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pseudo-manitou — just a comma
by-nc-nd
Published: 2007-03-04 22:40:36 +0000 UTC; Views: 5973; Favourites: 78; Downloads: 96
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Description
This piece got lost in a shuffle a while ago - the scandal is old, but the revelations are still important...This piece involves a comment from George W. Bush Jr. made during an interview with Wolf Blitzer on CNN, September 24, 2006.
Here is the full quote:
Bush Jr.: Yes, you see — you see it on TV, and that’s the power of an enemy that is willing to kill innocent people. But there’s also an unbelievable will and resiliency by the Iraqi people…. Admittedly, it seems like a decade ago. I like to tell people when the final history is written on Iraq, it will look like just a comma because there is — my point is, there’s a strong will for democracy...
Trying to dismissing the four years of death and destruction as 'just a comma' seems almost unbelievable. A few pundits later claimed that Bush was making a nod to his right-wing religious base by working from Gracie Allen's famous quip, "never place a period where God has placed a comma." -- but honestly, do you think 'Mr. is-our-children-learning' can be so eloquent, even to his own followers?
Bush doesn't speak in code - he only speaks of his indifference to the disaster that he created by being indifferent to the possible consequences of his actions in the first place.
Call your congressman/woman. Call your Senator. Demand an end to the war. Demand justice: impeach Bush.
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Comments: 44
Powerful, and so true. Even though he isn't president anymore, I still hope he falls in a pit and dies in a fire.
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this is intense. and it's very true...and a scary thought. When I read about wars and battles they're commas...but they are so much more. They are will real people.I turn on the news,read the paper -And these are some of the real-est commas I've ever seen.Great depection and how clean and layed out this is. Kudos to you
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Great poster art. No comment on the political message. I know nothing else than Bush is the biggest dope ever to walk into the White House...
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Bush's legacy will not deserve a comma.
Worst president ever. PERIOD
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when I had originally seen that quote I was mightily pissed off. Then again half of what Bush says/does pisses me off. He's not completely evil, but I find it frustrating when people defend him as a president.
We all need some good political artwork out there...thanks for sharing
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"Just a comma"? Damn, Bush is bad! I wonder if that's the worst thing he's ever said?
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holy crap, this is so much more powerful now that I read through your coment. I hate Bush, I hate this war, I want our boys back home. I can't belive that 4 years ago h landed on an aircraft carrier and claimed the war was over. It's idiotic that we are still there. I love this peice, it's very thought evoking and made me rant. + fav fo sho
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I wish bush would have been in the middle of this piece simply because i didn't know that this was a comment he made. Had I seen this image without your explaination, i wouldn't know how to find out the context of the quote. I guess that makes me inept or something else, but I think for people like me who know a bit about politics and bush, but don't get extremely involved in politics, the Bish image as a watermark maybe or even as the centerpiece to show the focus on his words and then the surrounding imagery as the impact of his words would have been extremely powerful to me upon seeing it.
otherwsie, great work as usual=]
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I took a risk by not explaining it more: my hope is that people would either be curious (or confused) enough to 'Google it' and find out what this was about.
My major compalint is that not enough people are curious to know what's going on with this war, and that's why it's taken so long for things to turn...
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the only problem with that is some people don't know how to research it.... honestly I wouldn't have known where to turn to find out about it had i seen it in the street. Thankfully you reminded me I can google almsot anything in the world or wikipedia it, but some people are even LESS computer and internet savy... gotta look out for those people as well to inform.
I say this only because though this is a forum to view artwork and this individual piece is displayed here via computer/internet, but i've seen you say you actually want your work displayed out in the world and what not. If someone decides to print up your work and lets say posts it out in the Village, or in any other area of NY, some people like I said are very savy or aren't at all..... so it'd just make sure that the message was received at least.
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True, when taken out of the digital sphere, it isn't so easy to grasp as I hoped. I'll take that into account, and think of a way to fix this...
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not that i don't agree completely... but at this point i think trying to impeach bush would just waste a lot of energy... we should have done it back in 2002!
of course... Al Gore was elected president... but don't get me started on that. this whole administration is fraudulent, neglectful, willfully ignorant, indifferent, clumsy, greedy, incompetent, and altogether hateful.
can i move to Canada pls? at least until 2009....
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This is a pretty neat way to make a statement. I suppose that's what art is all about though, right?
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I don't know about "all", but communication is certainly a huge part.
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not sure i get the qoute, was he trying to indicate that everything thats going on in iraq is irrelivant and meaningless? in which case i agree with you.
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To be honest, Bush may have meant that the violence will be insignificant compared to the democracy that would come out of Iraq.
But the truth to that is, the violence and instability is largely Bush's fault, so I don't understand why -HE- thinks it should be considered insignificant in the unlikely chance that the best case scenario evolves from this mess.
