Thursday, February 4, 1999
Commission’s ads cause controversy
USAC: Material deemed offensive by some, others see it as
artistic statement
By Barbara Ortutay
Daily Bruin Staff
Two advertisements placed in the Daily Bruin last week by the
Campus Events Commission were criticized as tasteless and offensive
by members of the Undergraduate Students Association Council (USAC)
at their meeting on Tuesday.
Both ads publicized upcoming campus movie events sponsored by
the commission, which is part of student government.
One advertisement for the movie "Welcome to the Dollhouse,"
depicted the film’s 12-year-old main character with the words "rape
me" superimposed on her forehead.
"This is beyond irresponsibility and ignorance," said USAC
President Stacy Lee. "I have seen the movie and it’s not meant to
be funny – it’s disturbing."
Lee added that the ads were also "marginally sexist."
"Welcome to the Dollhouse" is a film about an 12-year-old girl
going through pre-pubescent ordeals and being taunted and treated
as an outcast by her classmates.
It was mainly this advertisement that was deemed offensive by
most USAC members. The other ad in question, for the film
"Happiness," showed two dolls on a bed in a sexual position.
At the meeting, the council briefly discussed the ads and may
take further action at its meeting next week.
Lee suggested sensitivity workshops for Campus Events and other
USAC staff members, as well as new guidelines to prevent similar
incidents in the future.
Campus Events Commissioner Charles Ku said he is "indirectly
responsible" for the advertisement.
"I entrust my ads director with this, and half the time, I never
see the ad," he said.
He added that while the "Happiness" advertisement was on the
"fringes of being offensive," the other ad was "intolerable."
Henry Lopez, the designer of the ads and a third-year design
student, defended his artistic freedom.
"To me, rape is a loss of innocence, and that is what the movie
is about," he said. "When people pick on outsiders to make
themselves feel good they are raping that person of innocence and
dignity."
"People like to jump on the sexual aspect of it, but they are
being myopic and can’t see the broader picture that the word rape
really means," he added.
USAC General Representative John Strelow said the council’s
discussion of the ad should go deeper than the its offensive
nature.
"It definitely makes a statement," he said. "They should see why
they were offended and whether it was in a destructive way or in a
way that could create constructive discussion."
USAC Administrative Representative Berky Nelson saw the incident
as a learning opportunity.
"The First Amendment means that people can put ideas out there
and evaluate them," he said. "This is an opportunity to do some
teaching, learning and sharing."
A main criticism of the advertisements was that the Campus
Events Commission used student fees to place the ads in The
Bruin.
"These are public funds in your control, not private money,"
said USAC Alumni Representative Greg Land.
Lee said that in the past, USAC has disciplined student
organizations for similar incidents.
She noted the de-sponsorship of the Interfraternity Council in
October 1992 upon discoving songbooks containing racist and sexist
slurs.
Lopez said the ads were not meant to be sexist or homophobic but
to depict the offensive nature of the movies themselves.
"Art is provocative," he said. "The movies shown that week were
provocative, and I tried to follow those lines."
"Happiness" is about sexual deviation, featuring four sisters
and a pedophile husband.
Ku said the subject matter of the advertisement doesn’t
necessarily reflect the views of the entire Campus Events
staff.
"There were staff members who were equally offended," he
said.
Jessica Horowitz, a third-year American literature and culture
student and Campus Events staff member, said advertisements should
target people who have not seen the movies, not only those who have
seen them and understand the context of the ads.
"If the whole joke misses the people who haven’t seen the films,
then it’s not reaching its target," she said. "Taken out of
context, these ads are offensive."n
BAHMAN FARAHDEL/Daily Bruin
Campus Events Commissioner Charles Ku speaks at the USAC meeting
on Tuesday. Ku participated in a discussion about a controversial
ad placed by his office in the Daily Bruin last week.
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