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Russian News Anchor Calls Iwo Jima Memorial A Tribute To Gay Sex

[caption id="attachment_142519" align="aligncenter" width="516"]iwo jima The Iwo Jima Memorial[/caption]

After a CNN article called a Belarus war monument ugly, a Russian news anchor declared the Iwo Jima Memorial in Arlington, Virginia, was a tribute to gay sex.

CNN initially ran a roundup of the world's ugliest monuments, and included the Courage Monument in Brest. The author, English travel writer Iain Aitch said the stern looking colossus "simply looks constipated".

[caption id="attachment_142518" align="alignright" width="300"]courage monument The Courage Monument[/caption]

That set off something of an international incident. (the Russians are still sensitive about WWII, go figure.) Russia's Foreign Ministry told CNN’s Moscow correspondent that "mocking the memory of Soviet soldiers who gave their lives for the victory over fascism cannot be justified or forgiven."

The 24-hour news network pulled the story down (here) and issued a mea culpa: "CNN apologizes for the unintended offense caused by an article from a contributor that was intended to be a humorous look at monumental architecture worldwide." But that wasn't enough for Dmitry Kiselyov, a rabidly homophobic news anchor for Rossiya state television who has previously said gay people's hearts should be burned rather than used in transplants. Kiselyov showed a picture of the iconic Marine Corps War Memorial sculpture on air—but from the rear view.

"It's easy to mock," Kiselyov said on-air. "A fevered subconscious could ascribe just about anything to [the memorial]. Take a closer look: A very modern theme, is it not?"

Careful, Dmitry, you don't want to be accused of promoting gay propaganda, do you?

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