Anatomically correct' statue offends

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Anatomically correct' statue offends

A Utah state park moved an American Indian-inspired statue of a humpbacked flute player Thursday after objections that it was offensive because the male figure is anatomically correct.

Officials at Edge of the Cedars State Park moved the sticklike figure from in front of its museum to a spot behind it so it can't been seen from the street, park manager Teri Paul said.

The park, in Blanding, is the site of an ancient Pueblo Indian ruin, as well as the modern-day museum.

The sculpture is a modern interpretation of a Hopi symbol of a flute player. Made by artist Joe Pachak, it has welcomed visitors to the park for 19 years.

It raised objections only recently from a group of Blanding's more conservative residents, who were concerned that the figure has male anatomy, Paul said.

At first park officials were going to ban the figure from the park altogether. But another group of citizens complained of censorship.

"So, our solution - I believe we have served everyone the best we possibly can," Paul told The Associated Press on Thursday. "It's not right in the front of the museum on the street, where everyone can see it."

The statue depicts an image commonly found on rock panels in southern Utah, a man believed to be announcing the arrival of spring with a flute.

The flute player is a Hopi clan symbol that Is often confused with the ancient fertility god Kokopelli. Tribal elders specifically asked the park to make the distinction clear to visitors, Paul said.

One of those who supported the move, Harold Lyman said he objected to the phallic symbol because it isn't always depicted in traditional rock art images of the flute player. Therefore, he told The Salt Lake Tribune, it's not an essential part of the image.

The work is among several pieces of Pachak's sculpture that grace the 6.8-hectare heritage park. The artist didn't return a telephone message left Thursday by the AP at his home in Bluff.

OH NOES!! ! WON'T SOMEONE PLEASE THINK OF TEH CHILDREN?

How could he be a flute player if he didn't have a flute?

fairly conservative views in utah....a lot of mormons.

What about those of us who are offended by statues and dolls that aren't anatomically correct? are they suddenly gonna fix those?

praise the ding dong! Bunch of whining g**s...

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Just give him a loincloth.

Don't make me go into details of my rituals to honor Priapus...

There's a difference between art and porn, too bad the Conserva-Patrol don't know it.

Just another example of the white mans morality, I suppose they would rather see it dead
and buried, with the rest of the red race. Being in mormon country, its considered moral to
have a herd of 12year old wives.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the depiction of bay genitals. It's a work of art. there is absolutely nothing obscene or disgusting about it. So, a few people decide to complain after this long, and they just remove it?!

If they could they would remove all the penises from all the great statues around the world, for what?? So their stupidity can get a boost. These people are weird and scary.

The meme for this now is the "evil penis."