My first protest!

These pictures are all from the Atlanta Tea Party Protest. The little girl's sign read:
Don't Mortgage My Future

By Frances at Machine Politick

I attended the Tea Party protest at the Atlanta Capitol building yesterday. Because this was my first protest, it was very exciting to be there. Hopefully it is the beginning of a much larger movement to restore our country to the Constitutional Republic it was meant to be.

First, let me say how impressed I was by the turnout. It was cold and rainy all day yesterday. When I left home, I was afraid there would not be a significant turnout because of the weather. Boy, was I wrong, and happily so. In the spirit of the original Tea Party in Boston ,people from Atlanta showed up with their tea bags and their signs to protest the recent escalation of government spending that can only lead to higher taxes. I spent all day on Thursday making my sign and getting ready for the protest. When I got into downtown Atlanta, and drove past the Capitol building, the steps were packed. I couldn't say how many people, but it was impressive, given the weather. A gentleman was nice enough to share his umbrella with me on the way over from the parking garage, and everyone seemed in high spirits when I got there. Passers by were honking and waving, possibly in response to some of the protestors' signs. The girl next to me had a sign that read: Honk if you're paying my mortgage. And, honk they did. One of my favorite signs from the rally was a large banner that read: Read Atlas Shrugged before it happens. I couldn't have said it better. I hope to post some of my pictures later today on my blog.

Several Atlanta officials spoke, as well as the organizer of the protest and a few people from the crowd. Many of the participants had video cameras and posted live video to YouTube. I will provide the links at the bottom of the article. Chip Rogers gave a good speech. Some of his points had great impact; encouraging the crowd to raise their voices and their signs. He said, "We owe our Founding Fathers for their sacrifices to build this country, ...It's time to kick out the Socialists in our government, ...The time to stand by and be nice is over, ... and Let's stand up for our Freedom!"

John Oxendine was there as well, and got the crowd motivated with his comments: "This economy was caused by government intervention in the private sector...This bailout teaches irresponsibility... This is a revolution, we are going to take back control..." I was not close to the speakers, and it was too wet for a notepad, but you get the idea. I was closer to the street most of the protest, and was happy to see how well the people driving by were reacting to the protest. In fact, people were honking and waving at me after the rally as I made my way back to the car, soaking wet in a coat that probably weighed as much as I do. I think if it had been held on an evening or weekend, there would have been a much larger turnout. Many people who were discussing the event during the planning stages were unable to attend because of work.

I was very impressed by the level of organization and the number of people involved. Many of the people who were there had only just gotten word of the protest and quickly made signs to join in. I am glad to see that conservatives are learning to network and use the internet to organize events. In the past, we have always been afraid to get in other peoples' business or expose ourselves publicly for political issues. Yesterday, I saw many people who were fed up and fired up. I hope this will lead to future events and spark a movement to have our voices heard. Whether we are the majority or minority, our rights remain the same and we have to stand up for them. Standing quietly by in fear of offending other people will only lead to oppression of our principles and freedom. In a few short weeks, Obama and Congress have shown a willingness and ability to push their agenda with no regard for its effect on the American people or the economy. We must fight back before it is too late.

If we are to save our country and preserve our freedoms, we must return to the principles on which it was built. My sign for the rally read: Give me Liberty or Give me Death, Restore America to a Constitutional Republic. We have to scale back the government to its Constitutionally mandated powers and function. Socialism does not and cannot work. History has proven, the only way to achieve collectivism is through force and tyranny. The productive must be punished in the name of the 'common good'. There is no longer any incentive to be productive, and everyone suffers as a result. Socialism does not raise up the meek and the downtrodden. It brings down the successful members of society who produce the wealth and provide the jobs and services that we all need. People need to learn personal responsibility and the fact that our actions have consequences. If the government steps in and rewards failure, there is no reason to make the right decision.

My favorite sign from the protest was dripping and tattered by the time I saw it, but I was able to get a picture. There was a family not far from me, and one of their little girls had a sign that was dragging on the ground. It read: Don't mortgage my future. As the mother of a five year old boy, that says it all for me. I don't want my child growing up in the kind of country that America is becoming. For that reason, this was the first of many protests to come for me.

Pictures from Dennis in Atlanta

Pictures and News from James Arone in LA

Other sources of information on the Atlanta and National Rallies include: The AJC, The LA Times, Jacksonville, Santelli, and YouTube, as well as a long list on Google.

I have cross posted this article at Modern Conservative

Spread the word, and spill some tea!

