Rep. Anthony Weiner Wants ‘Sexist’ Queens Statue Removed

February 25, 2011 10:12 PM

In this undated photo released by Rep. Anthony Weiner’s Office, a statue entitled “Triumph of Civic Virtue” is shown near Borough Hall in Queens. (AP Photo/Rep. Anthony Weiner’s Office)

Reporting Al Jones

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NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – Congressman Anthony Weiner is taking a stand against a statue in Queens that has been a source of controversy for nearly 90 years.

“Triumph of Civic Virtue” has stood on the corner of Queens Boulevard and Union Turnpike, near the Queens Borough Hall, since 1941. The 20-foot marble fountain, designed by renowned sculptor Frederick MacMonnies and carved by the Bronx’s Piccirilli Brothers, was relocated to Kew Gardens after standing in Manhattan’s City Hall Park for 19 years.

“Triumph” was apparently exiled to Queens by Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia who reportedly grew tired of being “mooned” by the statue on a daily basis.

1010 WINS’ Al Jones with Rep. Anthony Weiner who says the statue does not represent civic virtue

The statue features a nude, muscled man holding a sword behind his head standing atop two bare-chested mermaids, who look more like Medusa than Ariel, slithering at his feet.

The statue is meant to portray civic virtue triumphing over vice and corruption, however, many have found it offensive for decades. Its allegorical portrayal of vice as female caused a stir following its unveiling in 1922 — which was just two years after the 19th Amendment was passed.

Weiner wants it off the city streets. He and city council member Julissa Ferreras want to propose selling the statue on Craigslist to raise funds.

“It doesn’t represent civic virtue of any sort, it represents an eyesore,” Weiner said. He adds that what passed for clever symbolism in 1920 is now “sexist.”

“What they see is this 20-foot man stepping on two women, and that’s what’s registered, and that’s what they walk away with,” Councilwoman Ferreras said.

NYU professor Carol Krinsky said the statue is an example of artistic allegory, and it’s not meant to be taken literally.

“These are not women being stepped on,” she told CBS 2′s Tony Aiello. “These are representations of evil, they are allegories of vice.”

Weiner said the statue is simply out of place in this day and age.

“The allegory grew out of a sexist notion,” he said.

Some community leaders, who for years have been looking to restore the decaying statue, want “Triumph” to stay. One architect calls the statue “priceless art.”

“We should be looking to restore and preserve it, not desecrate and destroy it,” Kew Gardens resident Richard Iritano said.

The head of Community Board 9, Mary Ann Carey, agrees.

“We should revere it, and be proud of it, and conserve it,” she said.

“This isn’t about art,” said Weiner. “People can choose to view the things that they like – - no one’s saying art should not be created. But, it’s a question of whether it should be on display in Queens as somehow a demonstration of the art that we celebrate. It clearly isn’t, and I think we should get rid of it.”

Do you find the statue offensive? Let us know below

Rep. Anthony Weiner Wants Sexist Queens Statue Removed

Art Polize

I gave up on Weiner who promised in front of the
TV cameras we would all get a public option on healthcare insurance.
What we got from him and Obama the Wimp was my Democrats acting
like the party of No ,Republicans, NoTHING for social causes but
everything for the profit from disease insurance companies,anyone
see the new rates on there HMO for July??
Weiner and 3 bick Chuck Schumer know how to hog the news
media with a zillion issues such as this nonsense about a very
old sculpture being sexist ,I guess Europe along these ideas will
have to remove 80 per cent of their male dominated subjects as
models. Phooey!
D P Sweeney

Tell this dirtball to concentrate on the major issues affecting this country and not the small issues. Who really cares

heebiejeebie

I think if a city follow through with a statue removal, all a pigeon in a city will have to locate to another facility. I think be kind to all a pigeons is a better way.
Torvaun

Oh, like two days ago when he was speaking out against a fresh attack on women’s rights in the form of the GOP trying to push it’s way into the examination room (kinda like they kept accusing Obama of trying to do with his healthcare bill). Seems that something like this is really an extension of the larger issue that 50% of the population is being systematically discriminated against on a regular basis.

Alicia

Thank you! I couldn’t agree more.

star

Yeah, I agree the the idea of removing this statue is rediculous, but could the children stop making fun of this guys name ?

heebieJeebie

I think the civic virtue should be wearing the proper trousers and not step on a woman.

