The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #121708 Message #2660612
Posted By: Q (Frank Staplin)
19-Jun-09 - 08:39 PM
Thread Name: BS: U.S. Supreme Court and Muhammad
Subject: RE: BS: U.S. Supreme Court and Muhammad
This seems to be a non-story. But to fill in the background, here are descriptions of sculptural features on the Supreme Court Building and above he justices' bench.
East pediment- Figures are Solon, Confucius and Moses. These are flanked by figures that symbolise ideas: Means of enforcing the law; Tempering justice with mercy; Carrying on Civilization; Settlement of Disputes between States. Architect MacNeill- "Law as an element of civilization was normally and naturally derived or inherited in this country from former covilizations. ...suggests...such fundamental laws and precepts as are derived from the East."
West pediment- Liberty guarded by figures who represent order and authority. Although these sculptures are metaphorical figures, they were cared in the likeness of real people. Right side- Chief Justie Hughes, the sculpture Robert Aitken and chief Justice Marshall as a young man. Left side- Chief Justice Taft as a youth, Sec. State Elihu Root, and the architect, Cass Gilbert.
A frieze of 18 lawgivers on the wall above the justices' bench includes a portrayal of Muhammad, between Charlemagne and Justinian. The Council on American-Islamic Relations complained that the figure was shown with the Quran in one hand and a sword in the other, reinforcing stereotypes.. Chief Justice Rehnquist told CAIR the image could not be changed and explained that swords were used throughout the court's architecture as symbols of justice.. "Altering the depiction of Muhammad would impair the artistic integrity of the whole," Rehnquist wrote. "Additionally, it is unlawful (under the U. S. Code) to remove or in any way injure an architectural feature in the Supreme Court." Visitors literature was revised to explain and to show more respect for Muslim beliefs.
No further complaints have been received that I can find.