Capitoline Brutus
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VOL. 117 - NO. 4 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, JANUARY 25, 2013 $.30 A COPY THE UNVEILING OF Capitoline Brutus AT THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS On Friday, January 18th, the Mu- seum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA) un- veiled The Capitoline Brutus, a rare bronze sculpture dating back to 300 BC that is on display for the first time ever in the United States. MFA Director Malcolm Rogers, Congressman Michael Capuano, Italian Consul Gen- eral Giuseppe Pastorelli and Filippo La Rosa, Diplomatic Advisor to the Mayor of Rome, all addressed the crowd that included George Behrakis, Peter Aldrich, Anthony Pangaro and Antonio Bartoli of the Italian Embassy in Washington. Capuano em- phasized the great sharing between the two countries and how much he enjoys celebrating his heritage. The sculp- ture is part of 2013 The Year of Italian Culture in the United States, a year-long initiative that showcases the best of Ital- ian arts and culture in more than 40 cities across the coun- try. The Brutus will be on view in the George D. and Margo Behrakis Art of the Ancient World Wing through May 1st. Unveiling of “Bruto Capitolino” Lent by: Sovraintendenza ai beni Culturali - Roman, 4th - 3rd century B.C. - Bronze *Sovraintendenza ai Beni Culturali di Roma Capitale - Musei Capitolini. Visiting Masterpieces: Brutus presented under the auspices of the Presi- dent of the Italian Republic’s “2013, Year of Italian Culture in the United States.” Part of the Dream of Rome Project. Giuseppe Pastorelli, Consul General of Italy, Congressman Michael Capuano and *Photograph © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Filippo La Rosa, Diplomatic Advisor to the Mayor of Rome. News Briefs STUDENT ASSIGNMENT: by Sal Giarratani It’s Our Choice to Make by Mayor Thomas M. Menino Between You and Me … With your support, in the great schools that are closer giving them confidence that I am really starting to wonder if former U.S. coming weeks we will to home. The External Advi- their choices were all famil- Senator Scott Brown is ready to start up his pickup achieve meaningful educa- sory Committee on School iar ones. truck again for another U.S. Senate election. This tion reforms that will ben- Choice, which I appointed The other options are upcoming special election would be his second efit an entire generation of nearly a year ago, has done based on an address-based special election and third election overall since students and the broader incredible work to ensure system with no zones, which he won back on January 19, 2010. He would have community. I am asking for broad and thoughtful com- tailors school choices for to run again in 2014 for a full-term if elected this your help so we can move munity input, focus on a each individual student — spring. How many campaign trails does he want forward together. smart and honest look at ensuring every child has to walk in a relatively short period of time? He For nearly 25 years we school quality, and create a high quality choices on his could just wait until the governor’s race next year. have split the city into three transparent process that has or her list, including schools If he does run now, he probably could win, espe- sprawling student assign- generated lots of great ideas that are close to home and cially if he faces the Democrats’ insider choice of ment zones — North, East from the community. others that are a little fur- Ed “Do you know where Malden is” Markey. Then, and West. Families today are The EAC is now updating ther away. he would be running again in 2014 to keep the faced with a bewildering set the public on the ‘best of All of these options are seat. No wonder he is taking his time in making of options with no assurance the best’ models it received, fairer and more predictable a decision that will have a great effect on him they’ll get what they asked which you can explore at than what we have today. and his family. for. Our schools are better bostonschoolchoice.org. Families would still have I don’t think Brown needs an election to justify than ever and we do our These models are based on choices — but they would himself. He is one of the few politicians who best to match families with the input of more than 4,000 also be empowered to learn doesn’t seem to have any ego problem. He is happy their choices, but too often, voices at more than 50 com- more about their school just being himself. children are sent to schools munity meetings in the last options years in advance, Capuano Says No to Senate Run far from home because we year, including experts from enabling them to get in- couldn’t give them what they MIT, Harvard, Boston College volved, meet the principal U.S. Rep. Michael Capuano, D-Somerville has wanted. Many families avoid and other institutions who and teachers, and ‘go deep’ decided not to seek the U.S. Senate seat up for the process altogether. have joined the effort. with the school community grabs later this year in a special election to The Boston Public Schools, One option would create before deciding which ones replace outgoing U.S. Sen. John F. Kerry headed working with the commu- ten community-based zones, to pick. to the Obama Administration as secretary of nity, has come up with a new designed to offer a balance The options would also state. Right now, top Democrats are pushing in- approach to student assign- of quality choices no matter help us build stronger com- (Continued on Page 14) ment — one that empha- where a child lives. This munities. For too long, we sizes quality choices, pre- approach would give fam- dictability for families, and ilies lots of options while (Continued on Page 15) THE POST-GAZETTE SATELLITE OFFICE IS NOW OPEN AT 35 BENNINGTON STREET, EAST BOSTON This office is open on Tuesdays from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM and Thursdays from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PMPM, for the convenience of our East Boston and North Shore clients and contributors Call 617-227-8929 for more information Page 2 POST-GAZETTE, JANUARY 25, 2013 Res Publica by David Trumbull The King’s Good Servant, but God’s First I did not watch the ceremonies attendant on President THE TOWER OF BABEL Obama’s swearing-in as chief executive for a second term. to, let us go down, and there It was not because I disagree with just about every policy of confound their language, his and believe he is harming the Republic and is a danger that they may not under- to the liberty of every citizen, including the ones most laud- stand one another’s speech. ing him. No, I’m just not that into it. So the Lord scattered them For his true “inaugural,” that is his first taking of office, abroad from thence upon the I attended a festive event here in Boston with great satis- face of the earth; and they faction in living to see the first African-America president, left off to build the city. even though I knew then that his policies would be severely Therefore is the name of it misguided. I attended, in Washington, the inaugural of his called Babel; because the predecessor, George W. Bush, but I took little notice of the Lord did there confound the official commencement of his second term. So I’m an equal language of all the earth; and opportunity second “inauguration” snubber. from thence did the Lord I missed the whole thing. The comments, in print and on scatter them abroad upon radio and television, regarding his speech have warned me the face of all the earth.” away from reading it for fear of elevating my blood pres- Archaeologists differ in sure. I missed news coverage of the various gala balls, so I their opinions as to the exact don’t even know what the First Lady wore, which is prob- location and physical make- ably just as well, as her past selections have been up of the Tower of Babel. underwhelming, or worse. From what I have seen, after Pieter Bruegal painting of the Tower of Babel, 1563. Many texts refer to this as a the event, of commentary, the only note-worthy fashion (Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria) tower built in a series of statement came from a highly improbable source, United stages or levels, one above State Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. (Genesis 11: 1-9) “And the may reach into heaven and the other, each successive Justice Scalia has set cyberspace atwitter with his whole earth was of one lan- let us make us a name, lest level being smaller than the selection of headgear for last Monday’s inauguration cer- guage and of one speech. we be scattered abroad upon one below. emony. He wore a black hat, a replica of the hat depicted in And it came to pass, as they the face of the whole earth. Experts also seem to differ Hans Holbein’s well-known portrait of St. Thomas More. journeyed from the east, that And the Lord came down to on the height of the tower The hat was custom-made and was a gift, in 2010, from the they found a plain in the see the city and the tower, which is given from three St. Thomas More Society of Richmond, Virginia. land of Shinar; and they which the children of men hundred feet to six hundred Thomas More, familiar to many from his depiction in dwelt there.