In response to Campus Connection’s ridiculous red flagging of the Alex Caldiero’s Humanities 2020 poster which depicts the Caravaggio painting "Cupid Triumphant," and the Supreme Court’s repeated refusal to clearly define obscenity, profanity, pornography and/or offensive material citing community standards as the means by which to define those things, the question I have for you is this.
Where do you personally draw the line or what material do you personally find offensive?
This response will seem like an attempt at humor, but it’s dead serious: blending chocolate and mint. Ewww. I find mint-chocolate anything highly offensive. I’d rather eat rat bile and horseradish. -Jason Pyles
I DO find the term "Staff Infection" offensive. -Britnee Nguyen
There really is a fine line between art and something you would find profane. If something is made to depict the human body with all its soul, one can find nothing but beauty and innocence. However, when something objectifies the body, it steals the soul. The main point is this: beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It’s all in how you look at it. -Sarah Brimhall
I can’t describe it, but when I see it, I know it. Yes, if you’re wondering, I am a jackass. No, I’m not Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart. -Amy Thaut
Recently I went to go see Across the Universe at the Provo Towne Center Mall. Due to there being a couple surprise ‘boobies’ having been shown, most of the people left the theatre. Only in Provo. The rest of the movie did not feature more nudity, and was very good. It is offensive to me that people have the "piety" to act like that. Even LDS film director Richard Dutcher has said "It is better to tell an R-rated truth than a G-rated lie." -Greg Wilcox
The College Times! What a liberal piece of conservative nonsense! Especially that Staff Infection. -Justin Ritter
The term patently offensive gets thrown around alot in discussions of obscenity and pornography. There’s a pretty clear distinction between art and pornography, in my opinion. Art is socially acceptable and should be studied in terms of form, function and design. Pornography is not art; it’s intent is titilation and arousal. I don’t see how art and erotica can be so confusing. -Chad Hunt
Anything that would bring a dark spirit into my presence, that would make me feel uncomfortable. This would include: pornography (or anything degrading toward anyone–especially women), profanity, obscenity, idolatry, etc. Stupidity also does not appeal to me. -Robert Jones
Images of violence, war or death used to promote patriotism cross the line, for me. I don’t accept the idea that violence justifies violence. I also don’t accept the justification that violent movies, television programming, cartoons, etc. merely reflect our culture. I believe that constant exposure to violent images does not reflect our culture but creates an increase of violence in our thoughts, and therefore, in our lives. -Robbin Anthony
I find an invasion that kills people, broadcast on public TV for entertainment to be obscene. I find lying to the American people or enforcing patriotism to be profane. I find censorship of free expression (expression that does not seek to harm or limit free expression,) to be offensive. I find the publicizing of crime scene bodies and stories, photographing people killed in wars for evening news, and rubber-necking at accidents to be pornographic. Sex and swearing don’t leave a body count. -Carmell Hoopes-Clark
Quoting US Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart, "I know it when I see it." Honestly though, I define pornography as content and context. Nudity in Playboy is pornographic because it is designed to sell sexuality. But Michelangelo’s "David" depicts the nude male human form which could be considered pornographic, but the venue it is presented in, art museums, definitely would not be considered pornographic. -Jason Adkins
I think if we can plaster Britney Spears’s bloated, drunken character on TV and in tabloids walking around town–coked out, dropping her kids, using them as airbags and giving them baby bottles of Pepsi–nothing is taboo anymore. -Luke Hickman
