Topic: Publicity or Insanity? (Read 7273 times)

Sideways · « **on:** 04 Jul 2005, 07:52 »

I'll provide the link, although I actually don't want to encourage traffic to his site, he has rigged his images and links in such a way that they cannot be posted separately...

http://www.squidi.net

To celebrate the 4th of July, he burned an American flag.

Now... in your humble opinions, is this a publicity-stunt, or is Sean Howard totally batshit insane?

Keep in mind this is the same guy who threatened to "Shut Penny Arcade Down" because someone in the PA forums was ripping of his 'art'.

By 'art' I mean; someone was drawing pixel-art characters, resembling Final Fantasy 6 in style, and their feet happened to look like Sean Howard's OWN FF6 rip-off.

But I won't get into the whole "Is pixel-art... art?" thing (Yes, it is, when it's original - see Diesel Sweeties - not when it's merely ripping-off every SNES RPG ever made).

Whoops, I got into it after-all.

So do you think this guy is nutty, or what?

My Aim Is True · « **Reply #1 on:** 04 Jul 2005, 09:15 »

i have no clue about the drama, and no desire to find out, but I see nothing wrong with flag burning.

ForteBass · « **Reply #2 on:** 04 Jul 2005, 09:23 »

Any time Sean Howard is brought up the conversation has no possibility of ending well.

twentyfour · « **Reply #3 on:** 04 Jul 2005, 10:15 »

He's crazy as a loon, and everyone knows doing something like this will get plentry of threads about you and your wacky ways. Thanks for proving his advertising scheme works S.W.

....well... Gabe proved that LOOOONG ago actually.

I should do something really controversial, like eat a baby, that'll get me some traffic!

Sideways · « **Reply #4 on:** 04 Jul 2005, 10:19 »

I posted that I lamented having to link his site, in order to illustrate what I was talking about.

And THIS time, it wasn't just me playing Devil's Advocate, and attempting to spark a debate.

Is he really batshit insane, or is it publicity?

I still check his site out, usually once a month, and when I saw that, my reaction was... WTF?!

Reading his 'explanation' of his flag-burning clarified some things... and while I actually (*shudder*) agree with many of his points... there's one thing he's missing;

Isn't that a Federal crime?

Freedom of speech (the 5th Amendment) does not protect against flag-burning.

Could this loon finally have crossed the line?

Is he going to meet up with a big black dude named Bubba, and become someone's 'special friend'?

dyinshadows · « **Reply #5 on:** 05 Jul 2005, 07:03 »

Quote from: Sideways

Isn't that a Federal crime?

Freedom of speech (the 1st Amendment) does not protect against flag-burning.

Could this loon finally have crossed the line?

Is he going to meet up with a big black dude named Bubba, and become someone's 'special friend'?

Nope. The US Supreme Court decided it wasn't. Texas v. Johnson (1989)

Quote from: Oyez's abstract of the case

In a 5-to-4 decision, the Court held that Johnson's burning of a flag was protected expression under the First Amendment. The Court found that Johnson's actions fell into the category of expressive conduct and had a distinctively political nature. The fact that an audience takes offense to certain ideas or expression, the Court found, does not justify prohibitions of speech. The Court also held that state officials did not have the authority to designate symbols to be used to communicate only limited sets of messages, noting that "f there is a bedrock principle underlying the First Amendment, it is that the Government may not prohibit the expression of an idea simply because society finds the idea itself offensive or disagreeable."

(Taken from here)

I believe Congress is currently considering a constitutional amendment to ban flag-burning. However, until such time as one is passed, the Court has ruled that burning a flag is protected speech.

</dork>

Sideways · « **Reply #6 on:** 05 Jul 2005, 07:42 »

But in watching some clips from the Daily Show with John Stewart, a week ago, they were doing a piece on how flag burning was now considered a crime.

I don't want to seem like I have my facts wrong, because those are the ONLY facts I have.

So the ruling from 1989 *may* have recently been overturned.

