A plea for maturity

(Photo from http://www.thomas-glover-w.com/sculpture website)
You know, some day I just have to move to a country of adults.
I was reading tonight about a new waterside park sculpture to be put in Beaufort, SC. The piece sounds innocuous enough- it's just a soapstone wave that's deposited a mermaid, a sun and a few fish. Cute. Like Disney. And Beaufort's willing to cough up the dough out of its new 1% for art program. They were delighted with the piece which beat out the competition which included a metal sailboat, a pelican, statues of women of three races, and Greek Gods. They were happy with the low maintenance aspect of it. Just one little adjustment, they said. One little change to make us happy. Cover the mermaid's breasts. Wouldn't want soapstone mammaries inflaming the public.
Now I should be used to this sort of thing. It's been going on since the Puritans first hit the new world's shores. But it still gives me a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. After years of sculpture hunting and enjoying pieces both clothed and naked in the US and Europe, the fact that news like this can be reported straight faced astounds me.
But here's the kicker. The artist, one Thomas Glover-W(hite), is a master sculptor from St. Augustine, FL. I checked out his website and found some mighty interesting drawings and pix. He does have one whole section of erotic sculpture that the council might have wanted to check out first. But he, at least, in comfortable with the human body as she was created.