Eric J. Garcia
Known for mixing history and culture with contemporary themes, Eric J. Garcia always tries to create art that is much more than just aesthetics. Born and raised in Albuquerque’s South Valley, Garcia earned his BFA from the University of New Mexico and went on to get his MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. You can follow him on Twitter @garciaink or friend him on Facebook.
Latest posts by Eric J. Garcia (see all)
- MBS and Friends - October 26, 2018
- The Pollution Payout - September 6, 2018
- Raining Drugs - July 22, 2018
“I may not agree with what you say but I will defend with my life your right to say it.”
That is what sets America, warts and all, apart from the rest of the world. Not taking GOD and god too seriously (who isn’t atheistic about Thor and Zeus these days?) really does make a difference. The Pope did a real misstep from his recent progressive (at least for the Vatican) statements in doing the right thing for a refreshing change on several fronts. Then yesterday he lost all credibility by saying that free speech isn’t limitless and YOU may not make fun of any religion. What a dummy. His true capitulation to his JOB is showing and even he doesn’t get it. Free speech is free and that is why even here in America the Westboro Church, White Supremacists, and other vile unpleasant groups and individuals may say what they please (with the exception of yelling “fire” in a theater, etc.) I see it taking still several generations to make much headway with the intolerant Mid-Eastern countries (and others) to get on board. Religions (ALL) poison everything and this latest violence is just another anecdote to prove that point. The tactic of having wars by the US to bring (force) our philosophy to them is not and will not work. “Keep on keeping on” Charlie and others who shine the light of truth and liberty.
I’m not into limitless free speech. Pornography, for example, is propaganda for the war on women and should be shut down. The patriarchy should have no platform. The Klan should have no platform. Neo-Nazis should have no platform.
“Religions (ALL) poison everything…”
@ Dana: I’m not sure how you define religion, but almost the exact opposite is true. Most religions humans have practiced have protected the natural world. I’m not saying they’ve been perfect, but there’s a reason humans existed for close to 300,000 years without wrecking the place.
Many of these religions/spiritualities/ways of life are practiced by indigenous peoples today. Limiting “religion” to Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, etc. erases other traditions and is racist.
So, please don’t say ALL religions are bad. A few of them are. Most are not.
You may not be “into it” but who would you appoint to make the distinction as to what platform was OK and which were not? That is where the slippery slope begins and free fall ensues spiraling downward (such as Hitler, etc.) is the result. If one looks at history, any and all religions have caused untold misery to the humankind it claims to want to succor. It is free thought, free expression, scientific inquiry, and unbridled wonder, thus allowing us to admit it when we are wrong (such as flat earth, earth around the sun, tobacco is not healthy, God (of some type) makes thunder, that has made America and humanity in general a successful species. The supernatural is a fable and has hindered progress from time immemorial (ghosts, fairies, Santa Claus, answered prayer). I do agree that nature is pleasant to us and we should endeavor to appreciate it. But to ascribe any truth or meaning to that which we don’t understand unto a mythical being or set of rules explaining our role in the world, or, not live this life as if were the only shot we get, is supreme ignorance and complete self -indulgence and a delusional escape into fantasy. I know of no war ever not based on some religious principle of “we know better than you and our truth is indisputable” and we will not tolerate you any longer doing your blasphemous deeds. This is currently being exposed in Europe through violent acts supported by a religious text and we here in America are not doing much better with our majority based hypocritical fancies. There is no fact at all proving or even suggesting that any religion has done anything good for any facet of the world. Just the opposite is true. From the inquisition and the crusades, to our persecution of Native Americans, slavery on any level (which was endorsed by religion) to Japans conquest of the entire far east, to Genghis Khan, to the untold atrocities going on in Africa, to the slaughters in Ireland, and countless other examples throughout history, religion in some form has poisoned all mankind for eons and we are just now seeing some relief as freedom is burgeoning its head where enlightenment dares to shine.
First, I wouldn’t appoint anyone. I work to create the possibility of cultures that recognize the primacy of the natural world. Speech that respects this primacy is good, speech that doesn’t is bad. It’s as simple as that.
I do not take the existence of a large corporate governments as a given. I work to dismantle the systems of power that allow hate speech to continue. Whether or not pornography is speech or action is really inconsequential as long as the US government protects producers of pornography under free speech jurisprudence. I work for indigenous sovereignty because indigenous peoples produced cultures that lived in balance with their land base for time immemorial. There’s a reason this land was a paradise when Europeans first got here. This land could be a paradise again if we’d just get out of the way.
It’s so strange to me that some liberals can condemn the right for things like the “freedom to work” or a “free market” but cannot see how free speech follows the same destructive logic.
I also find it strange that those who place their faith in science cannot see how science has become a religion in itself. Somehow science is going to save the world, while most science is employed destroying the world. Somehow science represents the best humans have come up with, while science produces nuclear weapons, gas chambers, and has put dioxin in every mother’s breast milk. Yes, Will, but what about modern medicine?? That argument would only make sense if modern medicine wasn’t largely a response to our own mistakes i.e. overpopulation, environmentally induced cancers, heart disease etc.
Buenas suerte and in English good luck whilst you are tilting at windmills and enjoying a romp in never never land.
Pornography in and of itself is not really speech so much as an act and I think a whole separate discussion. As far as hate groups not having a platform, that’s a pretty dangerous precedence. If groups like that can be restricted from their platform so can any other group. Who would decide? Despite all the bad that groups like that do and the suffering they cause, I am not willing to give up free speech and freedom of assembly. I’d be willing to bet, either would those who are actual victims of those groups.
On the religion part I pretty much agree with you.
Seems to me the difference is between religion and church.
All religious philosophies have good and great points to them; many of them shared and in common.
But, when a religion is established into a ‘church’ — when men get ahold of it — somehow it always seems to go wrong and become tainted — even evil.
I agree. I had a one friend in particular at work and we would talk about a lot of things and he came up with the
phrase of: “there is nothing wrong with the dogma/ it is only when people are involved that they mess it up”. That sums it all up for me. Differences is what makes the world interesting but hate, jealousy, mistrust, and violence seems to be the end result when the “unknown or unknowable ” is thrown into the mix as “truth”.
I’d like to amend that: it’s when people get involved that the philosophy BECOMES dogma. And that’s what messes it up.
I can’t recall any Muslims publishing what might be considered blasphemous remarks about Jesus Christ so it seems that the characterizations of the Prophet Mohammed aren’t balanced by equally vitriolic remarks about Jesus. So it seems a little hypocritical to me to go on and on about free speech when the only ox being gored is the ox of somebody else’s religion. Maybe it would be better to have some respect for other religions rather than to lampoon them.
No, the islamists (not capitalized intentionally) don’t bother publishing christian (same) blasphemy (they don’t publish much anyway) they just respond with violence.
But actually, freedom of speech/expression isn’t a tit-for-tat thing. Everybody ought to have it whether they choose to use it or not.