Why, it's enough to give one the vapors!
A statue of Kokopelli, a famous symbol of the West, and a healing and fertility god of various Indian cultures, has been removed from public view because it has (whispering) a dingle-dong. I mean, it has a wee-wee. A John Thomas. A ... a ... man-part . You know ...
An anatomically correct sculpture of the humpbacked flute player Kokopelli has been moved from the front of Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum in Blanding [Utah] after complaints from a local group calling itself the "Values Committee."
Park manager Teri Paul said she planned to remove the Kokopelli sculpture from the park entirely after a group of Blanding residents threatened a protest because the sculpture has a penis.
"This [Values Committee] group has let it be known that they are offended by it and would like it removed," said State Parks director Mary Tullius, adding that the group was "complaining that it has male anatomy so it is too phallic for some of the locals."
Eek! My eyes! My dewy, virginal eyes!
Because heaven forfend that these folks be, y'know, offended by something they see.
(Hey, can I petition for the removal of stuff that I find offensive? Can I? Huh? Huh?)
Fortunately, though the "Values Committee" simply had to be assuaged (they might have fainted right then and there if not), something not too far from sanity prevailed.
Paul decided to relocate the piece instead after another group of residents protested what they said was censorship.
[...] The sculpture by Bluff artist Joe Pachak has welcomed visitors to the museum since 1989. It will be placed today in a less obvious place inside the park, according to Paul.
So at least it isn't being melted down. It will just be hidden away from sensitive eyes.
Note, by the way, that the statue has been there for nearly twenty years. Did the "Values Committee" suddenly stop averting their eyes long enough to see what they were averting their eyes from? Did they abruptly realize what that was a-dangling there? Did they run out of Cosmopolitan Magazines to demand removal of from the local supermarket?
Park officials said the Kokopelli sculpture is a representation of rock art imagery from Arizona's Canyon de Chelly National Monument. It is similar to other rock art depictions of the deity commonly seen throughout the Four Corners Region.
Which just goes to show how primative, pagan, and indecent those Indians used to be. Good thing they were taught how to be decent, upstanding, non-phallus-drawing people, right?
The phallus, it should be noted, is often, though not always, found on images of Kokopelli on cave walls and pottery and the like (often in a much more, um, rampantly robust rendition). That exception was enough for the "committee."
Blanding resident Harold Lyman supported moving the statue. He objected to the anatomical representation on the statue. He objected to the phallic symbol, saying it sometimes appears on rock art and sometimes does not.
Mr Lyman did not answer questions about whether he has moved his own phallus to someplace where he cannot be offended by its sight.
The statuary wasn't the only utterly objectionable and offensive thing complained about by the "committee."
Paul said a female member of the group also complained about datura plants in front of the museum because of their hallucinogenic properties, claiming park managers are encouraging its use. Paul said the native plant is common in the area and will not be removed.
At least not until the Feds get wind of it.
(via Ginny)
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I wouldn't call that statue "anatomically correct."
This is the most hilarious post I've read all week. Thanks, Dave!
Just an symptom of the declining nature of American culture...!
I guess I better quit streaking in the park!
Well, it might take twenty years for them to notice, but then they'll be Very Offended.
Well, it might take twenty years for them to notice, but then they'll be Very Offended.
So, um, they are not offended that he is blowing another phallis like thing?
So confused....
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