Friday, Sep 5, 2008
The colorful dissenter of Benetton
BY DEBRA OLLIVIER
(04/17/00)
Toscani is a classic artist. He has the protection of a wealthy patron, and is allowed to use his art to enrage and/or pique the public mind as long as the patron gets what he wants (in this case, brand recognition.) Toscani's comparison of his relation with Benetton to that of Michelangelo and the pope is an apt one.
As long as Toscani is given carte blanche to make his images, it is his artistic duty to push the imagery ever outward, to constantly test and, if necessary, push back the boundaries of the public consciousness. To do less would be dishonest and unworthy of the label "artist." If the images are politically incorrect and iconoclastic, well, most true art is.
-- Jeff Rice
What a shame that an opportunity to do good is wasted by the infantile Toscani.
The death penalty is not wrong because the killers are worthy of sympathy. The death penalty is wrong because of what it makes us become. It is wrong because of our complementary values of peace and justice.
Thank you, Toscani, for completely alienating the crucially decisive American moderates on this issue. They were coming around to support us based on the morality of our position, but that is made far more difficult because of your misguided and profit-motivated ad campaign. Because of your preening arrogance you will have left this world a lesser place.
-- John McDonough
Live from death row
BY CRAIG OFFMAN
(04/17/00)
In response to Toscani's reference to the Sixth Commandment: I'd just like to point out that the actual translation of the Hebrew is "You shall not murder," not "You shall not kill," an important distinction, as it does not forbid killing of an enemy or punishment by death. In fact, there are many instances in the Torah where the death penalty is specifically called for. Toscani's lame rationalization for his ad campaign tells me his biblical education probably comes from Cecile B. DeMille movies!
-- Josh Levy
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