To the editor:

In last weekend’s (May 12) story on the Saranac Lake school art show, a major theme was students’ embracing of causes, complete with a large photo of a pro-gay-marriage poster. While not art in the traditional sense, the poster is competently executed issue advocacy, albeit a bit on the strident and angry (“Get over it”) side.

It got me wondering, however … how would a similarly capable piece espousing the opposite view have fared? Something like, “Not anti-gay, just pro-(traditional) marriage.” Not all that outlandish a position, after all — until a few years ago, it was the view of most Americans, including President Obama, and it is still held by many, based either on religious tenets or a vision of government’s proper role in society. But would it have been acceptable at a show like this, or would the student have faced disciplinary action? And who decides?

The alternative would be to encourage student artists to focus on, well, art.

Joseph Kimpflen

Tupper Lake