Let's Have a Tea Party!
This is a link to a nationwide rally to protest the recent actions of Congress and the new administration. It is long overdue. I won't get into a rant on why this should have happened while Bush was in office. As they say, better late than never!
I'm actually impressed. I didn't expect the Conservatives to get so worked up, so early in the game. I can't help but ask if it's only because the Republicans are in the minority, to the point where they have no say any more. Ooops, I said I wouldn't rant.
Needless to say. I'm excited. It's about time people woke up and started to protest the actions of our overbearing government. I'm interested to see what effect this will have on Washington. It's looking like an interesting 4 years.

Wrapping up the Week at ModCon

Samples of MachinePolitick Art
Due to time constraints and a multitude of projects, I decided to spare my audience a long winded opinion piece this week. I am simply posting samples of my work for your commentary.
Hopefully, I will be finishing up some paintings soon and posting new images.

An Artist's Perspective on Being a Modern Conservative

New article at Modern Conservative

The Ayn Rand quotes, continued...

...very little has been said about actual life under communism, about living beings, not slogans and theories. Theories against practice...I don't give a damn about theories. I do give a good deal about human beings...
...the individual against the collective. That problem interests me above all others in my writing...The plot of my novel is entirely fictitious. The background and circumstances which make the plot possible are entirely true.

The apparent enthusiasm for the manual worker, for the afflicted and for social justice; serves as a mask to facilitate the refusal of all obligations, such as courtesy, truthfulness, and above all, respect or esteem for superior individuals...[In regard to] Dictatorship, we have seen only too well how they flatter the mass-man, by trampling on everything that appeared to be above the common level.

Everything accepted on faith or someone else's authority is only a warmed over spiritual hash.

...the means have become the end...

If all of life has been brought down to flattering the mob, if those who can please the mob are the only ones to succeed - why should anyone feel any high aspirations and cherish any ideals?...

Instead of preaching more collectivism, men must realize that it is precisely collectivism, in its logical consequences - a subtle, unnamed, unofficial, but still all-powerful collectivism - that is the cause of mankind's tragedy...since collective ethics are claimed to be necessary for collective economics - take a look, gentlemen, we have those ethics already. We have them and we don't like them; it is not a pretty picture.

The first cornerstone of his convictions is equality... all possess intrinsic value by the mere fact of having been born in the shape of men...
this talk is on a grand scale, staggering, magnificent, its bromides well hidden under the latest scientific terms, the whole worked out on a formula of saying things that sound profound until one stops to think of what exactly they mean and finds they mean nothing... beliefs are important to them only as a means to an end... he is not bothered by his inconsistencies, by the vagueness and illogic of his convictions. They are efficient and effective to assure the ends he is seeking...

Once the equality of men is established, the advantages to his type are obvious... assure him of superiority...
The liberals and humanitarians are now faced with a choice: either admit that their are differences among men more profound and irrefutable than those of money or aristocratic birth, and therefore fight for the rights and freedom of the best among men, rights and freedom which the average men do not want, do not understand and cannot use or protect, and stop the damnable preoccupation with the "poor" as such, the poor who have no distinction beyond their poverty; or - deny these ideals... bring mankind down to the level of the masses...

It's the aggressive, imperious expressions that are awful - on these people who are supposed to stand for equality, freedom, kindness, justice, etc...

All artistic creation has a philosophy. The first condition of creation.

The Americana Series

Please check out my newest post at Modern Conservative. It describes a couple of new projects I am working on.
This drawing is the beginning of a new series on American iconography. I have decided to start this project for a couple of reasons. 1. People have complained in the past that all of my work is critical of government. 2. I enjoy drawing. 3. I would like to do some patriotic work. 4. This enables me to produce work quickly, that I can sell at an affordable price.
Liberty #1 at Modern Conservative.

The Future Indeptedness Bill has passed

Hey, everybody. I know some of you don't share my views or live outside the US, so disregard this post if it doesn't reply.
To the rest of you, who are probably angry, please read and pass on the article I have linked below. This sham of a 'stimulus' bill that just passed Congress is going to put a huge burden on my generation as well as those of future generations. Government, which is already too large and intrusive, is going to expand to unheard of proportions. We have been screwed in the name of paybacks and welfare projects, just one month into Obama's administration. Who knows what's coming next? Considering I read the Blueprint for America, I have a pretty good idea. The Democrats have become so enamored of themselves this election, they are grasping for everything they can think of. Plus they have MoveOn.org and every other 'Progressive' organization clamoring for a handout. Because I put myself on their email lists to better know my enemy, I get some interesting information from their side. I'm guess none of you are surprised to see President Obama went back on his word regarding everything he said during the campaign. Except for Change, because he's certainly giving us that! The future looks grim indeed.
Commentary on the Stimulus Bill, from SPIN.com
Extra reading from Ron Paul.

