Police track the man down but don't arrest him. Stone is removed.
New York Times does an article about him, does an interview with a man "who declined to give his name" (though the police gave a name, Brian A. Whiteley).
He's quoted saying that he was "trying to remind Donald what type of legacy he’s leaving behind. And also leaving the date of the death open, alluding to the fact that there’s still time to change who he is."
That last part is, I take it, an effort to deflect any opprobrium that might attach if the tombstone is perceived as a wish to see Donald Trump dead or, worse, a threat to his life. Ironically — and hipsters love irony — the allusion to the fact there’s still time to change who he is is the "or else" that puts it in the form of a threat.
I don't think it's a "true threat" in the sense of First Amendment doctrine and I think the speech is fully protected under American law, but I can't believe New York law doesn't make it a crime to leave an unattended 420-pound object in Central Park. Let's imagine an equivalent stunt/art project aimed at Hillary Clinton. Why shouldn't political campaigns of all sorts take up the practice of setting up monuments in Central Park and sparking Instagram virality?
Earlier this morning I linked to a (possibly insanely lame) NYT column titled "Three Ways to Think About ‘Is It Worth It?’" in which the author spelled out his cogitation over whether to buy a $5,000 bike. $5,000 seems to be about the cost of getting a tombstone made and transported to Central Park. Is it worth it? According to the "Three Ways" column, it's a personal decision based on cost, enjoyment, and utility. If there's no legal consequence, I'd say it would be worth it to enough people to keep the Sheep Meadow looking like a graveyard.
IN THE COMMENTS: Laslo Spatula said...
He tried to get it written on a cake but the baker refused him.
Because bakers can do that.
Wait.
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The NYT article came up with a Hillary ad next to it.
Give me a break, America has never stopped hating. He just supports the majority of hatred we've had for the last 4 decades.
The article calls him an artist. At what point did it go from prank to art?
Some New York museum will purchase it as an art piece and put it prominently on display.
I am Laslo.
NYT loves the Clinton Crime Family. Real. Love.
"Made America hate again."
So I see.
"...but I can't believe New York law doesn't make it a crime to leave an unattended 420-pound object in Central Park. Let's imagine an equivalent stunt/art project aimed at Hillary Clinton."
Careful Althouse. You are in danger of that bed wetter Mark claiming you are "outraged" and need a "safe place."
The irony is that the stone weighs 420 lbs.
"I can't believe New York law doesn't make it a crime to leave an unattended 420-pound object in Central Park. Let's imagine an equivalent stunt/art project aimed at Hillary Clinton." Ann "I can't believe" Althouse at it again. I literally can't imagine being someone who can't believe what you can't believe, if, by contrast with the believers who you think do not actually believe what they profess to believe, you in fact cannot believe what you claim you can't believe.
He tried to get it written on a cake but the baker refused him.
Because bakers can do that.
Wait.
I am Laslo.
Good thing the monuments shop fulfilled his order. If they declined or refused it, then there'd be real trouble.
For one commenter here, it's the summer of 1940 in Britain all over again. For another, it's time to "abort" a 69 year old white Caucasian male, despite years of prolife rhetoric. For yet another, it will be a perpetual primary campaign until November when another primary season officially begins. Such is Trump Derangement Syndrome.
What would Hillary's monument say?
-- Crooked Hillary
-- Hillary the Historic
-- Hillary the Liar
Here lies Hillary.... and over there, and there, and....
A message (and a media) so literally clunky, it had to come from Hillary's campaign. "I'm wither(ed)."
"Hipster" walks into a monuments shop, orders a tombstone for Donald Trump with the epitaph "Made America Hate Again"
Sounds like the start of joke. The next line would be, "The monuments clerk says,..."
I'll let you all or Lazlo finish.
I suppose someone who is willing to spend thousands of dollars on a prank would be undeterred by a littering fine. How much money is mummy and datty giving him every month?
Laslo for the win.
Hey Althouse: I hope you have a comment on Harvard Law Professor Mark Tushnet proposal to treat Christians as Nazis. Link is found here:
He also says that the left has been cowering in fear of Conservatives and needs to "take the offensive" against Christians.
Creative. Nice to see that $200k mom & dad spent to send him to Parsons didn't go to waste.
Someone should place next to the Trump tombstone a bigger one in tribute to Hillary. I'm not clever but I'm sure there are some very great slogans that could be engraved. Of course if someone did do that I'm sure it would be labeled a hate crime.
