Chuck,

You have pointed to the obvious difficulties when dealing with people
who suffer from polar thinking - believing entirely in one side or the
other, as if there are no shades of grey in the middle.

To head your comment off at the pass, so to speak, I pointed out (in my
first message) that the way to combine the two - pluralism and
"intellectual integrity" - is to:

        (1) invite teachers to prepare their class(es) before
        the museum tour (or discuss the issues during or
        after);

        AND,

        (2) present what is considered "intellectual integrity"
        by the Museum community (i.e., AAM, museums
        professionals, etc.) and academics.

I would add - with a note of caution against censorship or
close-mindedness - the following: If a group objects so strongly to
material presented in a museums, they ought to consider self-censoring
(i.e., not visiting a museum) . . . rather than demand/expect a museum
to compromise its ethical duty to present information of "intellectual
integrity."  How dare anyone ask a museum to omit information and tell a
half-truth?  That does not strike me as a suitable demand/expectation
from a Christian group.  (Granted, I'm not Christian; so perhaps I
misunderstand Christian ethics.)

Not trying to stir up a tempest in a teapot.  But without "intellectual
integrity," there's little point in having museums.  Is there?

Sincerely,

Jay Heuman
Visitor & Volunteer Services Coordinator
Joslyn Art Museum
2200 Dodge Street, Omaha, NE, 68102
342-3300 (telephone)   342-2376 (fax)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Museum
* Etymology: Latin Museum place for learned
occupation, from Greek Mouseion, from
neuter of Mouseios of the Muses, from Mousa
* an institution devoted to the procurement,
care, study, and display of objects of lasting
interest or value; also, a place where
objects are exhibited.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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