A college art exhibit at East Tennessee State University has stirred outrage among Republican lawmakers for its depictions of Republican lawmakers, including President-elect Donald Trump, alongside swastikas and Ku Klux Klan hoods.
A response to fascism is how artist Joel Gibbs described his "Evolution" piece, in which a swastika morphs into a cross behind a portrait of House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., Tennessee news outlet WJHL reported.
"The fascism we seem to have in this country has attached itself to extreme right Christian groups," Gibbs said. "So I just figured by having a cross evolve into a swastika with him there smirking, it would sort of just give a ... it's a very large political cartoon in my sensibility."
Rep. Diana Harshbarger, R-Tenn., called the painting "an abhorrent mockery of my Christian faith" and demanded its removal.
"I, along with many students at ETSU, find the exhibit disturbing and hateful," Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., wrote in a letter to the university, according to the New York Post.
State Sen. Rusty Crowe called the display "hateful" and said it does not reflect the values of Northeast Tennessee.
University President Brian Noland said he found some of the pieces in the temporary exhibit "abhorrent" but cited state laws preventing their removal.
Nick Koutsobinas ✉
Nick Koutsobinas, a Newsmax writer, has years of news reporting experience. A graduate from Missouri State University’s philosophy program, he focuses on exposing corruption and censorship.
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