“It’s inaccurate and deceptive of [Justice Scalia] to say there was no vulgarity in the moment,” said Peter Smith, the Boston University assistant photojournalism professor who [photographed Justice Scalia’s gesture]….
Smith said the jurist “immediately knew he’d made a mistake, and said, ‘You’re not going to print that, are you?’” …
Smith was working as a freelance photographer for the Boston archdiocese’s weekly newspaper at a special Mass for lawyers Sunday when a Herald reporter asked the justice how he responds to critics who might question his impartiality as a judge given his public worship.
“The judge paused for a second, then looked directly into my lens and said, ‘To my critics, I say, ‘Vaffanculo,’” punctuating the comment by flicking his right hand out from under his chin, Smith said.
The Italian phrase means “(expletive) you.”
Yesterday, Herald reporter Laurel J. Sweet agreed with Smith’s account, but said she did not hear Scalia utter the obscenity.
In his letter, Scalia denied his gesture was obscene and claimed he explained its meaning to Sweet, a point both she and Smith dispute.
Scalia went on to cite Luigi Barzini’s book, “The Italians,” which describes a seemingly different gesture — “the extended fingers of one hand moving slowly back and forth under the raised chin” — and its meaning — “‘I couldn’t care less. It’s no business of mine. Count me out.’” …
The gesture typically means “I don’t know” in Portugal, “No!” in Naples, “You are lying” in Greece and “I don’t give a damn” in northern Italy, France and Tunisia, said David B. Givens of the Center for Nonverbal Studies ….