Child Abuse In Santa Cruz

Radical Redneck alerted me to this story about child abuse going on in Santa Cruz.

While most summer camps get kids out of the house and give parents a break, a group called Art in Action is nurturing the next Michael Moore . . .

Art in ActionÂ’s 'art and empowerment' camp is being held at the Quaker Center nestled in the redwoods of Ben Lomond. Campers at the 10-day retreat attend workshops on cultural activism, nonviolent action and alternative media.

'The reality is that the media is not actually showing whatÂ’s really going on in Iraq,' said Jouse Bustos, 19, of central Los Angeles. 'By doing this mural, IÂ’m showing whatÂ’s going on.'

And Jouse knows what the media doesn't because . . . how? i'd wager the punk hasn't actually been to Iraq, nor have any of his retarded professors. So, guess what. Unless he's getting his information from out his ass, he's probably getting from the media.

Bustos is one of 25 young people attending the camp. For 10 days, they learn to say 'no' to military recruiting, racism and war, and 'yes' to eco-justice, community and love.

Nice. If these people had their way, i don't suppose they'd go crying to be protected by that same military when their bus gets bombed. No, they'd never do that.

Campers spend their time making banners, writing poetry and choreographing dances that represent a vision of 'positive alternatives to the madness of war and oppression.'

i got a positive alternative to war and oppression too. How about a democratic Middle East? How about us killing the terrorists so they stop blowing people up?

'Art is the best way to communicate social messages,' said camp founder Alli Chalabi-Starr, who grew up in Santa Cruz but now lives in San Francisco.

Art is the best way to communicate social messages, huh? i bet if i went to that camp and i made some art that communicated my own social message, i'd be "peacefully" thrown out of there on my ass.

Here's an example of the type of social message that's acceptable at this camp:

Some [campers] glue together pieces of newspaper that will become the giant puppet unveiled Thursday night — the divided face of a Muslim woman and woman of color from the United States.

Stamped across the face will be an American flag, said camp co-founder Maryam Roberts of San Francisco.

The face 'represents silence forced upon both women by their governments,' Roberts said. 'There is a feeling of silence.'

Oh gawd, spare me that "chill wind" argument again. You're at a fucking protest camp. If the government wanted to censor you, you'd be sitting in jail next to Tim Robbins and Michael Moore, holding their Oscars.

Instead, people like this thrive in the United States, where their message is heard loud and clear wherever they want to spew it forth, from the office of the California Attorney General to the streets of Manhattan. That's not censorship.

On the other hand, i just made a piece of protest art myself. It's a work intended to shake up the establishment and challenge the oppressive orthodoxy of California's ruling elites. i'll sell it to you cheap for $750, which also happens to be the per person cost of that stupid protest camp. It's suitable for framing and i'm calling it "Piss Boxer."

i wonder how many art galleries i can find anywhere who would be willing to exhibit it?

Posted by: annika at 11:25 AM | Comments (9) | Add Comment
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