FIRE BOSS TRIES TO SCULPT STATUE SOLUTION

New York Post ^ | 1/17/02 | PHILIP MESSING and MAGGIE HABERMAN

[kattracks]

January 17, 2002 -- FDNY boss Nicholas Scoppetta will meet today with the man who commissioned a controversial statue, FDNY officials said yesterday, as the flap over the possible tribute raged on.

Mayor Bloomberg said he told Commissioner Scoppetta to look into the controversy over a proposal to alter the races of two of the three firefighters in a statue emulating a famous photo of a flag-raising at Ground Zero.

[ppaul]

Just imagine what a target for vandalism that statue will be if they go forward with the politically correct version.
The possibilities are endless!

LOL!

[real saxophonist]

"It's unfortunate that we're in the situation that we are,"

Hey Bloomberg - How 'bout bein' the Mayor, and sayin' something like, 'So it was 3 white guys. One's named Vega, isn't that a Hispanic name?', or some crap like that... How 'bout 'This is the picture, make the statue look just like the picture.'

"It's unfortunate that we're in the situation that we are,"

Well, new York, I guess y'all get what y'all deserve...

[wai-ming]

Instead of depicting the three firefighters as white men - matching the photo taken by photographer Thomas Franklin of The Record of Hackensack, N.J. - plans call for the bronze to show one black, one Hispanic and one white firefighter.

Since they're rewriting history, why not make one of the firefighters gay? (probably the white guy; he's not politically correct enough) He could be depicted gazing into the eyes (or longing looking at some other part) of one of the other fire fighters. It would be a nice touch, and that way they could include everyone.

[kattracks]

fyi

[porgygirl]

Ann Coulter column

[xm177e2]

When I first heard of this controversy, I thought, "why not just make the statue out of bronze, nobody can really tell the race of the firemen, it won't matter."

Then I found out the statue was made of bronze. It seems the less important the issue, the more bitter the controversy.

[TroutStalker]

A Ratner spokeswoman said he would go along with whatever the FDNY decided to do.

It appears that the brother of Ellen democRATsA$$ may be backing away from the position his sister has stated.

[Congressman Billybob]

Phil,

Here's an update on the statue proffered by the brother of your friend and mine, Ellen Ratner. Apparently, they are preparing to back down on the pc change of the race of two of the firefighters.

That also means they won't have to put a dress on one of the firefighters. Recall that Ellen said on radio on the weekend that females weren't included becanse "no female personnel died there." She is wrong. At least one Emergency Medical Technician, possibly several police, and possibly one member of the Port Authority staff, all female, died in the rescue efforts.

I don't think the Fire Chief will go against the wishes of his men. Plus the threat of a lawsuit is very real. New York has, like California, a "celebrity likeness law." Under that, no real person who is in the news can be falsely protrayed in a photograph or other reproduction without his/her permission.

Newly-minted Mayor Bloomberg is wise to pass the buck on this, and say that he will go along with whatever the Fire Chief decides.

I assume you'll do a major follow-up on this as soon as a resolution is reached.

Congressman Billybob

Click and listen to Phil and Billybob in the morning. As this is posted, Billybob's segment is over, but Phil is still on the air.

[LJLucido]

The solution is to change it from 3 firemen to 40 firemen, so that more ethnicities may be represented. It will cost a little more, but I'm sure the NY taxpayers will be glad to ante up.

[Jonx6]

"Recall that Ellen said on radio on the weekend that females weren't included becanse "no female personnel died there." She is wrong."

This is Firefighter statue. There were no female Firemen that died there. DP, PA or the many EMS systems there, can (and should) make memorials to their fallen people.

[pollwatcher]

BOYCOTT ALICIA KEYES!!!!!!

[citizen]

The three that raised the flag are New York City firefighters Dan McWilliams, George Johnson and Billy Eisengrein. Heroes all. As were all the others striving there that day.

They'd say they were just doing their job.

[Congressman Billybob]

I think you missed the point. I do not propose that a woman be added to the statue. Quite the contrary. the statue should be historically accurate. I am simply pointing out the stupidity of Ellen Ratner -- well-paid commentator for Fox (and occasionally for PBS) in her defense of her brother's proposal on the statue.

BTW, on air she neglects to mention that the man behind the statue proposal is her brother.

Billybob