Anyone remember the famous Bamiyan Statues in Afghanistan. Reminds me of what's happening in Maine

[LynneSin]

The Buddhas of Bamiyan were UNESCO World Heritage Site - they were two very very tall statues of Buddha carved into the mountainside. These things were hundreds of years old.

But the Taliban didn't like them because they thought Buddha was a false prophet and ordered their destruction back in 2001, this was before 9/11.

I was thinking of those statues when I read the article about how the newly elected governor in Maine wants to paint over a mural in the Department of Labor because it depicts the history of Labor. That governor sounds like the same intolerant leader in Afghanistan who ordered the destruction of one of the few remaining tourist destinations in Afghanistan.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhas_of_Bamiyan



It was 10 years ago on March 1st that these status were destroyed

http://culturalpropertylaw.wordpress.com/2011/03/01/10-years-without-the-bamiyan-buddhas/

Ten years ago, the Bamiyan Buddhas in Afghanistan were destroyed by the Taliban while the world watched. These enormous statues had survived 1,500 years only to be blasted by dynamite. When the face on one of the buddhas stubbornly clung to the cliffside despite the blasts, the Taliban shot it off with rockets.

The international community begged for the Taliban to not destroy the statues. Other countries volunteered to care for the giant sculptures. The pleas went unanswered. One month after an announcement that they would be destroyed, they were.

[aquart]

1. Maine used to be a much admired state.

[LynneSin]

3. I thought the northeast was immune from these tea party nut jobs

guess I was wrong.

[efhmc]

2. I remember. They were destroyed and nothing will bring

them back. Totalitarian people destroy art they find offensive and fearful. They think they can control people by denying their icons.

[LynneSin]

4. Actually if you read the Wiki article, they are trying to bring back the statues

or at least a facsimile. I mean you can never restore them to what they once were but at least some folks are trying. Also in 2008 they found one of Buddha reclining.

[regnaD kciN]

9. Which would be a farce...

...comparable to the original plan in New Hampshire to build a fiberglass replica of the Old Man of the Mountain on the cliff where the original rock formation collapsed.

:crazy:

I say, leave the niches empty, and let people come to witness them as a "monument" to the arrogance, ignorance, and barbarism that was the Taliban.

[Hugabear]

5. The Tea Party and the Taliban have so much in common

Their hatred for gays, other religions, etc - it's probably a good thing both groups are so blind in their hatred they don't realize how much they have in common.

[Raster]

7. One thing the Taliban and the Tea Party have in common:

Both enabled by republican politicians.

[fishwax]

6. I not only remember them, I remember reading about them on DU

"It was 10 years ago on March 1st that these status were destroyed"

:toast: :wow:

[eShirl]

8. I think he wants them removed to another location, not destroyed.

[cali]

10. I just keep thinking Maine??? Maine????

It's not that I think of Maine as so liberal but I've always thought of it as a basically sane place.

[LynneSin]

12. I expect this from Utah or Mississippi but not maine

(No disrespect to those DUers from Utah or Mississippi but you do have right wing governments =(. )

[BillyJack]

11. I got crisco'd AGAIN n/t