WIX Archives
Re: Authenticity vs. Political Correctness
Posted by Graham O on Wed Sep 18, 2002 08:11:27 AM
In reply top Authenticity vs. Political Correctness posted by Ryan Keough on Tue Sep 17, 2002 10:00:26 PM
After moving to NZ I was intrigued to note some of the tradional Maori carved statues of fairly stocky locking male figures with angry faces and there tongues poking out. Not only do they tend to have they male equipment in full view but these have been embellished by an over-kind artist - as is the tradition. These statues are still being produced by full-time carvers. When one such statue was recently erected (no pun) in a provincial town, someone decided to jump on the PC wagon and began complaining. The upshot was that the statue was allowed to stay as it represented not graffiti or pornography but a genuine legitimate cultural tradition. Well as I see it, nose art on warbirds does exactly the same thing and has equal legitimacy. Furthermore, to alter such an historic image by covering parts of it just to appease the bleeting but vocal minority would be a far greater sin than anything that could be read into the artwork itself. Perhaps of greater concern is that the small minded people who would complain about such a living history lesson have completely and utterly missed the point. What a tragedy.
At the end of the day, perhaps it's better to respond to the complainants by quoting from one of Ray Stevens' many entertaining songs, in this instance, "Ethel, don't look....!"
I think the votes to date are all in favour of keeping her as she is, Ryan. The work you guys are doing and doing so well is way too valuable for you to be concerning yourselves with such petty side issues. Please keep it up.
Cheers,
GMO