Rodin

“Naked I came out of my mother’s womb and naked I shall return thither.” – Job 1:21

frank

i just hate when liberals act like fascists

heebiejeebie

I think the statue a gay pride statue, and the nude male statue not interested in the bare chested female mermaid statue
Rodin

Scratch a liberal, find a fascist. That’s why I hate liberals as much as fascists and have no one to vote for come election day.

American Woman

If the statue depicted Anthony Weiner over Sarah Palin, that image would appear on the dollar bill. Anthony Weiner is a blooming idiot!!!
WhoDoesHeThinkHeIs

this sick demented little liberal would prefer a staue of marx or obama the nobel peace prize winner

Rodin

As much as I hate PC, it’s not liberals who do most of the censoring. “Physician, heal thyself.”

Crazy Harry

True, like with the churches wanting to censor TV shows and cartoons. Seriously, the network literally edited out the parts where Wile E. Coyote gets blown and Daffy gets shot. But then again, the left collectively sues over religious monunments that haven’t bothered anyone but them. So it goes both away.
Crazy Harry

It goes both ways. “Liberals” are obsessed with cutting religion out of the public eye, and Christians want to censor anything secular to fit their views. There’s a happy medium somewhere.

Gracie Mansion

Weiner wouldn’t know civic pride if it bit him on the arse.
spoofproof

Good gracious! Little Tony Weener is an art critic and moralist.
Is there anything the Weener-man CAN’T do? You go, Weener-man!
John A.

There certainlly are much more important issues of substance to deal with,then worrying about a statue that has stood for years in that location.The Congressman needs to focus on those more serious and important issues,rather then demanding that a staue be removed from that park.We have skyrocketing unemployment and higher taxes and home foreclosures occurring-worry about how to tackle thes problems,Mr. Weiner!

heebiejeebie

I think to pay for statue removal will stimulate the economy

Alex

This Congressman would feel at home with Taliban. Destruction of Buddha statues in Afghanistan or removal of a treasured statue in NY is the same.

mutedvolume

Hyperbole, ye doth know it

but seriously, this piece of sht is nothing like that treasured and ancient art. Ethnocentric much?

Alicia

But, hello! Disapproval of sexist tropes = religious oppression ‘n stuff. Can’t you see that he was trying to make a valuable and totally valid comparison between two identical situations?
Cousin It

So your conception of what is and isn’t art is the yard stick?

Alicia

Hmm. So a statue of a dude literally standing on top of some ladies isn’t sexist because it’s old or something and also some people like it. I see.

JamaicaRes

Better the people of Queens should remove Anthony Weiner
Rodin

See, these aren’t “some ladies”, they are allegorical figures, mythological creatures kinda like Jesus, god and the holy ghost. They are NOT real themselves. They REPRESENT something.

Alicia

Yes, and of course allegorical figures are never in themselves sexist. And the metaphorical stomping of women is cool because people never use metaphors to express ideas that they also endorse in reality. You can’t argue that things have meeeeeeeaning and then ignore the, uh, meaning that they are expressing.

Smashicus

I have seen the centaur, which is half man, half horse, portrayed as wicked and immoral. As a man, that does not bother me. Perhaps you need to address your insecurities rather than project them upon others.

Crazy Harry

I said the same thing. This woman’s a neurotic nut.
mutedvolume

Translation: Lady, it is I who has the right and ONLY translation of this art piece.

Art doesn’t work that way, dude.
Alicia

Sure, sure. And maybe if, historically, people had used the belief that all dudes were inherently immoral to justify treating them as second-class citizens (y’know, like they pointed at religious/allegorical figures like Eve and Pandora to show that women were somehow morally weaker than men) then your point would hold water. But they didn’t. So it doesn’t.

Crazy Harry

Those aren’t women. They’re Medusas, snake-headed monsters of Greek mythology. In other words, they’re demons.

Alicia

Whaaaaat? You don’t say! Tell me more, Professor Crazy.

SGannon

I think one solution would be to install a promient, very visible educational sign by the statue that explains that while it looks like it may be sexist on first appearance, in actuality it’s an allegory. In that way, anyone who sees the statue, especially children, would learn something and would be aware of the debate. The community gets to appreciate art and people who did not get to see this report get to learn about the issue and be able to form their own opinons about it.

Rodin

But that would make sense.

Rodin

A friend just reminded me, maybe Weiner could get the curtains John Ashcroft used to veil statues he found offensive at Justice.

