ATS: 'Axis of Evil' Art Draws Secret Service's Attention

An art show at Columbia College's Glass Curtain Gallery in Chicago has gotten the attention of the U.S. Secret Service. The show displays art pieces that include a mock postage stamp that shows a gun to President Bush's head. Federal agents are asking for the names and phone numbers of the artists involved so they can investigate the real meaning of the artwork.



I doubt this art represents any clear danger to the President, at least from the artists. I do think it's in bad taste, however, and the artists could have thought of other ways to protest the government than depicting a gun to the President's head.

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[edit on 4/12/2005 by djohnsto77]

People need to understand what art is.

Actualy, it can also be interpreted as a defense to GW.

As my sig sais, interpretation is a cage.
Things can mean alot, they can mean something good, they can mean something bad, but they can as well mean totaly nothing.

In this case my way of interpreting this stamp is that the artist finds that alot of the controversial and negativly seen things that happend during the last few years, that involved GW, happend because he "had a gun against his head" or in other words, because GW is controlled/manipulated.

Its not a threat at all, its a common expression made visual.

If you think this is bad then I urge you to check out the Immortal Technique Revoltionary Volume 2 album art cover.


Now whats worse? Holding a gun up to the presidents head, or assassinating the entire Bush cabinet?

Cool way of interpreting the stamps matrix, being held at gun point to sign the act.

Another manifestation of the police state America has become. Now art can get you investigated by the secret service,

Umm no. Making the slightest threat towards the president will get you investigated, which is better than say, in Iraq a couple of years ago. What would that stamp have gotten the artist in Bagdad?

Wow Sim, I wonder what the Secret Service did when they saw that!

And Spliff is correct, the Secret Service investigates any such depiction of violence against the president as a possible threat. This is nothing new and not a manifestation of a police state. Anyone who killed the president would be thwarting the will of millions of voters and destroying our democracy.

I doubt this art represents any clear danger to the President, at least from the artists

The SS is prefectly correct in investigating calls for the assasination of the president. Heck, its their specific function.

That stamp poster is certainly investigation worthy.

by Simulacra:
"Now whats worse? Holding a gun up to the presidents head, or assassinating the entire Bush cabinet?"

Well I guess that all depends on the perspective that is being used. I have little doubt that both of those examples would be seen as "Bad" by Bush and his cabinet. However, often times what is seen by them as "Bad or Worse" can be just the opposite for others. Metaphorically speaking, Bush and his cabinet are certainly not innocent of "Holding a gun to someone's head" or "Participating in the assassination" of those that stand in opposition to their goals. Personally, I see Immortal Technique as being a statement of "Liberation for the People". But then again, that's just how I see it, which is what makes art such a good thing, "People see what they want to see in it."

So free speech applies to everything bar negativity to the President? So its totally fine to make art work out of pointing a gun at any one elses head but not the President?

I wonder if the secret service investigates directors of such movies as Air Force One and Clear And Present Danger. Oh yeah thats just make believe but a stamp of this nature is clearly a sign some one is planning to murder the President. Afterall every criminal mastermind lays out their ingenious plans in stamp format...

Originally posted by subz
So free speech applies to everything bar negativity to the President? So its totally fine to make art work out of pointing a gun at any one elses head but not the President?

I wonder if the secret service investigates directors of such movies as Air Force One and Clear And Present Danger. Oh yeah thats just make believe but a stamp of this nature is clearly a sign some one is planning to murder the President. Afterall every criminal mastermind lays out their ingenious plans in stamp format...

Don't you remembered John Hinckley being so lustfully inspired by the artistic talents of Jodie Foster in "Taxi Driver" that he wanted to prove himself for her by shooting a certain former actor-turned-President?

I thought artwork is meant to inspire people to... oop, did I say that?! :

The agents turned up Thursday evening, just before the public opening of "Axis of Evil, the Secret History of Sin," and took pictures of some of the art pieces -- including "Patriot Act," showing President Bush on a mock 37-cent stamp with a revolver pointed at his head.

Actually near as I can tell I dont think its a revolver,
it looks a little more like an automatic to me.

Looks to be a luger, or beretta, Its fuzzy it.

[edit on 12-4-2005 by SpittinCobra]

Originally posted by spliff4020
Umm no. Making the slightest threat towards the president will get you investigated, which is better than say, in Iraq a couple of years ago. What would that stamp have gotten the artist in Bagdad?

Spliff, that's not the issue. What the problem is is that our country IS changing. Several years ago, that stamp would have gotten a chuckle, albeit slightly uneasy. The fact that the reaction was made shows that our country is sliding ever closer to Baghdad on the scale of tolerance of free speech. I don't know if you noticed it or not, but reactions like these show me that our free speech is close to becoming endangered.

Originally posted by SpittinCobra
Looks to be a luger, or bretta, Its fuzzy it.

9mm Beretta sidearm.

That's how freedom is taken away - a little at a time - so people hardly notice.

If the secret service are looking into the background of artists who create images like this stamp, how long before they start investigating people who criticise the US Government, or post on ATSNN?

It's easy to say "better safe than sorry" and "it doesn't concern me, I've got nothing to hide", until ofcourse the day comes when you find out the hard way that expressing your opinion is no longer acceptable.

Advocating the assassination of the president is tantamount to pressing for the violent overthrow of the United States Government. It has never been legal to do that, nor should it be.

The Secret Service has every right to investigate this to see if it actually falls into this category or is simply fantastical "art." This is not a slippery slope or the loss of a right.

Originally posted by Loki. Several years ago, that stamp would have gotten a chuckle, albeit slightly uneasy

It would've gotten a visit from the SS, there'd be little chuckling. This is hardly new.

SS alright, wheres the Gestapo?

Who the hell is going to advertise that they are planning on assassinating Bush Jr. by slapping it on a stamp and passing it off as art?

Do movies purport to "advocate" that their content is somehow real and needs to be acted out? Dont be ridiculous. Like I said, did Tom Clancy get a visit from the Secret Service because Debt of Honour portrays the President getting killed? I bet he didnt.

pressing for the violent overthrow of the United States Government

So whats with appropriating $3million to aid the overthrow of the Iranian Government? Bush can protect his own ass but actively spends money and pursues the overthrow of other governments.

Also I thought the whole idea of your right to bear arms is so that you can overthrow a domestic tyrant. So you are given the right to bear the means of assassination but are not allowed to show the act in an artistic fashion?

Great ideals