I have attended this school for the past five years, and I have never found a reason to write to the Newspeak Commentary... until now. For the past two years, I have commuted about an hour to school everyday. Most of time between classes has been spent in the George C. Gordon Library studying and getting most of my class work done. I have found a few places in the library that are quiet, comfortable and very conducive to getting work done. The staff there has also been very helpful whenever I needed assistance, and it wasn't until recently that I ever had a problem.
In the main foyer on the third floor of the building, just as you enter, is a section of wall that the library staff has reserved for a mini-art gallery. Periodically, the library will display the works of a local artist, or WPI student. The works that I have seen have been in a variety of forms, from photography to water colors, to ink and pencil drawings. I have to admit, some of the art work displayed there has been quite nice, and has added some character to the library.
However, the exhibit that was put up over spring break shocked me. Coming back from spring break, I went up to the second floor, where my locker is located and saw an array of photographs on the wall that I considered very offensive. I am not talking about vague silhouettes of nude people on oil canvas, I'm talking about vivid photographic images that, in all honesty, you would need to be eighteen to purchase in a convenience store. Both appalled and puzzled, I spoke with the person that was in charge of the exhibit. The response I received was "Nude art is an accepted art form world-wide." Well, personally I don't care what the world accepts, it still offended me. So I spoke with the person in charge of the library. To my disappointment, I got the same thing.
I realize that, in this country, everyone has the right to express themselves freely. However, I don't feel they have the right to shove their expressions in other people's faces. What really bothers me is that these pictures are in the main foyer of the second floor, and you cannot get anywhere on that second floor without looking at them. Like I said, my locker is up there, and I do my studying there as well. After all, the building was created to be a library, not an art gallery. I suggested to the staff that, if they wanted to put pornographic material on the walls, they should but it in an isolated room somewhere. And Yes, it is pornographic. I don't understand why people think that if you take material that is prohibited by law for minors to obtain, put a signature on it and wrap it up in a nice wooden frame, it's suddenly alright to display it where people have to look at is and say "that's art."
I saw a little child up on that floor the other day with her parent, and I mentioned that to the staff person. Their response was something to the effect of "Well, if a parent doesn't was their children to see the pictures, they don't have to go up there." That's funny, because I always thought that library was a public facility, open to people of all ages for the use of literature research and study. Apparently, some members of the staff think otherwise.
Well, I guess you can define the use of the library however you want to, and you can call the pornographic material that was put up over break "art" if you want to as well. But you cannot deny the fact that there are absolutes in this world, and there are standards that people are required to live by. Some people may not think so, but one day we will all have to answer to the One who set those standards. I'm so thankful that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the price for my sins so that, on the day that I have to answer to Him, I will be justified by His grace. I am not mad at those members of the library staff, I'm just using my rights to "Freedom of Expression." My heart goes out to them, in hopes that someday they'll see the need for the same justification that I need... that we all need...
Peter H. Dell'Erba
Class of 1996