Colo. city restores war-and-peace artwork

Bakersfield Californian ^ | 3/16/05 | AP

[NormsRevenge]

LAKEWOOD, Colo. (AP) - Faced with the prospect of costly legal action, city officials Wednesday restored a public artwork featuring quotes about war and peace - including political commentator Bill Maher's definition of "a real coward."

Last month, City Manager Mike Rock ordered the removal of one of the 22 stones in Gayla Lemke's ceramic "Hope Stones" at the Lakewood Cultural Center in suburban Denver.

The stone contained a quote attributed to Maher: "A real coward is someone who drops a bomb from a protected space several thousand feet up." Rock said he was concerned the quote could lead to a backlash against public art.

The stone was replaced, however, after the city was contacted by an attorney from the American Civil Liberties Union. Rock said he reinstated the entire piece instead of incurring the costs of possible legal action.

Lemke, an Air Force veteran, said city officials misunderstood the work, calling it a piece "meant to encourage people to question and re-examine their feelings about war and peace."

[endthematrix]

I don't know the background on this. Was this a a brick to be inscribed to raise cash for the cultural center?

[Texas_Jarhead]

As an aside, ever notice how the 'exhibits' and 'artwork' that show up at "cultural centers" around the country rarely include material favorable towards organized religion? Maybe I'm wrong but that's the observation I've made.

[endthematrix]

Never mind. I see it was an art exibit.

[Paleo Conservative]

Wouldn't it be more authentic if it were bombed? It's not far from the Air Force Academy.

[spinestein]

[The stone contained a quote attributed to Maher: "A real coward is someone who drops a bomb from a protected space several thousand feet up."]


I say "leave it in". If Bill Maher wants to call President Clinton a coward for his military policy in Kosovo then who are we to sensor his ideas.

[NormsRevenge]

You can add Weasley Clark to that statement as well. ;-)

[noblejones]

>>
a backlash against public art
<<

I think ugly is its own backlash against "public art."

[hsalaw]

"The stone was replaced, however, after the city was contacted by an attorney from the American Civil Liberties Union. Rock said he reinstated the entire piece instead of incurring the costs of possible legal action."

Good old ACUL (All Criminals Love Us) strikes again: legal terrorism.