Why does your page look like this?

Artist’s statement
My experience exhibiting at the TAC Gallery last spring was troubling, and I appreciate your pick in the “Best of Nashville: Arts & Entertainment” listing (Oct. 4). I must, however, make a correction: the video you mention does show three women passing an orange using only their necks, but they are fully clothed. There were four works that were rejected by the gallery, and only one work contained what they considered partial nudity. I’m not sure how one defines partial nudity, but my video “Unclean” contained several quick shots of pubic hair viewed through an opening in a black velvet dress.

I am still perplexed by Rich Boyd’s claim that my work was rejected due to a “lack of artistic value.”

Considering I was awarded a TAC Individual Artist Grant for my work in video, logic follows that TAC funds work without “artistic value.” That doesn’t make much sense. I was honored to receive the grant, but I was disappointed that I wasn’t able to show the work that was funded by the award.

I am greatly indebted to the National Coalition Against Censorship and the ACLU of Tennessee for their attention to my problems with the TAC Gallery. TAC is the major funding source for artists in the region, so imagine the difficulty establishing a pattern of censorship at TAC if artists had to speak out on record. The ACLU-TN is committed to protecting artistic expression and creating opportunities for artists and the public to come together to discuss the First Amendment. I hope soon to have the opportunity to show my work in Nashville so viewers may judge for themselves.
CINDY REHM
crehm@mtsu.edu (Murfreesboro)

Speaking of amendments
I have bad news for P.J. Tobia: there is “unprotected group sex” and lots of other things he would likely find “offensive” going on in private situations all over Nashville and the United States, and passing laws will not make any of it go away (“Not Doing Jack,” Oct. 4). Further news: as long as men are sexually compulsive enough to want “handjobs” from total strangers, there will be women (or men, as in the alleged case of Sen. Craig) willing to provide them, and no law can stop it. The Fourth Amendment should provide constitutional protection for private, nonviolent acts involving consenting adults, but America’s Christian mullahs have warped this country into enough of a theocracy that this is not the case.

I think it’s offensive that “handjobs” are the only skill Ms. Peacock has that can earn her the kind of money that most people at the corporate level take for granted. I think it’s offensive that P.J. Tobia has nothing better to do than demonize this unfortunate woman, whose history is probably eerily parallel to that of Teresa Harris, chronicled last week by Sarah Kelley (“To Have, but Not to Hold,” Sept. 27).

And I think it’s offensive that, with so many really important things needing a spotlight, such as flaky voting machines, restrictions of our ability to travel or the REAL ID Act as it applies to Tennessee, just to name a few, you chose to showcase a lurid sex story. But hey, what should I expect?
MARTIN HOLSINGER
martinholsinger@nashville.net (Nashville)

Hands job
The non-article about the haphazard enforcement agency known as SOB (Is it a sexually oriented Business Licensing Board, or do they license sexually oriented business?) deserves a big hand (“Not Doing Jack,” Oct. 4). How appropriate that in the Best of Nashville edition of the Scene, this story ranks at the top, hands down. Rather than causing knee-jerk overreactions as a result of being jerked around by an aspiring and ambitious female entrepreneur who, it seems, simply wants to try her hand at a small business venture, the SOB casually looks the other way. I think that’s probably a good idea, since it means that the right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing.

RHIO HIRSCH
talkingzen@gmail.com (Whites Creek)

In praise of suburbia
I am writing to let you know that, unlike your Love/Hate Mail writers, I love reading Lindsay Ferrier’s column each week (Suburban Turmoil). She is such a talented writer and is an asset to the Nashville Scene. Y’all are lucky to have her! Thanks!

LIZ HANSEN
hansenair@charter.net (Gainesville, Ga.)

Power to the people
In regard to your article, “Machinery of Death” (Sept. 27), I agree with the decision that Judge Trauger made—for different reasons than just my stance on the death penalty. Commissioner Little is just one more example of a person in a seat of power who pursues his or her own interests, rather than the people’s. Granted, in the scope of the lies and manipulation that occur all too often by public officials, his offenses were not that great. But when I hear about his lying to a court about the review committee’s findings (which I thought was perjury), along with other examples of blatantly pursuing his own agenda, it strips me of just a little more faith that our government is not really dictated by a small group of individuals with their own ideas. For this reason, I am happy to see this ruling, instead of just one more judge allowing a powerful person to make a mockery of justice.

MCALLEN BELL
thezenunderground@gmail.com (Nashville)

Corrections
In last week’s Best of Nashville Readers’ Poll, we listed Dr. Roy Elam, a physician, as Best Dentist. It should have been Dr. Robert Elam. Also, Ben Page & Associates came in second place as Best Landscaper, but the company says they are landscape architects, not landscapers. The Scene regrets the errors.