'Bodies' builder puts learning first

[Ikaika]

The exhibitors received the bodies under suspicious circumstances, and are promoting the event to cater to people's morbid curiosity. Had this not been the case, I would have taken my son to see it with no qualms. He is currently studying the human body.

[bleah]

I see no difference between this bodies exhibition and a roving freak show.

They claim it has scientific merit, well, thank you very much but I can easily read a book on the human body with pictures too.

Or go on the internet and download photos of internal organs and muscles if I so choose.

[wvg]

i had no clue about all this controversy. i simply thought of this as an educational opportunity. and thought it was fine if people had consented to having their bodies used for science. wow... this is a good discussion. i need to watch the 20/20 episodes before i make my decision about whether to go or not.

[Lil]

I thought only Dr.von Hagen of Body Worlds preserved bodies in this manner. Body Worlds is quite an exhibit. Saw it once here in LA and that was enough.

[Searcher of Truth]

The Ala Moana Center aka General Growth has shown its true colors in permitting this obscene and disrespectful display of humanity the likes of which were similarly witnessed during the Nazi Holocaust. What would Native Hawaiians say if it were human bodies of their race and ethnicity that were carved and plasticized and put on display in a public market?

[Searcher of Truth]

To believe that these human beings "died of natural causes?" Like being executed in prisons and immediately being sold to the German originator of this show?

Ask yourselves, would you go to see your family members cut and dissected and plasticized and put next to Nordstrom's for lurid display because someone came up with the cash?
For the right price you can buy just about anything if you belong to China or any willing country selling its dead citizens. Go ahead! Pay to see death, going real cheap in Hawaii today!

[Ty Tomkins]

For me it is quite sufficient to see the accompanying photo of the bifurcated body of an Oriental man to evoke my horror and dismay. This man was someone's son, possibly someone's father .... he lived and walked this earth and now is on display, ostensibly for "educational purposes" ...

To claim this horror show is "meant to be a family-oriented event" is appalling. The $26 entry fee clearly indicates the commercial thrust of this outrage.

The merest suspicion that these bodies came from Chinese prisons should have been enough for Americans to deny it permission for public display. Forget about "Freedom of Speech" ... this is an assault on human dignity.

[Greg]

Personally, I don’t need to spend $26 to learn how to protect my health by staying out of Chinese prisons. I guess anything to make a buck these days. Reminds me of the late 60's movie Planet of the Apes. No thanks.

[Yo Mama]

I'm so glad to see that there are other people outraged by this exhibit. Hopefully the silent majority will chose not to support this exhibit and show Ala Moana that it does not agree with its policy of exhibiting these poor people's remains in the name of a quick buck.

[REAL]

I remember seeing a glimpse of this exhibition in a scene from the new James Bond movie, Casino Royale. It was a bit morbid considering the interfacing of the cadavers at a poker table and other positions.

While taxidermy of dead trophy animals or playing with food in making creative stuff from vegetables may have appeal to some, the medium of using cadavers for similar fascination is beyond me.

If there is any truth about the origin of these cadavers as being bodies of unclaimed, tortured, Chinese prisoners, paid body-snatching has taken a new realm.

Will I go to see this exhibition? No. Something about it doesn't seem right.

[Marcus Oshiro]

Community - After having given it much thought and soul searching and much research and after consulted with medical and legal professionals and members of the religious community, I have come to the conclusion that the exhibit, BODIES - THE EXHIBITION, at the Ala Moana "Shopping" Center, does more harm than good for our community. In other words, it’s educational or health related values do not outweigh the moral and ethical concerns regarding the possible exploitation of unconsenting human beings. As such, there should be a law that would prohibit the exhibition of human remains and/or body parts without the consent of the donor. The issue of people selling, donating, or gifting their bodies for a commercial purpose is important, but not germane to the central concern I have regarding consent of lack thereof. In this instance, it is questionable that consent was given by these people and if so, whether the people understood that they would be plasticized and propped up and exhibited in this manner. I will propose legislation that would prohibit this type exhibition at the earliest legislative session. The U.S. Congress and the California and Pennsylvania Legislatures are also considering legislation to ban and/or regulate the exhibition of human bodies. In the meanwhile, you may want to preserve your personal sense of humanity and avoid desensitizing your moral compass. Instead, visit the nearest library or bookstore. You can save $26 bucks or so and borrow a book on human anatomy for FREE or purchase the same from a local bookstore. There are also Thrift Shops and Second Hand stores and I bet some good deals could be found at one of our universities or community colleges. There are legitimate medical courses on human anatomy in Honolulu.
Should you be interested in this issue and would like to get involved, you may reach me at: Rep. Marcus Oshiro, State Capitol, Room 308, and Honolulu, Hawaii, 96813

[kimo]

wow. it's a family affair?! let's take everyone before we hit da ala moana park luau.

