Another cancel-culture resignation
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https://reason.com/2020/07/14/gary-garrels-san-francisco-museum-modern-art-racism/
Until last week, Gary Garrels was senior curator of painting and sculpture at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). He resigned his position after museum employees circulated a petition that accused him of racism and demanded his immediate ouster.
"Gary's removal from SFMOMA is non-negotiable," read the petition. "Considering his lengthy tenure at this institution, we ask just how long have his toxic white supremacist beliefs regarding race and equity directed his position curating the content of the museum?"
This accusation—that Garrels' choices as an art curator are guided by white supremacist beliefs—is a very serious one. Unsurprisingly, it does not stand up to even minimal scrutiny.
The petitioners cite few examples of anything even approaching bad behavior from Garrels. Their sole complaint is that he allegedly concluded a presentation on how to diversify the museum's holdings by saying, "don't worry, we will definitely still continue to collect white artists."
Garrels has apparently articulated this sentiment on more than one occasion. According to artnet.com, he said that it would be impossible to completely shun white artists, because this would constitute "reverse discrimination." That's the sum total of his alleged crimes. He made a perfectly benign, wholly inoffensive, obviously true statement that at least some of the museum's featured artists would continue to be white. The petition lists no other specific grievances.
You might think that one of the most prominent art curators in the country—with 20 years of experience at SFMOMA—would be able to weather such a pathetically weak accusation of racism. But in the current cultural moment, it appears not. Garrels promptly resigned.
In a statement announcing his decision to step down, Garrels apologized for the harm his words caused, only slightly disputing the absurd charge against him. " I do not believe I have ever said that it is important to collect the art of white men," he said, according to artnet.com. "I have said that it is important that we do not exclude consideration of the art of white men."
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I'd like a better understanding for why so many of these people so accused -- unjustly, stupidly -- just walk off the job so meekly. Did Garrels, with his 20 years there, not have adherents who would stand up with him? Why skulk off into the night, with an apology no less?
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There is a chance that he's a highly evolved person who is in the business of maximizing the enjoyment of the rest of his life and is aware that the most expedient way to do that is to not make waves, while secretly considering the whole culture to be a joke.
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Returning the compliment you gave me recently, Rainman; if I could I'd "Like" your post above.
I'm still harboring the hope that this whole dumbassery will burn itself out through sheer . . . well, extravagance of dumbassery. A critical mass of people will raise their heads out of their self-absorption and say Wait, What??? No way, this has gone far enough.
Something this overt, this flagrant, this infantile can't last.
I'm not owning that entirely, I could be a operating on a vestige from the Time Before, when there was common sense in the land. But we're in a place now when the likes of AOC is being re-elected, for God's sake. We're in the Land of the Lost.
Success is measured by your discipline and inner peace. – Mike Ditka
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@Catseye3 said in Another cancel-culture resignation:
Returning the compliment you gave me recently, Rainman; if I could I'd "Like" your post above.
I'm still harboring the hope that this whole dumbassery will burn itself out through sheer . . . well, extravagance of dumbassery. A critical mass of people will raise their heads out of their self-absorption and say Wait, What??? No way, this has gone far enough.
Something this overt, this flagrant, this infantile can't last.
Tell that to the Kulaks. If you can find any.
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@Loki said in Another cancel-culture resignation:
It’s just going to continue to build resentment to their cause. Everyone is muttering fuck them. Pretty soon it will be at a level people can hear.
I really hope you're right. Because it's already not gone that way a handful of times throughout history.
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@Aqua-Letifer said in Another cancel-culture resignation:
@Loki said in Another cancel-culture resignation:
It’s just going to continue to build resentment to their cause. Everyone is muttering fuck them. Pretty soon it will be at a level people can hear.
I really hope you're right. Because it's already not gone that way a handful of times throughout history.
Blacklisted comes to mind.