=tells himself to research shit before posting about it=

Primate · « **Reply #7 on:** 07 Jul 2005, 09:03 »

No, no. It was just that the House passed an admendment to the constitution making it illegal. They do that about once a year, but they're traditionally the crazier of the two. The Senate won't even bring the matter to vote, although the rhetorical support for the admendment in the Senate is over 40 senators. It would take the House and the Senate and the States to actually make it illegal.

Still, one should follow ones local burning ordinances to properly stay out of trouble.

zekterellium · « **Reply #8 on:** 07 Jul 2005, 09:14 »

you guys need to chill. sean's a funny and opinionated guy, and i damn near agree with everything he has to say, except for maybe his stance on abortion. and it's not like he's just doing it, he explains exactly why and there is no fault in his logic at all. and so what if it is publicity? his webocmics great and i hope more people read it.

next you'll be saying he only had the baby so that one other person would visit his site.

Primate · « **Reply #9 on:** 07 Jul 2005, 09:23 »

Quote from: zekterellium

next you'll be saying he only had the baby so that one other person would visit his site.

I'd almost be willing to try that, but even my adult relatives stay away in droves. Besides, I'd have to get the brat his own computer so he'd have a seperate IP address.

zekterellium · « **Reply #10 on:** 07 Jul 2005, 09:30 »

hahaha, it's a good way of getting hits i guess, driving over the country impregnanting girls and leaving them only a url...

tedzsee · « **Reply #11 on:** 07 Jul 2005, 13:51 »

Quote

I believe Congress is currently considering a constitutional amendment to ban flag-burning.

^Seriously, that is just dumb. If a law like that were ever passed, I'd know for sure that America had lost its mind.

zekterellium · « **Reply #12 on:** 07 Jul 2005, 14:25 »

apparently, it isn't far off. god, it makes me sick.

Ay · « **Reply #13 on:** 07 Jul 2005, 15:25 »

If you don't like it, get out. Would it hurt to show a little respect for your country? There are other ways to protest, other than burning an American flag. Especially on the 4th of July. If you compare us to other coutries, America is rather spiffin, at least we don't force you to agree with the government else we kill ya. You could at least respect the symbol of our country in your protests, since we're one country that actually lets you protest.

dyinshadows · « **Reply #14 on:** 07 Jul 2005, 16:18 »

Quote from: zekterellium

apparently, it isn't far off. god, it makes me sick.

It's further than you'd think--I seem to remember the process being that after the Senate ratifies it, it goes to state legislatures, and two-thirds of them have to ratify it. Something like that.

dyinshadows · « **Reply #15 on:** 07 Jul 2005, 16:21 »

Quote from: Ay

If you don't like it, get out. Would it hurt to show a little respect for your country? There are other ways to protest, other than burning an American flag. Especially on the 4th of July. If you compare us to other coutries, America is rather spiffin, at least we don't force you to agree with the government else we kill ya. You could at least respect the symbol of our country in your protests, since we're one country that actually lets you protest.

Dude...calm down. No one's saying America is horrible compared to other countries.

"We're one country that actually lets you protest"...that's what people are doing. Protesting. The flag is a symbol, nothing more. One person burning a flag doesn't hurt you. It doesn't hurt anyone. [Un]Fortunately, free speech includes speech with which you vehemently disagree--and that's what is great about this country.

Ay · « **Reply #16 on:** 07 Jul 2005, 18:27 »

Burning a flag is destroying a symbol of our country, and as many people see it, burning a symbol of the free world. By doing this people (and it is widely thought, at least by the folk I've spoken with) give off the impression that they hate America and free society and what it stands for. I think that's one method of protest that's a touch too drastic. There ARE other ways to protest, rather than defacing a symbol of our country.