[El Gato]

How's this in the Madrid, Spain forum!!??

[incredulous]

this is not about shock value. it is not being forced upon us. many people who are curious about how our body works will see some remarkable things. i strongly disagree with Rep. Oshiro's view that a medical textbook is all one needs to indulge an interest in anatomy. any medical anatomy class will quickly make you realize that there is no better or more impactful way to understand the workings of the human body than to actually SEE it. those offended by the actual fact that there are anatomical exhibits on display need not visit, and they may also choose to not visit some highly distinguished exhibits like the the Warren Anatomical Museum at Harvard Medical School. certainly no one would object to that institution's existence! so i must conclude that straightforward anatomical exhibits of actual humans should have NOTHING to do with one's moral compass. a govenment ban on such would be misguided, dangerous and unnecessary.

having said that, there really is a moral issue at work here. the Body Worlds exhibit, which is similar, is done with the donors' consent. that is the only proper way to put on such an event - with respect. to conduct an event with bodies of unknown origin is abhorrent. the politics behind this event and the sensationalism of the commerciality fuel our repugnance. the fact that the sponsoring companies actually ACKNOWLEDGE the reality of the donor situation lends a ghoulish air to it as well.

i am quite fascinated by the Body Worlds exhibits but will not patronize this one. it really should be at a more controlled environment like the Convention Center or some such venue. GGP and Ala Moana have made a critical mistake and revealed their moral compass or their naivete.

Mr. Oshiro, good luck in your pursuit of new legislation! in the sense that you are going after the issues of exploitation and lack of consent, you have my support.

[incredulous]

actually i meant exhibits like Body Worlds should be relegated to HCC or some such controlled place. THIS one really shouldn't be shown at all...

[Mother of a doctor]

Pete wrote:

We need to pray for these people as I am saddened and outraged to read in the Garden Island that there will be a display of human bodies, albeit devoid of skin, at the Ala Moana Center on Oahu. It seems that I need to speak up publicly as no one else seems willing to do so. Do you people have no respect for the dead? Is there nothing sacred anymore? Is male anatomy so much more important that you need to have 14 out of the 15 male? How would Cheryl Mure like her dead skinless body put on display without her consent? Hollywood and our TV executives are already exposing the most sacred and private parts of a man’s body on the big screen and on television. And now we are going to expose real human bodies to “children of any age� for educational purposes? Bible prophecy predicted this time of lawlessness so that the “Man of Lawlessness� would come to power. For those of you who know the Lord; look up as our redemption draws near.

You all obviously seem to never have heard of the The Mütter Museum in Phildelphia, either. It was founded to educate future doctors about anatomy and human medical anomalies. Today, it serves as a valuable resource for educating and enlightening the public about our medical past and telling important stories about what it means to be human. The Mütter Museum embodies The College of Physicians of Philadelphia 's mission to advance the cause of health, and uphold the ideals and heritage of medicine.
Among the exhibits you will find "Emerging Infectious Diseases: Ancient Scourge and Modern Menace."
The exhibit in Hawaii might be of importance in light of Hawaii's HIGH prevalence of antibiotic-resistant staph.

[Alz]

Marcus Oshiro wrote:

Community - After having given it much thought and soul searching and much research and after consulted with medical and legal professionals and members of the religious community, I have come to the conclusion that the exhibit, BODIES - THE EXHIBITION, at the Ala Moana "Shopping" Center, does more harm than good for our community. In other words, it’s educational or health related values do not outweigh the moral and ethical concerns regarding the possible exploitation of unconsenting human beings. As such, there should be a law that would prohibit the exhibition of human remains and/or body parts without the consent of the donor. The issue of people selling, donating, or gifting their bodies for a commercial purpose is important, but not germane to the central concern I have regarding consent of lack thereof. In this instance, it is questionable that consent was given by these people and if so, whether the people understood that they would be plasticized and propped up and exhibited in this manner. I will propose legislation that would prohibit this type exhibition at the earliest legislative session. The U.S. Congress and the California and Pennsylvania Legislatures are also considering legislation to ban and/or regulate the exhibition of human bodies. In the meanwhile, you may want to preserve your personal sense of humanity and avoid desensitizing your moral compass. Instead, visit the nearest library or bookstore. You can save $26 bucks or so and borrow a book on human anatomy for FREE or purchase the same from a local bookstore. There are also Thrift Shops and Second Hand stores and I bet some good deals could be found at one of our universities or community colleges. There are legitimate medical courses on human anatomy in Honolulu.
Should you be interested in this issue and would like to get involved, you may reach me at: Rep. Marcus Oshiro, State Capitol, Room 308, and Honolulu, Hawaii, 96813

