is like defusin a bomb tis wrong

the later Byzantine Age. The curvaceousAphrodite gave way to flaticons. Aorence, not Constantinople,carried on the Greek andRoman traditions. The RomanCatholic Church did not merelytolerate the nude fonn, it patronizedit. Although sometimes criticizedas a cause of sexual guilt. theChurch clearly cultivated the appreciationof the body beautiful.At the Vatican and most Italiancities, a nude Adam, as well as hisForbidden Italy (continued from p.25)descendants down to David, were allowed to strut their stu!funder the LOlerant eye of Rome's prelates. Judge not, lest yebe judged.The ancient Italians passed on this sexual openness to theCelts, Germans, Britons, and other tribes of the hinterland ofEurope. Romanization brought with it sexual art And one cantrace the spread of Italic civilization among tribes in varyingdegrees of explicit tribal art.The Cutting EdgeEvery culture has its own way of dealing with sex, or notdealing with it. Certainly, theItalian culture has run the gamutof conflicting mores. The homeof Catholicism once forbade divorceand abortion. Today, itcondones both, leading all otherEuropean countries in tenninatingpregnancies. Yet, Italiansappear comfortable supportingboth propriety and carnal pleasures,scoffing at the likes of whatthey see as our bizarre show trialsthat gloat on date rape and sexualharassment Americans and Ita!-ians sometimes run to extremes.Gary Hart, a 1988 presidential contender lost his quest aftersome "monkey business". Ilona Staller, on the other hand,made monkey business her 1987 platfonn to victory. Yet wesense change coming to America in the way Democratic candidateBill Clinton stared down the press over an alleged 12-year affair. Admittedly, though, the United States is not readyfor porno-politiciansThe Italians appear to be bringing the sexual society to its"logical" conclusion. Whether it becomes the wave of thefuture or civilization's undoing remains to be seen.••••A classical Greek flogging his harlot witha slipper. Theater and art weren't the onlyImports to Magna Graecla (southern Haly).LET'S' I /-~-/1'FORACLEANERNEW YORKBuilding MaintenanceService Corp.Two Penn rlazaNew York, NY 10121(212) 7 14-000~