Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Another cover-up


Another cultural "cover-up" this week over religious sensibilities (or perceived ones) as the Italian authorities keen to cash in on the recently un-embargoed Iran physically covered nude statues in a museum and didn't serve wine with dinner in order not to to "offend" the Islamic sensibilities of the Iranian president who was visiting Italy to close a little "business". The move was ridiculed in Italy itself and also in Iran where newspapers ran a series of satirical cartoons on the subject and were at pains to point out these actions weren't anything to do with people in Iran.

It's a shame when an ancient culture and country prostrates itself like this at the alter of money and misguided political correctness. They hang people for being gay and stone women to death in Iran, marble genitalia seem a relatively trivial concern in comparison. It's a shame the Italian Government weren't more proactive about being offended at those vile acts rather than being a bunch of kiss-arses over... er, a bunch of arses.

It's satisfying to reflect that many of the statues covered up were carved by highly skilled people at a time in history long before Islam and Christianity were even invented and, if they're looked after properly, will be around long after these ideologies have vanished; as all religions made by men eventually do.

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