Tales of the Surveillance state: Is Painting a crime?

[Capt Bringdown]

http://static1.firedoglake.com/35/files/2011/09/Screen-shot-2011-09-01-at-6.16.34-PM.png



Alex Schaefer's depiction of a Chase branch going up in flames drew the attention of L.A. police, who asked if he was a terrorist. He said the work was a metaphor for the havoc banking practices have caused the economy.

Standing before an easel on a Van Nuys sidewalk, Alex Schaefer dabbed paint onto a canvas.

"There you have it," he said. "Inflammatory art."

The 22-by-28-inch en plein air oil painting is certainly hot enough to inflame Los Angeles police.

Twice they've come to investigate why the 41-year-old Eagle Rock artist is painting an image of a bank building going up in flames.


Schaefer had barely added the orange-and-yellow depiction of fire shooting from the roof of a Chase Bank branch when police rolled up to the corner of Van Nuys Boulevard and Sylvan Street on July 30.

"They told me that somebody had called and said they felt threatened by my painting," Schaefer said.

"They said they had to find out my intention. They asked if I was a terrorist and was I going to follow through and do what I was painting."

No, Schaefer said. He explained that the artwork was intended to be a visual metaphor for the havoc that banking practices have caused to the economy.

A terrorist certainly would not spend hours on a public sidewalk creating an oil painting of his intended target, he told the officers.

The police took down his name, address and telephone number on a form — Schaefer declined to provide his Social Security number — and departed.

They were friendly. They weren't intimidating," he said. "I figured that when they left, they probably decided the episode was stupid and they'd just wad up the form and throw it away."

Wrong. On Tuesday, two more officers showed up at Schaefer's home. This time they were plainclothes detectives.

"One of them asked me, 'Do you hate banks? Do you plan to do that to the bank?' " Schaefer again explained what his painting symbolizes.

"I've only had two experiences with the police in my life, and these were both of them," he said. "I have this feeling I'll get different treatment at airports from now on."

- more - (http://articles.latimes.com/2011/aug/28/local/la-me-bank-painting-20110828)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/98/Surveillance_quevaal.jpg/250px-Surveillance_quevaal.jpg

[LnGrrrR]

:lol Right, because someone planning to firebomb a bank would sit out on the sidewalk and paint said picture...

[Wild Cobra]

It's only a crime of stupidity if you ask me. Telling people your deep dark secret thoughts.

[4>0rings]

The police HAVE to ask these questions, it's standard operation along with the follow up from detectives. I don't think they were harrasing him. If they confiscated his materials, that would be harrasment.

I see nothing wrong with the way this was handled.

[Capt Bringdown]

It's only a crime of stupidity if you ask me. Telling people your deep dark secret thoughts.

Yeah, terrible things these artists, using metaphors, creativity to express themselves and so on.

So stupid of him, his painting is now past $5000 on ebay. (http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190570913537#ht_500wt_949)

- go to "Chase Burning" listing on ebay - (http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190570913537#ht_500wt_949)

[Capt Bringdown]

I don't think they were harrasing him. If they confiscated his materials, that would be harrasment.


I don't think they were giving him a foot massage either. Wait, who said anything about foot massages?

Or harassment?

Straw Man alert

[Wild Cobra]

Yeah, terrible things these artists, using metaphors, creativity to express themselves and so on.

So stupid of him, his painting is now past $5000 on ebay. (http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190570913537#ht_500wt_949)

- go to "Chase Burning" listing on ebay - (http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190570913537#ht_500wt_949)
Just shows there are a lot of twisted people out there.

[Blake]

I don't think they were giving him a foot massage either. Wait, who said anything about foot massages?

Or harassment?

Straw Man alert

was he charged with criminal activity or not?

[boutons_deux]

Don't any taxpayer ever THINK about doing any harm to the TBTF/TBTJ criminal banks, the taxpayer-funded gestapo thought/artistic police will treat you like a terrorist.

[Capt Bringdown]

was he charged with criminal activity or not?

No, he was questioned and investigated because someone felt threatened enough to call the police over his painting a picture.

