WASHINGTON (RNS) Critics who raised objections to a video at a Smithsonian exhibit that showed ants crawling on a crucifix are unsatisfied with new policies intended to prevent future controversies.



The Smithsonian Institution's Board of Regents advisory panel on Monday (Jan. 31) issued a report calling for greater preparation on exhibits that could prove culturally sensitive.



Bill Donohue, the president of the New York-based Catholic League, who was among the most visible critics, believes the report is a "smoke screen" even though the video by the late artist David Wojnarowicz was removed.



"There has not been a single person associated with the Smithsonian who has indicated Christian sensibilities have been offended," Donohue said.



The three-person advisory panel was tasked with reviewing the Smithsonian's exhibition planning strategies as well as the museum's role as a national cultural institution, according to the report.



"Culturally sensitive exhibitions should be previewed from a diverse set of perspectives," the report reads. "Thus, we urge that there be a diversity of perspectives brought to bear in advance."



It also emphasized that the review should occur during "pre-decisional exhibit planning."



The panel presented its findings at the first meeting of the Smithsonian's Board of Regents since controversy arose about the video, "A Fire in My Belly," which was a part of a larger exhibit "Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture."