding for controversial art during the forum that took place yesterday. photo by David VanKauran don’t say they dislike contro versy because they fear peer pres sure. “The real strain on them is that they can’t say that because they might be suspected of not being with it if they didn’t say ‘Oh, that looks really wonder that’s a problem, I apologize and offer a warning: stop looking, stop listening and stop thinking.. . ‘Piss Christ,”’ proclaimed Uris. Uris defined “Piss Christ” to the audience, saying that it is a “vial vile of urine and a crucifix seemingly suspended in it”- ful.’ Hooley also seems to feel that the photo entitled “Piss Christ” was simply a Leftist attack on conservatives. “Would ‘Piss Christ’ have been funded if it had been Nel son Mandela or Caesar Chavez instead of Christ,” said Hooley. Uris was the next partici pant to speak. “With fear and trembling, I’m going to defend the most of fensive avant garde art Jesse Helms ever loved to hate. If Uris also feels that govern ment involvement in the arts it actually much more of an issue Tax base replaces levy system by Nolan Kidwell News Editor The recent May 19 election passed the Clackamas Commu nity College tax base by 57.6 percent, after all absentee ballets were counted. The new tax base replaces the former serial levy system which the college had previously used for funding. Clackamas was the only state-funded college in Oregon before last Tuesday to use a serial levy, which requires a new election every two to three years. “We’ve always been operat ing in the margin in that sense,” according to College President John Keyser. The final tally after all ab sentee ballets were tabulated show 31,505 voters in favor of the tax base and 18,768 votes against the new tax base. The friends of Clackamas Community College helped lead the campaign to educate voters and work toward getting the tax base passed. The college distrib uted lawn signs for supporters of the measure and wrote a variety of letters to local newspapers in favor of the tax base. The largest mailing of flyers which were dis tributed to the voters in nearby communities totaled 20,000. “Any time people don’t understand something they tend to vote no,” commented Keyser. Chuck Cle- mans, coordinator of the friends of Clackamas Community Col lege tax base election campaign, explained that the tax base elec tion was helped by the outstand ing reputation for excellence which the college has enjoyed. Under the new tax base, the college's portion of the decreas ing property tax dollars, under Measure 5, will be locked in. Keyser explained that this tax than it appears. “Remember that the attack upon publicly funded controver sial art is not happening by acci dent This is a concerted and co ordinated attack by the righteous and reactionary people to impose their rule on you,” said Uris. Uris concluded his platform with a statement towards Far- Right agendas that was both fit tingly poetic and controversial. “Their goal is a world of Beaver Cleavers with well-hid den cleavers and no visible bea vers.” Lundgren was the next and last forum panel participant to present a platform to the people present at the political parley. “Isn’t it only fair to expect that if you get into bed with the government, you should have to putout,”statedLundgren. “Seri ously, isn’t it reasonable for the public to expect that its money is at least not funding work which is repugnant to the deeply felt sensibility of most people.” Following the platforms, questions arose concerning where and how and if lines could be drawn to separate good art from bad art The African Kings base is different than the tax bases in the past which involved an annual six percent increase. “This will not increase property taxes,” he said. It is different from, other tax bases because the decrease from Measure 5 outweighs any increases. “This doesn’t solve the long term financial problems of the college created by Measure 5, but it is a step in the right direc tion,” said Keyser. “We need to keep looking for ways to cut costs and deliver courses more effec tively.” If the May 19 election had not passed in favor of a tax base for Clackamas, the college would have been forced to hold a serial levy in March of next year. Ac cording to Keyser, the college would have faced closure if no elections had been passed by June 1993. photo by Vivian Johaon The African Kings, a reggae band, performed in the CCa Mall on May 20 at noon. It was their second perform ance at Clackamas this year.
