Rome's nude statues covered to spare Rouhani's blushes

[OnlinePoker]

Source: The Local - Italy's News in English

Hassan Rouhani visited the Capitoline Museums with premier Matteo Renzi, having signed contracts worth up to €17 billion ($18.4 billion) on Monday.

And Renzi was clearly keen to avoid offending his new business partner. The nude statues and sculptures in the museum were completely covered by large white boxes, as can be seen in the video below.

The decision to cover up nudity was seen as a mark of respect for the traditions of the Muslim country, which has only just had its trade sanctions lifted.

Read more: http://www.thelocal.it/20160126/nude-statues-covered-up-for-rouhanis-visit

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Shouldn't the Iranian leader be showing respect to Italian traditions, not the other way around? If the Italian leader went to Iran, would they allow the same freedoms expected in Italy in respect for Italian traditions? I very much doubt it.

[geardaddy]

1. What a fuckwit

The Italians shouldn't be covering up their national treasures for the sake of Rouhani.

[FLPanhandle]

2. Fuck that shit.

No one need to "show respect for the traditions of a Muslim country" when in your own country.

[smirkymonkey]

45. Exactly!

What the hell is happening with Europe?

[840high]

54. .^that

[MariaThinks]

3. we are so cowardly

[christx30]

7. And the second we try to assert our culture,

we are called imperialistic and racist. We must bend to them in all things. We respect their culture. They respect nothing.

[FSogol]

11. We?

[leftynyc]

19. Are you Italian?

Otherwise, who is "we"?

[EllieBC]

33. I assume the poster means western culture.

And it's true. We are becoming cowardly. Covering statues so as not to offend someone's backwards views.

[leftynyc]

35. Do let me know

when someone in this country covers up statues or paintings in order to satisfy the whims of a religious fanatic who is here VISITING. Until then, nobody but the Italians are cowards.

[tabasco]

48. Oh, so when we do it to appease our own religious fanatics, it's not cowardly. LOL

Justice Department covers partially nude statues

WASHINGTON (AP) — No longer will the attorney general be photographed in front of two partially nude statues in the Great Hall of the Department of Justice.

The department spent $8,000 on blue drapes that hide the two giant, aluminum art deco statues, said spokesman Shane Hix. For aesthetic reasons, he said, the drapes were occasionally hung in front of the statues before formal events. The department used to rent the drapes, but has now purchased them and left them hanging.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/1788845.stm

[leftynyc]

49. WE didn't do anything

Some schmuck in the Department of Justice did it to appease their boss. WE universally mocked and were disgusted by that. Hardly the same thing at all except to those who are aching to find excuses for this crap.

[tabasco]

50. But you lumped all Italians together as cowards because of Renzi's action.

Funny how that works.

[leftynyc]

51. Actually no, that was a poster

assuming the first person we responded to was calling all western culture cowards. But really, do let me know when we let a VISITOR decide what's obscene or not.

[tabasco]

52. "Until then, nobody but the Italians are cowards."

Those are your words.

[leftynyc]

63. And it's YOUR interpretation

that's at fault. I was clearly talking about the Italians that caved to the religious freaks (and being religious freaks themselves - being the Vatican and all - that's really saying something). If you want to interpret that as all Italians, knock yourself out - I couldn't possibly care less.

[tabasco]

67. LOL

Whatever.

[MariaThinks]

62. that's exactly what i meant.

[7962]

4. So I guess the Iranians would serve wine to the Italians when THEY visit, right?

Since thats their tradition in Italy.

I wonder what other Muslim traditions we know of that the Italians would honor?

[MowCowWhoHow III]

5. I see a business opportunity to cater to the delicate flowers

[LittleGirl]

6. WTF?

And this is why I will never visit a country that cannot display ancient art, nude or not. F* that.
What the hell was Italy thinking?

[thereismore]

8. I don't get a boner looking at a marble statue. This is preposterous. Cowards and traitors. nt

[BlueJazz]

9. Premier Matteo Renzi's honor guard attended also.

#geekosystem

[sulphurdunn]

10. If the guy is offended by nudity

why did he visit the Capitoline Museums? Arrogantly demanding concessions to cultural sensibility, while failing to reciprocate, is a defining flaw in all forms of fundamentalism. I like the French response to this sort of petty power display: "You are invited to dinner at my house. If what we serve offends you, feel free not to attend."

[christx30]

12. I fully agree with you.

And the French got a lot of crap for that, some of it on this very board.
It's sickening.

[dobleremolque]

13. Oh, please. Grow a pair Italy ... in Carrara marble.

Be like French President Hollande who cancelled a dinner with Rouhani rather than accede to the Iranian request not to serve any wine at their table.

[warrant46]

46. Fundamentalist Nut Jobs

[Feeling the Bern]

14. AAAAAAAAAhhhh. Boobs. Women's bodies. The horror!

[CBGLuthier]

15. Well you know how those muslim men are, a little stone tit and they go insane

with lust and start molesting all the women, statues or not. Kind of embarrassing to have to watch them hump a rock.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

24. And if a statue has a little perfume spilled near it ...

... I don't know the Arabic translation of "YeeHaw!", but ...

[OnionPatch]

66. That was my thought, lol.

Apparently men from his culture have absolutely no self control. They probably had to cover the statues to protect them more than anything.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

16. In other news: Hassan Rouhani faints when he visits Athens and sees an urn.

[Arugula Latte]

17. Oh FFS.

Fucking religion...Get over this nonsense, world.

[leftynyc]

18. Are you FUCKING kidding me?

Just shit on all the people who love art and the human body. If this is the kind of bullshit Iran's leaders expect when they visit, it's my fervent hope they stay home.

