The Citizen received a press release yesterday from the Sheriff’s Department regarding a poster that was hanging across the street from the main entrance to the high school. The 3 x 4 foot cardboard poster hung 10 feet above the ground and depicted two red stenciled brains, a black line and two, red, assault style rifles beneath. There were no words and no signature. In light of recent tragedies, school staff and law enforcement were concerned about the poster.
On Facebook Jimmy is entertaining his “friends,” of which I am one, with cutting remarks about society. It’s his right to speak freely. Jimmy’s Facebook friend’s were lauding his artwork, deriding law enforcement and calling him a pawn in the latest crack down on free speech in Salida.
Free speech is the political right to communicate one’s opinions and ideas. Do I stand on the podium for free speech? Certainly. I just danced in the street on Valentine’s Day. Jimmy’s poster represents free speech, but if his message was anti-gun, or peace— his message failed. It was too veiled in it’s meaning to communicate his intent, and that’s where art and speech differ greatly. The symbols he used confused and scared people. In this rural community young children and parents saw guns. Many of the people that were alarmed were tasked with protecting our children.
I am appreciative for artists who help to raise this kind of dialogue, and as a long time friend, I will defend Jimmy as one of the most passionate peace promoters I know.
But, as a parent, the two most important people in my life walk in those doors every morning. In this current political climate, assault weapon art outside a school is threatening. I for one am grateful that the school administrators, staff, and law enforcement took this as seriously as they did.
Let’s be clear about the difference between free speech and blindly defending art, particularly when sinister messages are the takeaway by the majority.
photo credit: Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office
Billy:
You are projecting. I didn’t grudging admit anything. I know who owned what firearms when and what they were used for. I never said anything that would lead a reader to believe I didn’t think the colonists had their own firearms. The first firearm I ever owned was a .32 caliber kentucky long rifle and I am very familiar with them. I am also very familiar with the AR-15 platform.
You get ahead of yourself often. Stop and think before you throw out blanket unsupported statements. You do the same thing to liberals.
People have varying views on gun control. Lots of NRA members I know support gun control. it is where you draw the line.
You never answered my question. Do you agree with justice Scalia when he says that Second amendment rights are not unlimited?
You have proved your skills as a lawyer. Ok, I will grudgingly admit that there may be some limitations on 2nd amendment rights. I don’t have a nuke in my basement and I don’t care to own one. That being said, a good rifleman with an AR can control a 500meter radius around himself. We have sniper level shooters in Colorado who can shoot to 1200 yards and greater. Those types of armaments in the hands of civilians would make it impossible for our government or an invading army to conquer this land. You could destroy the culture and economy, and render the land to unusable dust, but I do not believe you can submit a well armed strong willed people to slavery. We should challenge ourselves; do we have the right stuff. Are we still a strong willed people who will not submit to tyranny. I happen to think the gun control being discussed now in Colorado and in the US congress is tantamont to tyranny.
Isoroku Yomamoto said, “I would never invade the United States. There would be a gun behind every blade of grass.” The Japnese Navy and Airforce flattened our navy at Pearl Harbor. They could have cruised from Hawaii to our western shore unempeded. One of the reasons they did come for us was they knew our civilians were well armed.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-moore/newtown-gun-control_b_2866126.html
When my lawyer suggested an alternative, I was refused a chance at Full Circle Restorative Justice today by the deputy DA Rex Kindall, which in my opinion, and others, would have been the best way to go for all concerned. He said to the public defender, “He’s forcing his art on people, and is bringing the community down by placing this art for free around town, and he wasted the police’s time.” No understanding what the message was, how simple and positive it was, that I came forward of my own accord, that I was protecting Matthew (who will be in court tomorrow at 2), or that everything was fine with the Sheriff and the owner of the building prior to my getting his summons.
Peace on ya, my friends, I believe the numerator will prevail. See y’all at court if you want, next Tues. 9am. Public Defender qualifying and then plead.
If you would like to weigh in on this controversial misuse of the justice dept., please call or write our local/regional DA and Sheriff to let them know what you think of this case, and the clogging of the courts system! My case, and that of Matthew Varnum, were resolved and understood by the police and all those involved, but the Deputy DA still pressed charges not because of the trespass and tampering, but because of the art.
The press release by the Sheriff, and my response letter here. http://salidacitizen.com/2013/02/mysterious-poster-removed-artist-identified-facing-charges/comment-page-1/#comment-15630
Summons # 50118 Chaffee County; Case # 13-0405
2nd degree tampering, a misdemeanor; 3rd degree trespass, a petty offense
Colorado District Attorney John Suthers
Ralph L. Carr Colorado Judicial Center1300 Broadway, 10th FloorDenver, Colorado 80203P: 720-508-6000F: 720-508-6030Attorney.General@state.co.us
District Attorney Thom LeDoux, for the surrounding counties
http://www.thomkledoux.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Thom-LeDoux-for-DA/152978571472371
136 Justice Center Road, Room 203
Canon City, CO 81212
Ph: (719) 269-0170
Deputy District Attorney Rex Kindall – my local case prosecutor
104 Crestone Avenue
Salida, CO 81201
Ph: (719) 539-3563 Fax: (719) 539-3565
Chaffe County Sheriff Pete Palmer
641 West 3rd Street PO Box 699 Salida, Colorado 81201
719-539-2596
Letters to the editor, print and online – The Mountain Mail, Salida, CO. pgoetz@themountainmail.com
The Salida Citizen, online – salidacitizen@gmail.com
The Salida Daily Post, online – editor@salidadailypost.com
The Denver Post – newsroom@denverpost.com
Matthew Varnum received 3 years probation today from the court, no jail time, and possible early termination later. Now his family has to pay lawyer and court costs for something that was resolved in the beginning, but forced thru by the deputy DA.
Jimmy,
You created the issue and cost the taxpayers. No one else is responsible for your bad decisions. You should be required to pay for your own defense.
Keep your art off public and private property (unless you have been given the authority to display it) and you will have no problems.
Is it not enough that your are repeatedly given public space, free of charge, to have your shows and exhibit your art?
This, like Graffiti, is defacing property that is not your own. No matter how cool or positive you may think your message is, what you did is a crime.
I AM COOL AND POSITIVE!!!!
Hi Lou, like Reagan much? This is exactly the point of zero tolerance, nose in the rule book, no concern for the acts as they played out attitude. Just flat out crime hunh? and no comments about the for profit justice system? You may not think so, but I did my art and made my case for you as well as me and Matthew. Let’s see what your tune would be if you were in a situation of trying to evoke some common sense dialogue, and common sense justice on this side of the fence. Thanks for keeping the art and the conscience of the community alive by commenting.
THANK YOU all for being there, and here, I really appreciate it. In the end, brains won out. After 2 months of no common sense it’s over. The DA agreed with my public defender…. drop the misdemeanor charge of tampering, plead guilty to the petty offense for a $50 fine, and $69 in court costs; so I had to pay a total of $119 and I’m done. There was a last minute mention of restitution for the investigation, which they said would be open for 60 days, but after a phone call, that amounted to $0. AND…. I get the art poster back from the Sheriff, probably before the weekend. I will be displaying the art and some of my Peace-Skis at Feast Of Fools event at the community center on Sunday 6-10, and will have info about it all for the good of the public and citizenry. Feel free to print out the poster, put it in your window, and pass it around!
My town is sweet as pie! Write a letter to the editor of you like, and anyone else too. Addresses below the previous comments about the Sheriff’s scary press release. https://www.facebook.com/events/125643677624147/