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Opinion: The controversial ‘Fire In My Belly’ video that the Catholic League and conservative Republicans didn’t want you to see

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In the editorial Art or sacrilege?, the Times’ editorial board takes on the Catholic League and conservative Republicans for asking the Smithsonian to remove David Wojnarowicz’s video, ‘Fire In My Belly,’ from its National Portrait Gallery. They say it’s an assault on Christianity and has no place in a publicly funded art exhibit. True, the video displays controversial religious imagery, such as ants crawling on a crucifix. But, the board argues:

‘[I]t’s deeply unclear whether Wojnarowicz’s video work was intended as an attack on Christianity — the ants on the crucifix could be seen as a modern take on the theme of divine suffering that has been a subject of Christian art for centuries. That’s the problem with letting censors determine what kind of art is socially acceptable: The meaning of a work is in the eyes of the beholder.’

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Following is a link to the video. Please be warned that the video may be offensive to some viewers and requires registration with YouTube to view. Watch ‘Fire In My Belly.’

-- Alexandra Le Tellier

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Credit: Screenshot of David Wojnarowicz’s video, ‘Fire in My Belly,’ on YouTube.

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