[Kablooie]

20. Muslims seem to think their desires and beliefs Trump everyone else's.

No one should be kowtowing to Muslim preferences.

"When in Rome do as the Muslims do" is not a popular phrase.

[smirkymonkey]

47. That's exactly what is so annoying about it.

But do they ever reciprocate and try to show any kind of cultural sensitivity when the tables are turned? No, we still have to kowtow to their preferences.

[July]

21. So much for "When in Rome . . . " nt

[Retrograde]

42. When in Rome, do as the Iranis? (n/t)

[iandhr]

22. Stuff like this is why people vote for Trump.

[jtuck004]

23. Lifted sanctions on another country and imposed them on the minds of your own.

Welcome to the Plantation!

[karynnj]

25. Nothing in the article says Rouhani asked them to do this

Having been to the Islamic art section of NYC's MET, I think that there were nudes in Persian art.

They speak of France rejecting the idea that the meal honoring Rouhani be halal and not include wine. Yet, I assume that if an observant Jew who was the PM of Israel were honored, the meal would be kosher and if there were wine, it would be kosher too.

This is no different than the fact that if I had a dinner for someone who was vegetarian, it would be a vegetarian meal. Just part of being a good hostess.

[whatthehey]

26. It is easy to not serve a guest wine

But it is poor manners to insist that your hosts have none either. I've yet to hear of an Israeli diplomat insisting everyon else observe kosher laws in a large catered gathering where they are the lone person who needs to.

If you had a wedding to cater for 60 guests including one vegetarian, would you deprive everyone else of meat? Particularly say in a meat-based dietary culture like Argentina? Trying to insist the French, of all people, should not have wine when they are hosting you is a bit of prime chutzpah, at the risk of offending a Muslim with that term.

[OnlinePoker]

27. And if you went to a vegan's house, would you expect them to serve meat to a non-vegan? n/t

[karynnj]

31. No - I have nothing against vegan food

There is nothing offensive to me in NOT having meat.

[christx30]

53. Here is a better analogy:

My sister is a vegan. We invited her for our house for Christmas dinner. We had a vegan alternative for her, but the rest of us had turkey. We didn't demand that she eat turkey, nor did she demand that we all eat a vegan meal. Everyone had what we wanted, and there was no problems.
What the Iranians did back in November was the equivalent of my sister saying "If you want me there, then no one else can have turkey. You're all eating vegan this year."

[FLPanhandle]

28. So you would condemn the Iranians if they didn't serve wine in their own country to Italians?

Your logic is flawed or you are a hypocrite.

[karynnj]

30. No

There is a difference between NOT serving something they typically drink and serving something that is against their religion. I love wine, but I actually do not feel deprived when I don't get it.

[FLPanhandle]

32. So, Itailains change their culture for Iranians

But Iranians don't change their culture for anyone.

Got it. You are a hypocrite. Thought so.

[azurnoir]

36. please link up the passage in the article that says the Iranians requested this

because it seems this was done by the Italians themselves who made their own assumptions not because the Iranians required it

[christx30]

39. There was a huge brouhaha

in November in France, when they were planning a state dinner. The Iranians were demanding that no wine was to be served. The French told them to shove their demand.

[azurnoir]

40. yes wine in France nothing about statues there either, so it appears the Italians did this

of their own volition not because the Iranians requested it

[FLPanhandle]

56. Why does that matter?

It's about kow-towing to silly religious sensitivities.

As an atheist, I disagree with any submission to ancient and silly religious rules that are the anti-thesis of liberal principles.

[azurnoir]

57. because the onus is being placed on the Iranians

[FLPanhandle]

58. Who knows or cares?

Either way there is a reason to condemn the action. Iranians asked for it or the Italians did it on their own. Fuck that action.

[flamingdem]

29. Lame! Italians show yer stuff proudly!

Mama mia this dude could care less he probably subscribes to Penthouse.

[Nye Bevan]

34. The white boxes look awful.

Why not have a talented sculptor carve tasteful stone removable boxer shorts and bikini tops that could be placed on the statues for this kind of occasion?

[asiliveandbreathe]

37. I do recall right here in Wash DC -

Atty Gen Ashcroft had a drape put over Lady Justice - HAHAHAHA - dope!

[Mosby]

41. It gets worse

Obama Admin Covers Naked Lady Justice

http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/368760/obama-admin-covers-naked-lady-justice-andrew-johnson

[asiliveandbreathe]

59. well alrighty then - nationalreview is not within my

reading purview - although - on further review..no other news org picked up the story...once and done by nationalreview??...junk review to me! - I am neither right or left - I am a factualist...not a nonsense junker...

[Mosby]

60. i looked for another source myself

So who knows.

[Beowulf42]

38. B**ls**t

There should be women and men with their tops off lining every street Rouhani is driven down. Savonarola is dead. Let him rest.

[displacedtexan]

43. Why didn't they just meet somewhere else?

This was a stupid, stupid move for western society in general. We can be hospitable without covering our treasures with damned boxes.

[nichomachus]

44. Muslim men don't mind looking at naked women

Heck, they go to strip clubs. They're not above stripping them naked and raping them. They just don't want anyone looking at their fully-clothed women.

[Quantess]

64. True. (no text)

[MosheFeingold]

55. Statues of people/dieties

Are also forbidden in Judaism.

Do Jews demand they be covered when, say, the Chief Rabbi of Israel came to visit?

(Of course not. Nor should they be. This is just to compare and contrast.)

[bdwker]

61. Let's see...

Italy kowtows against it own history.
England concedes to sharia courts and women are treated like garbage.
France is in the crosshairs of terrorism by its own immigrants .
Sweden has become rape central .
Germany invites in any raping male to enjoy its women.

Europe is in some serious trouble.

[romanic]

65. Pathetic.