[MSN] museum exhibit featuring several American flags that had been deep-fried has been removed over concerns that the art could spark a controversy.

[Museum Security Network Mailinglist]

Fried Flags Display Removed From Museum

November 20, 2006 4:40 p.m. EST


Shaveta Bansal - All Headline News Staff Writer
Clarksville, TN (AHN) - A museum exhibit featuring several American flags
that had been deep-fried has been removed over concerns that the art could
spark a controversy. The Customs House Museum exhibit titled "The Fat Is in
the Fire," featured three U.S. flags imprinted with phrases such as "Poor
people are obese because they eat poorly" and more than 40 smaller flags
fried in peanut oil, egg batter, flour and black pepper. 

Art student William Gentry said his work was inspired by the prevailing
obesity problem in America and that he deep-fried the flag for his concern
about America and America's health. 

But the museum's executive director, Ned Crouch, took down the exhibit less
than 18 hours after it went up, saying that the timing of the display could
cause "incendiary reactions." 

"It's about what the community values," Crouch said. "I'm representing 99
percent of our membership - educators, doctors, lawyers, military families."


"Over half my funding is public funding. ... I don't want to rock a boat
that's hard to keep floating. It's not worth jeopardizing for an exhibit,"
he was quoted by The Tennessean as saying. 

Although, the U.S. Supreme Court in 1989 ruled that flag-burning is
protected by the First Amendment right to free speech, but the measure is
still controversial and is regarded as a guaranteed way to start scuffles
and fistfights. 


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