Local Prude Fail?
Historic Rahway, New Jersey may bear the distinction of being the boyhood home of Milton Friedman, but the libertarian principles that eminent economist spent his life espousing might be a little wan these days in his hometown.
It seems that Eliza Gonzalez and family decided to take advantage of recent snowy weather in the Northeast United States to make a Venus de Milo-esque snow sculpture on their front yard, which apparently most of the neighbors liked, at least according to this TV news report. But someone, of course, had to ruin the fun by making an anonymous complaint to the police, who in turn complained to Ms. Gonzalez, who responded by covering the sculpture up with a bikini top and a sarong.
The irony of the situation, as Ms. Gonzalez told the BBC (oh, grand, now the Brits and the whole world get to snicker at us prudish Americans again) is that the sculpture looked “more objectified and sexualized” than before the cops showed up.
I’m afraid I agree. Hat tip to Jerry Coyne.
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I’m just waiting to see if any clever hackers or snoops find out who called the cops.
No, wait… that can’t happen. We live in a culture where it’s only permissible to shame the people who are comfortable with nudity. Can’t shame the people who are already, uh, ashamed of the human form.
Maybe next year they’ll have another go of it. Michelangelo’s “David,” perhaps?
I would bet that whoever called the cops would also complain to the Louvre and ask them to cover up their sculptures. Let’s hope these people never venture outside their town.
Dangerous Lilly, you may well be right, though I suspect that in Paris the police might display a *slightly* different attitude to such a call from those in Rahway.
Personally, if they had come after me for that sculpture, I would had taken the arrest or the fine. I would have DEMANDED to know exactly the wording of the law that I had alledgedly broken. I’ll bet she would have eventually prevailed in court.
I would also have subpoenaed the records on the alledged complaint, had the phone company records subpoenaed if necessary, and demanded to face my accuser in open court as is my constitutional right. I probably would have by rights demanded a jury trial as well.
I would also pursue the viability of suing the police and/or the complaining party.
That is embarrassingly ridiculous.
Food for thought … Two snowman wielding snow weapons acting out a killing scene would have been deemed OK ? Then again what about two hockey players ducking it out ? Real life, real snow … real art .
JM Black’s comment got me to thinking, what might it be like to live in an alternate reality in which it’s the other side that gets to call the cops?
POLICE DISPATCHER: Rahway Police, how can I help you?
COMPLAINING NEIGHBOR: My name is __________ and I live at _______, and it’s about my horrible neighbors have just put up a snow sculpture. It’s a female figure. And it’s draped! Completely covered! It’s an offense against beauty, and I’m offended.
POLICE DISPATCHER: We’ll send an officer right out to explain to them about sexing it up, sir.
Worth thinking about, perhaps.
I think Eliza Gonzalez bowed to the unfortunate reality that her snow sculpture (she did a great job, IMO) and maybe her house would have been vandalized otherwise.
On a related note, each time I’m reminded of the Venus de Milo, I, 1. Think how very beautiful it is; and 2. Try to guess what the original artist’s rendition was.
What were those arms and hands doing? Mostly I visualize them in some very feminine pose, but sometimes I imagine her holding out a bowl of fruit or a bunch of grapes for her lover.