The book-banning Floridians are at it again. They are going to strip (pardon the
expression) Michelangelo's David from their books. They say that the sculpture is
pornographic!
Michelangelo's David is probably the most famous, monumental, stone sculpture
in the world. That well known image has been featured both inside and on the covers
of countless books and magazines. Everyone who has seen Michelangelo's amazing
artworks are in awe of his spectacular achievements. Hundreds of thousands of
people have stood in line breathlessly awaiting the opportunity to enter the Sistene
Chapel for a few minutes, to gaze upon the wonder of Michelangelo's art.
When they are finally able to go inside and look upward, I can guarantee that none
of them have ever said, "Wow! Porn!".
Those Florida nitwits don't know the difference between photos of fine art and
photos of pathetic people having sex for money. The human figure has been at
the core of artistic expression in Western Civilization since the dawn of history.
From ancient Greece to Rome to the Renaissance and clear up to modern times,
the nude figure has remained a central focus of sculpture and painting. We are
proud to have these sculptural figures in our parks and on our monuments and
on public buildings. They are featured in fountains, on hundreds of public
squares, which people enjoy seeing every day. Their images are even printed
on the postage stamps of many countries, where the people take pride in their
artistic heritage. Perhaps some of the Florida numbskulls have received letters
stamped with one of these little images. If so, I doubt that the receipt of such
an image has given anyone fits of hysterics.
So what is their problem? Why can't they admire the grace and beauty of
the human form in great art? The answer seems to be that no matter how
beautiful these images may be, the nude reminds them that they are mammals.
And like the rest of the mammals on the planet, we all reproduce in pretty much
the same way, no matter how much these people try to elevate themselves
to a higher plane, somehow above all that. When their children ask them
where babies come from, they probably have difficulty giving them honest,
straightforward answers about human reproduction. Instead of giving
their children the facts, as it becomes age appropriate, they prefer to remove
great art from books or remove the books completely. They are the fig-leaf
brigades, busily trying to preserve the purity of their warped little minds.
Eugene P. McNerney