When you make a mistake, you address it. You don't dismiss the mistake just because something good might come out of it. The violence should stop.
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yeah, that definately seems stupid. thanks for clearing that p for me.
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I'm always jealous of your sleep design style.. but im usually more jealous of the concepts and the clarity with which you put them forward.. all in all I'm just very jealous.
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I made the image 11x17 at 72dpi. You should be able to print this yourself if you have access. If that is good enough for your use, wheat-paste away.
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Bush Bashing is soooooo passe..
Got anything current?
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Current? This Bushism happened just three months ago:
"Make no mistake about it, I understand how tough it is, sir. I talk to families who die." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Dec. 7, 2006
And I'm not Bashing Bush, I'm letting Bush speak for himself - and adding pictures after
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you Still don't get it.
I with your children luck..
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What's to get, kid?
We tried things your way for six years, and nothing worked. Don't you read any of the federal reports coming out of your own country that you claim to love so much?
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Kid. Heh. Thanks.
Hey, you sound pissed about something, and it shows in your stuff. I hope you find The Way someday, my friend. Be happy; don't be hatin'.
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I couldn't believe when he compared this war as being 'just a comma', and is it me or does it seem everyone else doesn't think about the fact that we are also in Afgahnistan. Then again, Iraq is the only thing they show on TV or talk about, and since so many people are influenced by the mdeia, they focus on what's shown or written about.
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Wow, glad you included the statement to explain your methods.
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lacks sufficient context for me to be able to get into the peice, it seems you may have taken the qoute a little too far for an individual to see it in your artwork.
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There is such a thing as targeting an audience.
Those that care enough to already know the context will be refreshed by the imagery.
Those that care enough to have their curiosity piqued by the imagery will discover the context for themselves (or take the two seconds to read the comment posted at the bottom in this post).
Otherwise, I wouldn't waste my time with those who don't know, or don't care to know. Such individuals will not take the time to work to change this situation.
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Thats a mighty fancy way to call it propaganda.
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I think I see a difference in opinion here...
You believe propaganda is inherently bad.
I'd say it's no more evil than any other tool. --- You, being a gun enthusiast, should understand how that situation stands.
Propaganda does not always have to be in opposition to other causes or institutions, nor does it always involve misinformation. That is how it is usually referred to by definition.
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I certainly dont believe propaganda is a bad thing, or a good thing. Things have no will of their own, and are thusly incapable of being good or evil. I merely object to presenting art which is, even by your admission propaganda and not simply saying so.
In my eye as there is an inherent difference in a shovel, from a rifle. There is a difference from lets say, normal art and propaganda. I think it is improper to produce propaganda without clearly marking it as such. It is a very finite line between the two, and to me that is decided by the artist.
I believe if your trying to sell something, be it a political idea, some social change ect ect then fine. However it is extremely important to tell people that, so that the viewer feels your being honest or atleast not intentionally deceptive. That is distracting atleast to me, when I have to try and figure out "does this person think this is great art, or is this just thinly veiled propaganda". Let me study propaganda and agree/disagree with its message or view and seek to understand art.
Art shouldnt make you disagree or agree, it should make you think. Propaganda should help you agree or disagree.
Its sort've a round issue, hard for me to conceptualize my feelings into text. Am I coming across alright?
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Yes. And I see your point. And I agree.
In my defense, I assumed that when I posted artwork/designs under the 'political' category in DA, it was understood that this would be construed as propaganda.
I can edit the commentary on this post if you feel this is not redundant.
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I've had people tell me all my stuff should be in the same catagory, so I'll admit I've become blind to catagories. Dont feel obliged to edit your commentary merely for my satisfaction.
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I think your missing the point of political art here.
Of course the artist has an opinion on a political action, the art is a comment or thought about this action. Just because it's art does not mean it has to be objective.
Just because the artist has picked a side in the conflict does not mean it's not art. It's art with a will to change people's point of view, not nessesarily mean it's propaganda...
Maybe I'm drifting away from the point here...
the difference between propaganda and political art, in my personal opinion, is that political art invoke people to think for themselves.
While propaganda tells you what to think.
This work for example should be regarded as political art, not propaganda, since it's a comment to a political statement....
because it's smarter and makes people think instead of giving them an already fabricated thought.
_____
I'm sorry if I seem a bit confused, it's 8min past midnight over here.
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i'm not sure if i ever let this slip: but your deviations are the ones that really cath my eye (and brain.) among all the others that are announced in my watch.
this work is a good example. It bears the accutilance (im sorry if the word does not exist in this way..) that seems to be present in all the other works from you.
It is politically and socially strong. Visually very effective.
you do know your stuff.
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