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March 13, 2008, 02:00 PM ET
Artist Defends Video-Game Exhibit Censored by Rensselaer
Wafaa Bilal, an artist in residence at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, said in a speech on Monday that his controversial video game, “The Night of Bush Capturing: A Virtual Jihadi,” was designed to highlight the suffering of Iraqis and to expose racism, violence, and propaganda. The game casts Mr. Balil, a former Iraqi citizen, as a suicide bomber and shows players trying to kill President Bush. It is a takeoff of an Al Qaeda video game with a similar name.
Last week the institute’s administration removed an exhibit that featured Mr. Balil’s game, saying it appeared to promote violence against President Bush and was inspired by a terrorist organization. Mr. Balil’s exhibit was moved to the Sanctuary for Independent Media, in Troy, N.Y. But the city’s public-works commissioner ordered the sanctuary closed this week citing building-code violations. —Andrea L. Foster
Categories: Student-Life
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