DIANA STATUE WITHDRAWN AFTER CRITIC CALLS IT `DEMONIC'

[Rachel]

FROM 5/17/00

DIANA STATUE WITHDRAWN AFTER CRITIC CALLS IT `DEMONIC'

By Phil Hazlewood, PA News

The makers of a life-size black granite statue of Diana, Princess of
Wales have withdrawn their offer to donate it to a local authority
after a critic labelled it "demonic", it emerged today.

The one-and-a-half tonne likeness of the late Princess was unveiled at
the weekend at a funeral services exhibition and was earmarked to take
pride of place in Walsall town centre, West Midlands.

It had been commissioned as a lasting tribute to the `People's
Princess' by Cannock, Staffordshire-based monumental mason Andrew Walsh
after he was moved to tears by her funeral in 1997.

But his firm A Walsh Ltd has now sent a formal letter to Walsall
Council formally withdrawing their donation of the statue and branding
criticisms of it as "racist and vile".

Jeff Williams, commercial director for the firm, confirmed the letter
had been hand-delivered to the council's acting chief executive
yesterday.

The letter read: "Following the disgraceful claims made through the
media against the integrity of Mr Andrew Walsh and his company, we
hereby withdraw our offer to Walsall of the Diana statue.

"A Walsh Ltd has not sought publicity from this beautiful granite
carving and will now very carefully consider the statue's future."

Meanwhile, the statue will be on display in the firm's Cannock
showrooms for viewing.

Mr Williams added: "It's just ridiculous. We've had racist remarks from
several people who haven't seen it, decrying it.

"We are not going to allow it to become something to become ridiculed,"
he said.

Walsall Council leader Mike Bird said: "If that is Mr Walsh's decision
then I'm not in the position to influence it either way. If it comes
down to a committee, I will decide then."

Mr Bird stood by earlier comments in which he described the statue
as "demonic".

He added: "I don't like the look of it. I haven't seen it in its
physical state but I don't think it properly represents the memory of
Diana.

"It's a demonic statue. It's the kind of thing you see in a horror
movie. It's bizarre," he added.

Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.

[herodotu...@my-deja.com]

Now, is this pathetic, or what? Let's see, Mr Bird hasn't seen the
statue, but he's decided it's 'demonic' because, why, it's made of
black granite? Good grief. This isn't even a reason! I hope that
John Travolta and the other Americans who seek to put a statue of Diana
in Central Park in NY City take a look at it - does anyone have a
picture? Perhaps it could be put here in the US. Just because it's of
black granite hardly makes it ugly or 'demonic.'

Love, Maxie

In article <8gclqf$i46$1...@nnrp1.deja.com>,

[topa...@my-deja.com]

A small point perhaps, but it nags away at me. Remember the 4 black
swans that Earl Spencer, Diana's brother said she told him about in a
dream after her death? I thought the 4 swans (which now do indeed swim
among the white water lilies in the lake around the island where Diana
is supposedly buried) symbolized the 4 souls who lost their lives on
the night of Aug. 31st. Diana, Dodi, Henri Paul, and an unborn baby in
Diana's womb. Now in a strange way a black granite statue seems to
reinforce the dream about the black swans.

[Irish_Val]

I agree with all of you!!!

Lynda, great perspective.

Maxie.... absolutely..... I also thought I caught a bit of a "racial"
comment in the article..... as if to say.... Dodi was "dark" and they
didn't want Diana portrayed that way.....

Interesting article..... Let's hope the Americans can put up a statue
for her......

Godspeed all......

Val

[herodotu...@my-deja.com]

Reading this just made me remember something ... there is a
Irish/Celtic legend about 4 women who turn into 4 swans, after 900
years of captivity. I'll have to look it up. Apparently after the
Irish Republic was founded, a sculpture was erected in Dublin with this
image, of the 4 turning into swans and rising into the sky to fly away.
This symbolizes the roughly 900 years that the Celtic peoples were
oppressed by the Romanized Britons ... and the scupture is in black,
whether metal or stone I can't tell from the picture.

I wonder now if the imagery of 4 black swans that the Earl used for
that lake had this symbolic content too? If so, it would be more anti-
Windsor, since it recalls the oppression of the Celtic peoples ...
beginning with the invasion of England by William the Conqueror in 1066.
Since 1066 no true Briton has been on the throne.

Love, Maxie

In article <8gi0na$aiu$1...@nnrp1.deja.com>,