My Latest on Modern Conservative

Throwing Pearls Before Swine
I decided to revisit an old drawing about the spending habits of Congress. I'll leave the lengthy commentary on the stimulus bill to more eloquent writers. The imagery and title say it all.

The Future Indebtedness Package...Oink!

As you can probably guess, I've been busy writing letters in opposition to the 'stimulus package' Obama is demanding that we swallow. I know he got into office because of banana republic voting methods, but this is still Amaerica. (I say this because a woman stood up at one of my art shows and admonished everyone to vote early and often because we need Obama.) His petulance and unprofessionalism, not to mention hypocrisy are astounding. So here is my most recent letter.
Senators Chambliss and Isakson, please stick to your principles on the
stimulus package and every other issue you address this year no matter
what the cost. President Obama is showing himself to be a petulant child
who demands his way, or else. It is disappointing to see a candidate who
ran on the promise of change, ending earmarks and wasteful government
programs, as well as the influence of lobbyists go back on his word
regarding all topics within his first month in office. This bill is an
atrocity, denounced even by the Congressional Budget Office as wasteful
and ineffective. I do not want to see future generations burdened with the
expense of this bill. Obama keeps saying he won. You did as well, or you
wouldn't be in office. Do not allow Obama to marginalize the opinions of a
large minority (48%) of voters, simply because they disagree with him. The
mantra of the left has always been 'every vote counts'. Please stand up to
these strong-arm tactics. You represent the people of Georgia, and were
put in office to uphold our principles, not Obama's wishes. Thank you for
your time, and continued efforts on my behalf.
President Obama, shame on you. Hypocrisy is not a virtue.

Did Ayn Rand have a premonition of Obama?

Some of these quotes are amazingly eerie, in their description of characters resembling Obama. Although he claims to be the agent of 'Change', he is quite the personification of socialist dogma. He is Elsworth Toohey in his arrogance and quest for power, and Peter Keating in his whiny
For those of you who are new to my blog, thanks for joining me. These installments are research for future paintings, and the answer to a friend's request for more Rand.

...His thinking is muddy enough to [demand] an absolute obedience to those ideas from others, but not from himself. He isn't above...accepting money when doing so is quite safe although not quite clean, and forgiving in his "friends" the crimes for which he would destroy an "enemy".

He is a very prominent figure. Especially popular among the semi-literate lower classes... rather indifferent themselves, but will not tolerate any disrespect or disbelief of his authority...

He hates all successful people. A successful man, in any line, is his personal enemy. He rejoices at every failure and at the fall of every idol.

The human herds. All the gatherings of average humanity which have but one aim: to ruin all individuals and individuality, to put "we" instead of "I" everywhere, to have a herd of submissive insiders against everyone outside who "does not belong", everyone who has the courage and conscience to walk alone. The tyranny of number, of multitude, of the average. Communism already established - unofficially.

A mob's feeling of omnipotence is its most jealously guarded possession and therefore a dangerous thing to wound. The mob can forgive any insult or crime except one: challenging its ultimate power... but to see a man who has freed himself from it entirely, who has nothing in common with it, a man who does not need it and who openly disdains it - this is the one crime a mob can never forgive.

...He made an unintelligent speech, full of common platitudes, showing a complete lack of imagination or originality. He had the nerve to speak in defense of the people, the country, the world and soon!...

Everything centered around one idea - one propaganda - and that idea fed to the people until they mentally suffocate.

A terrific machinery crushing the whole country and smothering every bit of life, action and air.
A picture of the state, strangling the individual. A picture of the masses showing who and what those masses are, their ideas, and their rise against the unusual and higher man.

Kira: "But there is a life, a life that I saw, that I was waiting for - and I have a right to it. Who is taking it away from me and why are they doing it?"

The All-Pervading Propaganda: It's ridiculous, far-fetched connections. Its intentionally vulgar,"popular" style and artificial bravado. Glorifying of the drudgery and the "everyday". Its main methods: employment - enforced meetings, "social activists", demonstrators, enforced deductions of pay for "patriotic" enterprises; and schools - enforced study of unscientific "social sciences", a "red" angle on all activities.

The individual against society and a time when society is at its worst and makes itself felt most strongly.

