Loading ...At the University of Maine in Farmington, Susan Crane, an education major, was given permission by the University to put in place an art display in a hallway. The display consisted of 5 large American flags placed on the floor, which left people to decide whether to walk over the flags or around them. To record people’s choices, their feet were filmed as they made their decision. Not surprisingly, the display prompted controversy - and quite a bit of it.
Charles Bennett, a veteran, and commander of the American Legion in Franklin County, attempted to remove the flags from the display and labeled the display offensive and insulting. Soon, University security came and talked to him, and he eventually agreed to stop trying to remove them and simply stood in protest instead.
The controversy is not limited to just those at the University of Maine in Farmington, but also managed to spread online with various conservative bloggers picking up the story. Ed Morrisey at hotair.com, for instance, ponders why “American students feel such hatred and antipathy towards the country that guarantees the very right to expression used by both parties in this confrontation.” But who exactly does he mean when he said “American students?” The vast majority of students who saw the exhibit walked around the flags and chose not to step on them, and further, Susan Crane did not set up the exhibit with the intent of making people step on the flags. She has even stated that she considers herself to be a “conservative Republican,” has a veteran in her family (who she consulted prior to the project) and would not step on the flag herself - yet she recognizes that in America people have freedom of expression.
While Morrisey does not dispute that both the display and protesting of the display (minus the attempting to remove it) are protected by the first amendment, not everyone is in agreement on the issue apperantly. Jenn Sierra at forthardknox.com writes “This is a disgrace. ‘Freedom of Speech,’ does not include public universities sponsoring the desecration of the American flag and calling it ‘art.’” Actually, it does allow people to desecrate flags. But again, that was not the intent of the project, which was to allow people the choice to step on the flags, or walk around.
It is one thing if you view the flag as the symbol of the nation - personally, I do. But repeating the oft repeated claim that soldiers have fought and died for a flag is to denigrate their sacrifice. They did not fight and die for a flag, they fought and died for independence, for liberty, and for freedom. Not the freedom for people to do what the soldiers wanted people to do, and not the freedom for people to do what you want them to do. It was the freedom for people to do what they themselves want to do. People don’t have to view the flag as a symbol of the nation. People don’t have to treat the flag with respect, even if they do view it as a symbol of the nation. But people do have to respect the rights of others, whether it be the right to free speech, or any other right they possess. If we lose sight of that, only then can you disgrace that which so many feel the flag represents.
(Photo credit to mmwm.)
14 responses so far ↓
1 Jen // Apr 16, 2008 at 8:01 pm
I think first of all, the symbol on the floor was not a flag at all, it was duct tape. It was a symbol of a symbol. Second, I don’t think it matters whether people wanted to step around the flag or step on the flag, the important thing is that they had the right to do both. I believe the purpose of the piece was to ignite discussion about what the flag means and how we treat it because of that meaning. In the end, the meaning is something we manifested ourselves. We have the right to change that meaning or uphold it. I don’t think standing on a flag, or putting a flag on the floor, means that I don’t support America.
2 megan // Apr 16, 2008 at 10:36 pm
Susan Crane is not an art major she is an education major.
3 Chester Lunt // Apr 16, 2008 at 10:41 pm
Sorry about that. I have fixed it.
4 Poor John // Apr 17, 2008 at 5:55 am
I really don’t see a problem with this. Infact, you could say that it’s a very good experiment, to see whether one does take the chance at stepping on the flag or not. I’d walk around it for respect, but others might not. It’s there choice, and really can’t be punished because, as Jen pointed out, they really aren’t real flags, only duct tape.
5 Freedom, Soar! // Apr 17, 2008 at 8:32 am
The salient point is not the desecration of the American flag to make a point about free speech, but that the better example, if this was truly the intent, was to choose a Muslim flag or a rainbow (gay rights) flag or a UN flag. But this, of course, would not be encouraged or, worse, tolerated, thus substantiating the claims of those offended by the exhibit.
6 Chester Lunt // Apr 17, 2008 at 1:02 pm
The problem with your argument is that you are assuming the exhibit was made in the only way it could have been, and not simply in the way the student who created it decided to create it. We do not know that an exhibit with the other flags you described would have been rejected - and it seems to me the indications are that it would have been allowed. If it were not allowed, that is when your fears of a double standard would be substantiated.
Further, while you personally may believe another flag would have been better suited for the project, the whole point of free speech is that people have the freedom to say what they want, and in this case, choose the flag that they want. Not be forced to conform to the views of another, whether they be mine, yours, or anyone else.
7 Poor John // Apr 17, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Freedom, Soar!, do you honestly think that people would care if they stepped on a U.N. flag?
Plus, The salient point was about the desecration of the American flag to make a point about free speech…
8 British Aviator // Apr 17, 2008 at 9:03 pm
I come from a family who belives that the flag is precious and I always wondered why. One day I was planning a picknik I was 6 If I remember correctly. I found the nearest sheet or cloth in this case a large american flag. I took the blanket layed it down on the grass and ate a sandwitch on it. Knowing not what I was doing, My mom came outside yelled at me and diciplined me. I thought this was terribly unfair. Years later I knew why I was punished but still found it a little harsh. I dont think it should matter a flag is cloth just like anyother piece of material. It should be treated but respect but not Lifted on a petistol like some holy object.
9 Andrea // Apr 17, 2008 at 9:15 pm
I am disgusted to be part of a society that would do such a horrible thing. I hear about first amendment rights but what I don’t hear is how we got these rights. We have these freedoms because of veterans that died and fought for our rights and honor. As people step on flags they are not stepping on politics but on those that went down fighting for us to have the choices we take for granted daily. This is the worst thing we could do to veterans from every war, not just the current. They’ve lost so much and have lived with so much pain for what? For a professor and teacher of more than just college students to step on them. This is not a practice of freedom of speech and expression but a demonstration of what US citizens take for granted: those that protect and fight for our rights while we sit in comfy classes thinking of disgusting ways to make ignorant statements. This truly is ignorance and dishonor at its best. I’m sorry to all of our military members and families.
10 Jen // Apr 18, 2008 at 12:42 am
What is the point of having soldiers to protect our rights if we’re not allowed to exercise them?
11 walking // Apr 19, 2008 at 6:01 pm
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12 Jam // Apr 23, 2008 at 4:40 am
Can I put MUSLIM flags on the floor at UMF? I’ll pay for the expenses, but hey, it won’t happen will it?
For home addresses, phone numbers of the artists, UMF president and GOOGLE EARTH maps of the major players in this art show, visit
http://www.grodnereffect.com
We post them as we get them. Free speech means that free and open information is available to all who want that information.
13 Chester Lunt // Apr 23, 2008 at 8:17 am
Jam, someone already brought up that argument. You are pre-supposing that they would not allow other flags to be used, simply because an American flag was used in this art piece by the artist. There is absolutely no indication other flags would not be allowed, and until there is, claims that there is some sort of double standard are baseless.
14 Top Unix News » Controversy Over Flag Display at UMF // Jun 16, 2008 at 8:23 am
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