Rock becomes battleground for passers-by
- Thread starter Teegate
- Start date
Something tells me we will be seeing a lot of changes of paintings on that rock from now on.
Steve
Steve
"What's so funny about peace, love, and understanding?" (Elvis Costello)
Since when is it disrespectful to paint peace signs? Answer: When you are pro-war.
Since when is it disrespectful to paint peace signs? Answer: When you are pro-war.
Here we go again!
Bob, there is nothing wrong with peace signs, and painting the flag on a rock does not mean that person is pro war. So whoever painted the peace sign over the flag is just someone who has no understanding why the flag was painted on it in the first place. If they are that adamant about peace signs, let them paint it on their house and leave other people's creations alone.
Then again the rock is not owned by anyone who has painted on it, so both side are wrong.
Guy
Bob, there is nothing wrong with peace signs, and painting the flag on a rock does not mean that person is pro war. So whoever painted the peace sign over the flag is just someone who has no understanding why the flag was painted on it in the first place. If they are that adamant about peace signs, let them paint it on their house and leave other people's creations alone.
Then again the rock is not owned by anyone who has painted on it, so both side are wrong.
Guy
I have mixed feelings about the subject. I used to love seeing all of the different ways people would paint the rock, but after 9/11 seeing it painted up like the flag just gave me a really great feeling. Seeing that it stayed that way for 4 years felt really good too. Almost as if it had achieved memorial status as a silent and small reminder of what had happened on that day. To me it's like going down to the wall in Washington D.C. If you look at the flagpole nearby you'll see that the crests of all of the armed forces are set into the base in brass. All of them are tarnished and dirty except for one-the Marine Corps. Marines consider it an honor to put on their dress blues and go down there, salute the flag, and polish their emblem with a little brasso. The emblem gets polished so much that you can see how it is starting to wear away in spots. Its not an official thing, just a small, silent practice that's carried on as tradition. I have nothing against the people that painted the peace signs, as I'm sure they had good intent. I just feel that it's a bit tacky, kind of like someone hand painting a Mexican flag over the Carranza memorial-well meaning, but misplaced.
Like I've said, I was tired of seeing the same thing for 4 years, and I welcome something different.....but what they did really looked like crap. At least make it look decent. I think it's silly people are turning it into a pro/anti-war thing. It's a rock. There's enough division in the country as it is.....do we really need to fight about a rock? Next thing you know there'll be a "freedom fries" stand next to it. Give it a rest. It's a rock.
[rant]
That being said can I also add that just because you don't like peace signs painted on a rock it doesn't mean that you're pro war. I don't know of anyone who is pro war. I don't agree that the war in Iraq was the absolute best solution to a problem, but that's what it is, a solution to a problem. Was FDR pro war? How about Lincoln? As horrible and evil of a person some believe George W. Bush to be (I don't think he's a good president, but evil is a stretch) I don't think that he revels in seeing American soldiers blown to pieces by roadside bombs and shot up by insurgent forces. The only kinds of people that take pleasure in the pain and suffering of others are sociopaths like Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, and oh yea, Saddam Hussein who DID enjoy listening to tapes of torture victims screaming in pain pleading for their lives as well as those of their spouses and children. When Harry Truman gave the OK to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima he wasn't jumping for joy with the prospect of annihilating half a million people, he did so with a heavy heart taking some solace in the fact that it would save the lives of half a million American GIs. Whatever their motivations in this world, NO ONE is pro war.
[/rant]
Yes yes I know, all that over a rock...
That being said can I also add that just because you don't like peace signs painted on a rock it doesn't mean that you're pro war. I don't know of anyone who is pro war. I don't agree that the war in Iraq was the absolute best solution to a problem, but that's what it is, a solution to a problem. Was FDR pro war? How about Lincoln? As horrible and evil of a person some believe George W. Bush to be (I don't think he's a good president, but evil is a stretch) I don't think that he revels in seeing American soldiers blown to pieces by roadside bombs and shot up by insurgent forces. The only kinds of people that take pleasure in the pain and suffering of others are sociopaths like Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, and oh yea, Saddam Hussein who DID enjoy listening to tapes of torture victims screaming in pain pleading for their lives as well as those of their spouses and children. When Harry Truman gave the OK to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima he wasn't jumping for joy with the prospect of annihilating half a million people, he did so with a heavy heart taking some solace in the fact that it would save the lives of half a million American GIs. Whatever their motivations in this world, NO ONE is pro war.
[/rant]
Yes yes I know, all that over a rock...
For anyone who listens to New Jersey 101.5's (most people either love it or hate it) "Jersey Guys" radio show Jennifer Gilliam called in this afternoon to talk about the article that was written about the rock. Ironically her husband was actually on his way overseas as she spoke to Craig Carton, the show's host. She told Carton that she was dismayed over the rock being portrayed as a "battleground" and didn't wish for it to be seen as such. It sounds like the reporter juiced up the story a bit for shock value. She made an important point-The American flag is no more pro Iraq war than the Peace sign is anti Iraq war. She painted the rock in rememberance of 9/11 and just felt that the peace signs (as well as the foul language graffitti) were innapropriate. To her the rock has nothing to do with the war at all and it's simply been hijacked by those with an agenda. Even more ironic, after she said her peace other callers lambasted those who painted the peace signs as anti war protesters who don't support the troops. I guess it just goes to show you that people will use just about anything to serve their own interests. The sad thing though, both Gilliam and Carton agreed, was knowing that the state/county might do something stupid like remove the rock to avoid such controversy that if it continues. They both agreed that would be a terrible thing. The funny thing is no one has ever said for sure how it got there in the first place, so I guess the jetty story must be the only explanation out there.