Se7en · « **Reply #17 on:** 07 Jul 2005, 19:21 »

I have absolutely no idea who that guy is, but ive read those blog entrys, and what he says is absolutely right. I dont think its publicity hes after, and theres nothing insane about what he says. Hes an angry man, angry at the injustice in america at the moment, and i can respect that.
If i were american, it could have been me that posted that rant and burnt that flag.

Yeah, i recognise that to americans, thats a pretty drastic form of protest, but hes protesting against some pretty drastic things. The truth hurts, and its going to take a lot of truth to balance out the bullshit being spread about.

You just have to read that blog entry in a calm and impartial way to see it. Im not an american, and i dont know him from adam, so i took it at face value.

StarMinion1 · « **Reply #18 on:** 07 Jul 2005, 20:17 »

I don't think his motives are strong, equating freedom of speech to the burning of symbols. There are many more ways to express ones self, minus the angry mobs. But one cannot argue with someone who is correct in their own mind.

Yet, I was wondering... Where did this burning occur? If it was in some sort of public forum, then I'd see politicians debating about it on TV, hear it on the radio, and posted everywhere online. If he really wanted to make it a statement, he should have done it in public, preaching his manifesto to the masses. If he is correct in his rationalization, then he should explain his motives to those who believe he is unjust and take their scorn in stride, as long as it doesn't lead to violence.

But the only thing that really bothers me is the whole burning thing... I believe it's silly to burn things, even if it's a statement. I don't see this situation as "a man who burned a sacred symbol", but as "a man who endangerd himself or quite possibly others."

Anyway, I believe it is a publicity stunt like the whole SNL, Sinead O' Conner, Ripping of the Pope's picture thing. An act that seemed justified to herself, causing major backlash from those who disagreed.

jeph · « **Reply #19 on:** 07 Jul 2005, 20:30 »

I'm not going to get into my personal opinion of Sean because that is nobody's business but mine.

That being said, he and every other American has (or should have, depending on what gets passed) the right to burn our flag in protest.

Dissent is patriotic.

zekterellium · « **Reply #20 on:** 08 Jul 2005, 10:53 »

freedom of speech is all well and good until somebody says something you don't like

- oscar wilde

i don't like the guy, but he knew his politics.

McTaggart · « **Reply #21 on:** 09 Jul 2005, 04:20 »

Quote from: jeph

Dissent is patriotic.

I would have worded it differently, but quoted for truth.

Tinsel_Shine · « **Reply #22 on:** 09 Jul 2005, 06:37 »

Quote from: Ay

If you don't like it, get out. Would it hurt to show a little respect for your country? There are other ways to protest, other than burning an American flag. Especially on the 4th of July. If you compare us to other coutries, America is rather spiffin, at least we don't force you to agree with the government else we kill ya. You could at least respect the symbol of our country in your protests, since we're one country that actually lets you protest.

Your government gave you the freedom to protest! You should respect that by never telling them they're wrong!

Ok, so I'm exaggerating, but personally I think people should be allowed to protest however they want as long as it doesn't violate anyone elses rights. Possibly I just don't understand the degree to which flag burning upsets people because if you burnt a Union Jack in the street here you'd probably get approximately the same reaction as if you burnt any other random rectangle of fabric, but it just doesn't seem that much of a big deal to me. As far as I can see almost all symbols mean different things to different people, so there's no point in getting angry if you see someone burning "freedom" if what they think they're burning is "oppression". Ask them why they're burning the flag, and if they say "I hate freedom, I hate America and I think all Americans should die", then by all means be offended, but they'll probably say something along the lines of that website: "I hate that our country is being ruled by people who don't respect it at all, how can they claim to love this land, then pour toxic chemicals all over it?"

THESE FORUMS NOW CLOSED (read only)

Poll

Well? Batshit insane?

Author Topic: Publicity or Insanity? (Read 7273 times)

Sideways

twentyfour

Sideways

dyinshadows

Sideways

Primate

zekterellium

Primate

zekterellium

zekterellium

Ay

dyinshadows

dyinshadows

Ay

Se7en

zekterellium

Tinsel_Shine