Arts Roundup: Gospel Hip-Hop Month and Censoring Rachel Corrie Under the Guise of Protesting Anti-Semitism
March 22nd, 2007 by Menachem Wecker
March is the fourth annual Gospel Hip-Hop Month, which aims to “shine the light” of the musicians “to hold Bible studies, start churches, take positions as youth leaders and pastors, hit the streets as evangelists and fly to foreign soil on missionary trips.”
[Christian Post]
Susan Sontag felt the novel was more moral than other media [Guardian], which provoked the charge of Luddite from Andrew Sullivan. [Daily Dish].
Michael Apted, Amazing Grace director, talks about going to church, lying on the grass and talking to God, presenting Christian characters to secular audiences, and actor Youssou N’Dour, who is Muslim, reflects:
I can understand behind this message a lot of great things. I think whether you’re a Muslim or Christian, the message is the same. Understanding when people apologise. When someone apologises, ‘now my eyes are open’ - and I want to experience something like that.
One wonders (satirically) if he meant to exclude Judaism from that discussion.
[Christian Today]
“My Name is Rachel Corrie” is coming to Seattle, to protests from the Jewish community, including the Va’ad HaRabanim of Greater Seattle, which is calling for “balance” ot the play’s politics with other pro-Israel plays. I will never understand why people pick on artists and insist that they display journalistic detachment and objectivity. Journalism has its place, but it makes terrible art.
[Seattle Times]
One of Clyfford Still’s two daughters, Sandra Campbell, says of her dad:
“There was nothing but church and work.”
[IHT]