"Evil Is"

[The thought occurs that the project could just be an elaborate lie to elicit social outrage--if that's the case, I hardly feel bad for giving someone the benefit of the doubt that they're not a liar until proven otherwise. Although with the "person" described herein, anything is possible.]

LATEST UPDATE: It may NOT be a lie after all!!!

But Shvarts stood by her project, calling the University’s statement “ultimately inaccurate.”

My head hurts. That happens when you deal with serial liars and a web of lies. This is bizarre, and this creature is a head case, so don't expect anything that, ultimately, isn't crazy.

I thought universities could expel students for academic fraud ...?
-------------------------

UPDATE: It is a lie. But it's still the act of an evil and demented person, so the fact that she is a liar should not surprise us. And it looks like she managed to make The Yale Daily News pay a credibility price for her irresponsible manipulation of their reporter and editor. Thanks to "Cranky" in "Comments," below.

Statement by Helaine S. Klasky — Yale University, Spokesperson
New Haven, Conn. — April 17, 2008

Ms. Shvarts is engaged in performance art. Her art project includes visual representations, a press release and other narrative materials. She stated to three senior Yale University officials today, including two deans, that she did not impregnate herself and that she did not induce any miscarriages. The entire project is an art piece, a creative fiction designed to draw attention to the ambiguity surrounding form and function of a woman’s body.

She is an artist and has the right to express herself through performance art.
Had these acts been real, they would have violated basic ethical standards and raised serious mental and physical health concerns.

Ms. Klasky, that is hardly the statement of condemnation one would expect from someone who is not a moral relativist. Women have had abortions and suffered tremendous emotional pain as a result. Others have suffered miscarriages or stillbirths. And others are heartbroken that they can never have a child.

How can you not think she "violated basic ethical standards and raised serious mental...health concerns"? This was just plain wrong, and that you don't condemn it speaks volumes about the type of creatures "educating" society's elites.

My original post follows.

"Evil is."

That's a line spoken by Kirk Douglas' character in the classic murder mystery film "The List of Adrian Messenger."

Well he was right. Evil is. And it attends Yale.

Art major Aliza Shvarts '08 wants to make a statement.

Beginning next Tuesday, Shvarts will be displaying her senior art project, a documentation of a nine-month process during which she artificially inseminated herself "as often as possible" while periodically taking abortifacient drugs to induce miscarriages. Her exhibition will feature video recordings of these forced miscarriages as well as preserved collections of the blood from the process.

What an abomination this twisted, self-absorbed creature Shvarts is. Ditto for "art major Juan Castillo," advisor Pia Lindman, who "could not be reached for comment," all "donors" involved, and the administration at Yale that will host this obscenity at Green Hall, ironically on Chapel Street.

One other thing:

[L]ined between layers of the sheeting will be the blood from Schvarts'self-induced miscarriages mixed with Vaseline in order to prevent the blood from drying and to extend the blood throughout the plastic sheeting.

One could make the argument that the exhibit legally should be classified as hazardous medical waste, and without proper handling, storage and spill clean-up/disposal procedures, with training for affected staff and employees, it poses a danger to the public and to all involved.

I wonder if Yale's risk management department was consulted?

I know, none of this is gun-related, but these are the "liberal elites," and I was feeling kind of artistic this afternoon. And that's a statement I want to make.

I also want to note that this statement has nothing to do with the "safe and legal" abortion argument. I am personally morally against abortions but that is not the issue I feel called to marshal my energies behind--RKBA is.

UPDATE: I just sent the following email to the Yale risk management office, the president, and the president's office student affairs contact.

Art Exhibit at Green Hall
From: David Codrea
To: marjorie.lemmon@yale.edu
Cc: presidents.office@yale.edu; nina.glickson@yale.edu

I see your "art" department is giving an exhibit:

[L]ined between layers of the sheeting will be the blood from Schvarts' self-induced miscarriages mixed with Vaseline in order to prevent the blood from drying and to extend the blood throughout the plastic sheeting.

As I note here:

One could make the argument that the exhibit legally should be classified as hazardous medical waste, and without proper handling, storage and spill clean-up/disposal procedures, with training for affected staff and employees, it poses a danger to the public and to all involved.

Your own web pages state:

Please keep us informed of the activities your group is considering so we can work together to minimize the risk.

and:

The Risk Management Department at Yale will provide integrated management of financial and traditional risk, including the identification, evaluation, and measurement of the impact to Yale, and the selection and maintenance of various solutions to mitigate risk. There are many departments at Yale involved with risk exposures and safety, but developing a coordinated response is the responsibility of Risk Management.

and:

Biological Safety is responsible for the control of health hazards related to biological agents within the University community. Programs implementing University policy have been established to protect the health and safety of students, faculty, staff and meet regulatory requirements that are required by OSHA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institutes of Health. Biological safety programs have been established to provide a central registry of potentially hazardous microbial agents, animals and other hazardous biologicals, oversight of recombinant DNA activities, surveillance and certification of biological safety cabinets and laminar flow benches and to control exposures to bloodborne pathogens.

So, Marjorie--for the record--has this event been approved by your office, and have all appropriate regulatory conditions been documented as compliant? Is your insurance carrier OK with it? How about the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection? EPA? OSHA?

Would you like to ask them, or do you want me to?*

I'll be posting this on my website, along with your response or lack of one.

Artistically yours and Lux et Veritas,

David Codrea

* I actually won't report anyone to any government agency, but have no control over anyone else calling this to their attention.