Dear Sir: Thank you for speaking out against this type of madness. It is sickening and really sad to have real humans displaced like this for the public and children of our community. Really sad day for the human race to come up with this type of indescribable perversion for lack of a better word. As government officials, you did the right thing in speaking out on this. This is much much farther than our leaders in the city government or state government who seem either afraid of their own shadows or inwardly condoning this type of perversion. Doesn't surprise me of bureaucrats; case in point, federal head 9th circuit judge is so perverted he subsribes to pornography even having animal bestiality porno. Sick people administering our laws and our government. Sick, Sad, Sick.

Thank you for at least voicing out against this type of practice. This is not freedom of expression. This is sick pervert practice that must be stopped.

[Alz]

incredulous wrote:

this is not about shock value. it is not being forced upon us. many people who are curious about how our body works will see some remarkable things. i strongly disagree with Rep. Oshiro's view that a medical textbook is all one needs to indulge an interest in anatomy. any medical anatomy class will quickly make you realize that there is no better or more impactful way to understand the workings of the human body than to actually SEE it. those offended by the actual fact that there are anatomical exhibits on display need not visit, and they may also choose to not visit some highly distinguished exhibits like the the Warren Anatomical Museum at Harvard Medical School. certainly no one would object to that institution's existence! so i must conclude that straightforward anatomical exhibits of actual humans should have NOTHING to do with one's moral compass. a govenment ban on such would be misguided, dangerous and unnecessary.
having said that, there really is a moral issue at work here. the Body Worlds exhibit, which is similar, is done with the donors' consent. that is the only proper way to put on such an event - with respect. to conduct an event with bodies of unknown origin is abhorrent. the politics behind this event and the sensationalism of the commerciality fuel our repugnance. the fact that the sponsoring companies actually ACKNOWLEDGE the reality of the donor situation lends a ghoulish air to it as well.
i am quite fascinated by the Body Worlds exhibits but will not patronize this one. it really should be at a more controlled environment like the Convention Center or some such venue. GGP and Ala Moana have made a critical mistake and revealed their moral compass or their naivete.
Mr. Oshiro, good luck in your pursuit of new legislation! in the sense that you are going after the issues of exploitation and lack of consent, you have my support.

To Incredulous: You, my friend are sicker than the people who are responsible for putting on this sick perverted exhibit. This is morally depraved and so sickening disgusting. You sound like a pervert to me. I hope you don't have animal porno in your computer like the 9th circuit appeal judge did. If this is the type of exhibit for medical education, then it should be placed in a mueseum and not in a shopping mall. Mr. or Ms Incredulous where is your ******* decency? You don't have any? It is apparent.

[2boizmom]

Mother of a doctor wrote:

<quoted text>
You all obviously seem to never have heard of the The Mütter Museum in Phildelphia, either. It was founded to educate future doctors about anatomy and human medical anomalies. Today, it serves as a valuable resource for educating and enlightening the public about our medical past and telling important stories about what it means to be human. The Mütter Museum embodies The College of Physicians of Philadelphia 's mission to advance the cause of health, and uphold the ideals and heritage of medicine.
Among the exhibits you will find "Emerging Infectious Diseases: Ancient Scourge and Modern Menace."
The exhibit in Hawaii might be of importance in light of Hawaii's HIGH prevalence of antibiotic-resistant staph.

A museum and a shopping center are two completely different places to place an exhibition of this sort. I agree placing it in a MUSEUM to further educate doctors but not in a major shopping mall!

[LEGAL immigrant]

2boizmom wrote:

<quoted text>A museum and a shopping center are two completely different places to place an exhibition of this sort. I agree placing it in a MUSEUM to further educate doctors but not in a major shopping mall!

Near the location of the museum, you also find restaurants, hotels, bars, movie theaters, department stores, shopping centers & malls, grocery stores, parmacies, forists and banks. Hawaii doesn't have a large enough place for this kind of exhibit.