It wouldn't surprise me at all if it came from the Hillary campagn. Read an article yesterday that they have had to pay their on-line advocates as contrasted to Sanders and Trump people who are true believers, and do the online work for free. Apparently, the Hillaritites online are being paid by a David Brock "independent" SuperPAC "Correct the Record" that isn't supposed to coordinate with her campaign, but does. If it looks ham handed, the Hillary campaign is most likely behind it.
Sorry...Barack Obama beat Trump to this one...He hated on bush and all cops and passed a lot of hate on to all of us. Obama may end up going down as one of the biggest dividers in recent times.
It wouldn't surprise me at all if it came from the Hillary campagn. Read an article yesterday that they have had to pay their on-line advocates
I saw something about Hillary paying people to advocate for her on-line and that was when I knew Trump was going to win.
Does anyone think that Trump will need to pay people to go on-line and advocate for him?
There is no enthusiasm for Hillary outside of establishment drones who need the gravy train to continue.
Catastrophic economic misalignments, lynching to propagate fear, population control schemes, burying people alive, aborting wholly innocent human lives by the millions... The Left holds a long-running fascination with diverse realizations of the "final solution".
The article calls him an artist. At what point did it go from prank to art?
I want to know how "lugging a tombstone" is "art".
I want to know how "lugging a tombstone" is "art".
t
He is a "conceptual" artist, which means he lacks the skills actual artists used to have. But he is an "artist" and has the student loan payments to prove it.
Rick said...
"Give me a break, America has never stopped hating. He just supports the majority of hatred we've had for the last 4 decades."
Hating what? Peas.
I hate peas. Loath them in fact. Longer than 40 years.
Fucking little green assholes.
Always showing up where you least expect them.
Fucking peas.
Assholes.
If it looks like Trump is going to win - or even do well - the far Left will subconsciously start setting him up for assassination. We'll see crosshairs on pictures of Trump and his family, pictures of Trump with a mushroom cloud in the background, assassination porn written/filmed about him (remember that film about Bush being assassinated?).
Some of this has already started. Part of it is just leftist masturbatory fantasy, but it is happening.
That last part is, I take it, an effort to deflect any opprobrium that might attach if the tombstone is perceived as a wish to see Donald Trump dead or, worse, a threat to his life. Ironically — and hipsters love irony — the allusion to the fact there’s still time to change who he is is the "or else" that puts it in the form of a threat.
The idea that anybody could feel "threatened" by hipster artists is risible.
Had someone erected an Obama tombstone in CP would they have been allowed to simply remove the "art", no charges?
"The idea that anybody could feel 'threatened' by hipster artists is risible."
Didn't A. Shicklegruber get his start as a hipster artist?
"Hey Althouse: I hope you have a comment on Harvard Law Professor Mark Tushnet proposal to treat Christians as Nazis. Link is found here: He also says that the left has been cowering in fear of Conservatives and needs to "take the offensive" against Christians."
The word "Christian" doesn't appear in his post.
I don't know what you think you are referring to.
Don't forget that Scalia opposed interpreting the Constitution to require exemptions based on religion.
What is fascinating to me is how the left telegraphs their most inner insecurities by what they accuse Republicans of. They most often seem to be afflicted by a vicious case of projection. The only President in the last century who could probably compete with Obama in terms of hate was Wilson, who resegregated the federal govt and oversaw a resurgence of the Klan. Initially, I was going to talk about the biggest haters living in the White House, but then realized that would probably be a contest between Michelle and Hillary, with the win probably going to Clinton. Michelle seems the more racist of the two Obamas, but I don't think it is even close between Bill and Hillary - he is the lover, and she the obvious hater, having to clean up his messes.
So, who is the hater in this election? Trump? Sanders? Or, Clinton? I think most here who answer that honestly would say Herself. Trump tells us almost everyday about someone or some group he loves - Hispanics, Blacks, primary opponents, and maybe even Hillary. When was the last time Hillary did this? Did this for the demographic groups she seems to hate worst (white male working class). Though she doesn't seem to have much more affection for the females of that class. We saw that recently when she toured coal country. But maybe even more, we can see it in how she treats the "help". She was apparently roundly hated by the White House staff the last time she lived there, for the way she treated them. Bushes would ask about family members when they lived there, while Hillary would have any who made eye contact with her fired. Were those the actions of a lover? Or a hater?