Perhaps I should have titled the thread "Is Painting Threatening?" I pity the fearful, paranoid mindset that would want to call the police over some guy painting a picture on the sidewalk.

The follow up visit by 2 plainclothes police at the artist's home is interesting. A simple google search would have sufficed I would think.

[ElNono]

No, he was questioned and investigated because someone felt threatened enough to call the police over his painting a picture.

Perhaps I should have titled the thread "Is Painting Threatening?" I pity the fearful, paranoid mindset that would want to call the police over some guy painting a picture on the sidewalk.

The follow up visit by 2 plainclothes police at the artist's home is interesting. A simple google search would have sufficed I would think.

Sadly, it's the society we live in. That's why you should be buying this book for your kid to get him ready:

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YDzbAhE8QMA/TOQFVAmnxKI/AAAAAAAAAWc/v4T9jToS8_8/s1600/Airport-Naked-Body-Scanners-My-First-Cavity-Search.jpg

[Capt Bringdown]

I reckon there's a lot more "threatening" images found in art galleries all over America.
And on the internet. And in books, newspapers and magazines.
And in conversation.

Should we expect an investigation?

[ElNono]

There probably are investigations taking place. The thing is, as long as it's not harassment, I don't think there's anything illegal about it. Obviously, the artist is protected by the 1st amendment to draw whatever he wants.

[ElNono]

The thing with other people reporting stuff has to do with this:

http://www.mta.info/news/stories/images/see_something_lg.png

which this parody reflects well:

http://talkwiththepreacher.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/if-you-fear-something_full.jpg

[scott]

It's only a crime of stupidity if you ask me. Telling people your deep dark secret thoughts.

Almost as stupid as saying we should shoot illegal immigrants on an internet message board, tbh.

[Capt Bringdown]

There probably are investigations taking place. The thing is, as long as it's not harassment, I don't think there's anything illegal about it. Obviously, the artist is protected by the 1st amendment to draw whatever he wants.

I found the comment about harassment interesting. "Is this harassment?" rather than "Is this excessive?"

The New Normal and the frontiers yet to be explored...in this regard, I'm glad I don't live in the US anymore and I hope to remain far, far away.

[ElNono]

Well, the artist can sue if he feels harassed... I mean, I can't blame the cops either, they're doing what they're told to do

[Capt Bringdown]

Well, the artist can sue if he feels harassed... I mean, I can't blame the cops either, they're doing what they're told to do

Did somebody blame the cops? I don't blame Donald Duck, either. Or Lord Vishnu.
Did the artist say he was harassed?

Knocking over straw men sure is fun.

[ElNono]

Did somebody blame the cops? I don't blame Donald Duck, either. Or Lord Vishnu.
Did the artist say he was harassed?

Knocking over straw men sure is fun.

Meh, I'm not saying you did. I'm just saying what I think about it.

[DMC]

Because common fucking sense cannot be used to find terrorists, and this fake ass "fairness" is exhibited ad nauseum, everyone is screened as a possible threat regardless of their actions. You can bet your ass that Israel doesn't exhibit such political correctness at a price of ignorance and inefficient security.

There's such a huge mental warp towards feeling safe that being safe takes a back seat. I've had people tell me they feel safer if civilians were not allow to own guns. They wouldn't actually be safer, but they would feel safer.

Who ever fucking told these pampered ass clowns that they have a right to feel safe? Where is that guaranteed?

Gone are the days of accountability, here are the days of treating the population like they are customers that have to be catered to else they will go elsewhere.

[Blake]

The New Normal and the frontiers yet to be explored...in this regard, I'm glad I don't live in the US anymore and I hope to remain far, far away.


Did somebody blame the cops? I don't blame Donald Duck, either. Or Lord Vishnu.


so who exactly do you blame for your fear of the frontiers yet to be explored in the US?

[greyforest]

It's only a crime of stupidity if you ask me. Telling people your deep dark secret thoughts.

you should read the first amendment sometime

[Capt Bringdown]

so who exactly do you blame for your fear of the frontiers yet to be explored in the US?

The War on Terror continues to twist us in directions that I never thought possible, and as it is currently defined and prosecuted, I don't see how it can end.