Telly

Ha! This is funny but true… ha ha

Mr. Raines

Congressman, if you have nothing better to do, then don’t do it here in our city. You are a waste of space.
Art Lover

Wow – looks like this one is going to cost you big time, Weiner. Next time, pick your battles wisely and think them through. Better do some damage control asap, or you can ditch that so-called career of yours as a congressman. This one is blowing up right in your face!

Rodin

Ignorance should be painful.

Mayor B

I think weiner is just jealous he doesnt look like that
Chris

Isn’t the statue for Justice a “blind woman?” Hmm… why is she blind? Does that interpret that women are handicapped in the court system? Isn’t that sexist ? OMG …or maybe….just maybe I am educated enough to take it for what it represents and NOT what it looks like ! Idiots!

Stephen

You sir are a rambling buffoon and blatantly miss the ENTIRE argument. In Triumph, two women are the embodiment of evil and temptation. TWO WOMEN. Not two men. He is trampling atop them.

In Justice, she is BLINDFOLDED. She is shown as strength and virtue. She holds the power, not a man walking on her.

How is a handicap sexist? Maybe you are not as educated as you think….
heebiejeebie

Justice is blind represent why a court system function failure.

Jerry

Weiner better stop lunching with Charlie Sheen ,,detox and move to Pembrook Pines
Chris

Maybe we can burn some bibles later on….cut up the Mona Lisa perhaps? I’ll tell you what’s offensive – the huge GAY flag that adorned the top of the Space Needle for Gay Day……so as long as we can take down what we don’t like to see, and which is offensive..you might as well take everything down…
Yoely Teitelbaum

you are all ANTISEMITES !!!!

William

Oye Gevalt, is it the same thing with you for EVERY isue???
m

I am not an antisemie…I love semen.
Rodin

No, not all of us, but you’re a typical “watch-me-suffer-the-holocaust” Jew. Enough!

There might be anti-Semites here and, if you look, I was the first to condemn them in this thread but your pathos is just as bad.

devan95

I think the statue should be embellished with the slogan: KISS MY WEINER!
Missy

You asked for it Weiner. A trivial issue like this statue is now unleashing a tidal wave of judgment against you. Just go on back to cutting ribbons at supermarket openings if you want to keep your job, I say.
Mitch Miller

How about removing the Statue of Liberty? “Sexist”, right ?

potatoe

I find the Flag and Great Seal of the State of New York to be sexis & racist
heebiejeebie

Liberty statue is a old fashioned and need restoration. for example liberty wear a old fashioned long skirt. It need the contemporary new look mini skirt to reveal changing perspective

Rodin

You mean well but, how about writing properly?

ems

The statue itself isn’t ugly.

The fact that semi-naked women, cowering submissively at his feat are the artistic representation of Sin, however, IS sexist.

a – Virtue seems defined as male
b – Vice seems defined as female
c – Virtue seems defined as women cowering in their place at the man in charge.

My version of virtue has no one cowering at my feet while I stand triumphant over them(vice: prideful) and no swords (vice: wrath), with maybe some clothes on as to not embody something one might lust after (vice:) lust. I guess the (vice: greed) is represented by the fact he’s not content with one woman at his feet?

ems

Too bad I can’t spell “feet”.

Telly

Just so everybody understands, those are not women, they are mermaids and mermaids have been portrait as half women, half fish in every art form throughout history. The problem is that people only see the female part but don’t see the fish.
This is art and very old art that should be preserved or we will have to go around museums and get rid of all the arts that are offensive to men and women.
As per Hon. Weiner, he should go back to Washington and do the job he was elected to do and Julissa Ferrera should go back to her district unless she is having aspirations to a higher office, the statue is out of her jurisdiction

Chris

Funny….when I look at you (how offensive it may be) you represent something that isn’t remotely human or intelligent in nature, so we should definitely interpret everyone, and then burn them.

ems

Saying I deserve burning because I recognize that older statues and images may use stereotypes and/or symbolism that we recognize as sexist today seems a rather disproportionate reaction to me.

Keeping it for the historic and artistic value, but in a less prominent place, or selling it for funds both seem like reasonable solutions to me.

Then again, your response looks like a troll and not an actual reasoned response, so I should probably not engage you. I have no reason to believe that you actually are for the statue and not just writing to insult people. Trollish behavior tends to be unintelligent in nature.

heebiejeebie

I think maybe the statue symbolize the celebrity rock star on drugs, and mermaids symbolize the teenage teenie bopper fan and submit happily.

Rick

I should have said the head of Anthony’s Weiner. The moil with Parkinson’s

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Rep. Anthony Weiner Wants ‘Sexist’ Queens Statue Removed

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