Ayn Rand quotes for Muchacho

Muchacho Enfermo requested more Ayn Rand quotes and I am happy to comply. Because I am a huge fan of her writings, I have decided to do a series of paintings based on them. These quotes are from: Journals of Ayn Rand, edited by David Harriman with a Foreward by Leonard Peikoff. I will not be able to post everything at this time, so expect a series.
I am posting the quotes as I will use them, so you will need to read the book to get the full context of each one. Keep in mind that my work qualifies as propaganda and I intend to use these quotes to reinforce my own views. The imagery will, of course, do the same.

Life is achievement...Give yourself an aim, something you want to do, then go after it, breaking through everything, with nothing in mind but your aim, all will, all concentration - and get it.

...theme is that of humanity - warped by a corrupt philosophy -is destroying the best in man for the sake of enshrining mediocrity... bitterly denouncing a world that seems to have no place for heroism.

...her dominant premise is that men are responsible for the ideas they choose to take... she cites the ideas that have led to the moral corruption in the world, and her implication throughout that men choose to accept these ideas or not...

Your life, your achievement, your happiness, your person are of paramount importance. Live up to your highest vision of yourself no matter what circumstances you might encounter. An exalted view of self-esteem is a man's most admirable quality.

Do not paint one side of the world, the polite side, and be silent about the rest; paint a real picture of the whole, good and bad at once, the "good" looking more horrid than the bad when seen together with the things it tolerates. Men see only one part of life at a time, the part they have before their eyes at the moment. Show them the whole.

...One cannot believe one thing and do another, for such a belief isn't worth a nickle and that's what humanity's doing.

...men act on feelings, not on thoughts.

Show the silent terror that is life at present, the silent terror that hangs over us, chokes us, that everybody feels and nobody can define, the nameless thing that is the atmosphere of humanity.

Show that the mob determines life at present and show exactly who and what that mob is...show that all humanity and each little citizen is an octopus that consciously or unconsciously sucks the blood of the best on earth and strangles life with it's cold sticky tentacles.

Communism, Democracy, Socialism are the logical results of present day humanity. The nameless horror of [these systems], both in their logical end and in the unconscious way that they already rule mankind.

...I want to show that there is no good at present, that the "good" as it is now understood is worse than the bad, that it is only the result, the skin over a rotten inside that rules and determines it: I want to show that all the conceptions of the "good", all the high ideals have to be changed, for now they are nothing but puppets, slaves, and accomplices to the horrible [stifling] of life. There are too many things that people just tolerate and don't talk about.

Show them the real, one and only horror - the horror of mediocrity.

...to be loved by the mob is an insult and that to be hated is the highest compliment it can pay you.

He half-consciously realizes that he possesses something sublime, and that he is going to be condemned for possessing it. From this - his tense, wild, ferocious attitude.

They are too small and weak to feel with all their soul - and they disapprove of such feelings... They are too small and profane themselves to know what sacredness is - and they disapprove of anything being too sacred.

A small soul choked with a poisonous ambition to dominate and crush everybody and everything..."I know that I am inferior and therefore I don't want to let anything superior exist". This is subconscious of course, because one of those muddy souls would never admit it to itself. Consciously it believes that "we are all equal" and defends that equality with all the jealous, greedy zeal of a bulldog that has his teeth sunk into a piece of meat; the dull despotic zeal of mediocrity that is [concerned with] the equality of those above, which it wants to pull down, and not with those below, which it [allegedly] wants to pull up.

Okay, these aren't the most uplifting quotes, but I'm just going in order. The parallelsto modern times and political action are appropriate however. It is amazing tome how many of the problems she foresaw have come to pass, and no one cares.
I would like to know where the hell is John Galt?

The Sun is Setting on Liberty

This is just a reminder that inaction of the populace is the biggest encouragement for a corrupt government. http://www.modernconservative.com/metablog_single.php?p=2925

Alvaro Alvillar, artist and friend

I'm a little tardy posting this link. The last week has been a little crazy. Please check it out and go to my friend's video.
Alvaro is a very talented artist facing the same struggle I am. His work is amazing, and his point of view is interesting. He's not as aggressive as I am, but his work is political. He is nice enough to give the viewer their say when interpreting his work. I don't really give you that choice.
So, here's the link: A Challenge to the Art Community
Enjoy!

My Experiences with Pretentious Liberals

This is my new article at Modern Conservative. The basic idea is that pretentious Liberals feel superior to anyone remotely conservative in the art community. I decided to put down some of my experiences and reactions over the years to give a little better perspective on my art and personal philosophy.
http://www.modernconservative.com/metablog_single.php?p=2881