Rome Covers Up Nude Statues For Visit of Iranian Mullah

Interesting piece by Mollie Hemingway on the custom of "when in Rome, live as the Romans live; when elsewhere, live as the natives do."

Except, when it comes to Islam, people defer to Islamic custom when in Islamic countries, and then defer to Islamic taboos when in their own countries, as well.

This may be seen as "respect" for the Iranians' prudery and barbarism, but it's not, it's capitulation. Respect is really a two way street, and I mean that in the sense that if it's not reciprocated, it's not respect -- it's simply fear of one party for the other.

In addition, you can't really respect someone else unless you have respect for yourself.

Again, if you don't have respect for yourself, the deference you show to others isn't "respect;" it's just fear.

The French may be arrogant and jingoist, but, on the other hand, they're also arrogant and jingoist -- Hollande refused to take wine off the menu at a scheduled lunch, just because Iran's Mullah began throwing his menace around.

posted by Ace at 05:34 PM

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