“And art reflects that. It mirrors the world we live in.”

Bette responds, clearly the video is doctored.

“Do you think the fact that you’re homosexual makes you morally bankrupt?”

Bette winces once again at the question. Never in her life has someone made her feel so small, so insignificant.

“I am a pervert. And only a pervert could show this work.”

Bette slams her hands against the table. Faye has out done herself. Obviously Bette would never say such a thing. Both Franklin and Bert look at her.

“I di – I didn’t know I was being taped. Anyway, that is not what I said. She twisted it,” Bette said disgusted, “I’m obviously with my family, at the zoo for heaven’s sakes.”

“That’s what they do. They will attack you anywhere. And you can be sure that this tape has been sent to every conservative Congressman along with this lovely document,” Bert says and flips through a magazine showing some of the CAC’s collections, “A life-sized painting of the president in an SS uniform. Jesus sodomizing Mary. And this is a doozy: This is a live performance piece,” he asked holding up the magazine. It was Bette’s first show she put together at the CAC, a picture of a naked man hanging by his arms, flayed shot with several arrows.

“What about it,” Bette asked.

“Are you sure this is art?”

“Absolutely, Franklin?”

“We put it to a vote, Bert. It’s an important exhibition and the museum stands behind it,” he said in a matter of fact tone.

“Ok, but Bette, you are going to have to learn how to deal with Faye Buckley.”

“She was caught off guard, Bert. It could happen to anyone.”

“As your counsel I can tell you they will try and get at you on legal grounds. Now, the laws pretty much on your side right now, however, the political climate is not. There’s two ways to go. One: They rant and rave while we look the other way. We do not engage.”

“That is what we’ve been doing. Sitting with our hands folded in our laps while they call us pornographers and pedophiles.”

“The other strategy is to meet them head-on. Duke it out,” Bert says, appealing to one of Bette’s strengths, debate.