My theory is that the left gives away their insecurities by projecting them on the right. Which, means that they are the real haters here, and hate that in themselves. And hate that they are attracted to it in their politicians. You can see this on campuses around the country, where anyone to the right of a moderate Demcrat is hated on viciously, and shut up by any means available. And the biggest interracial hate these days is between Blacks and Hispanics, both important Dem party constituents. But at least on campuses, there seems to be more and more hate between various officially aggrieved groups, including those two, plus feminists and the LBBTxyz community. No wonder leftists want so desperately want to believe that the biggest haters are on the right, despite little, if any, evidence to support them. Because they know that they are haters, and the only way that they can live with themselves is to believe that the hated right are even bigger haters.
Well, I'm sorry Ann. I originally found that article from this link which explains the Christian bit.
The professor talks about the losers of the cultural war needing to be harassed out of existence, basically. Who lost the cultural war (for the time being?) It isn't the hippies, that's for sure.
robother: Didn't A. Shicklegruber get his start as a hipster artist?
Hipster Hitler.
(Not terribly funny, just made me think of it.)
Just wait for August. If Hillary is the nominee she will be down 10+ in polls that are overly optimistic or her. If it isn't Bernie he dem party will be in full meltdown. If it is Bernie what will dems do when Goldman Sachs has nobody to donate to? What will they do wihout billions in adds and the corporate media support? Could you see Stephanopolous shilling for Bernie?
It is going to be glorious.
I would chip in for a headstone to be placed side by side engraved with "Bitch Be Trumped" 2016
Blogger Rusty said...
I hate peas.
--
Give peas a chance.
This "artist" has a lot of disposable income. Ran out of tattoo canvas?
Where's our daily dose of Scott Adams musings?
There is some serious psychological projection going on.
Rae said... [hush][hide comment]
If it looks like Trump is going to win - or even do well - the far Left will subconsciously start setting him up for assassination. We'll see crosshairs on pictures of Trump and his family, pictures of Trump with a mushroom cloud in the background, assassination porn written/filmed about him (remember that film about Bush being assassinated?).
Some of this has already started. Part of it is just leftist masturbatory fantasy, but it is happening.
There are many crazy people in USA. Some are hearing all the hate directed at Trump and believe they would be loved and heroes if they murder him. Sad thing, is, it is true. And then , pundits would claim he brought it upon himself. Even Krauthammer insinuated Trump hates Chinese, Mexicans, Muslims, and others. I do not believe Trump hates anybody. Why should he?
Talk of building a wall incites mobs at Trump rallys? You think decent Mexicans agree with agitators? Even decent illegals dislike agitators.
Temporary ban of Muslims until validation process is sorted out? How can anybody disagree with that. Is there anyone in America who does not believe it is only a matter of time before a Mall enjoys a Muslim rampage?
Sexist, misogynist? Only a fool would believe Trump hates women.
I witnessed "The Apprentice" and observed that Trump could find reason to fire any contestant he wanted, not necessarily the one most obvious to the rest of America.
I sure hope that does not carry over to his presidency.
I also remember him saying he does not believe "people can change", as well as him introducing his "good friend", Chuck Shumer.
He also rationalized picking Joan Rivers over Poker Annie, who had destroyed Rivers in a money raising contest.Blatant Loyalty to a friend over indisputable mathematical fact.
Still better than Hillary
They "hate" discussing issues on their merits. In their minds, sufficiently attaching the term "hate(r)" to someone invalidates with far less effort.
Fortunately the falsehood of "Make America Hate Again" can be polished off and the stone re-used.
America was once greater than it is today. Its state today is the result of Democrats. America was never a hateful nation.
gspencer, and sadly, we are now a country with little but hate.
If 9/11 happened now, I wouldn't feel bad. At all.
The country is divided, possibly beyond repair. Fortunately, my side has the guns.
How "Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come" of them. Did the gravestone give his name as Ebeneezer Trump? Unoriginal and boring.
...I can't believe New York law doesn't make it a crime to leave an unattended 420-pound object in Central Park.
Don't try it with a 20 ounce soda, though.
Don't Kill the Candidate Washington Post, April 29th.
IMHO Donald Trump did not make America hate again. The hatred was already out there -- the anger of the coal miners and the people who depended on coal mining to make a living for the Democrats who declared a "war on coal"; the smoldering rage of people struggling to make ends meet while the limousine liberals who dominate the Democrats smugly inform them that they deserve to be society's losers because of "white privilege"; the bitterness of a veteran's widow whose husband died waiting for treatment while Obama's choices for VA administrators live high on the hog and cover it up; the anger of a person who, thanks to Obamacare, must pay substantially more for worse care; and the raw hatred fomented by Obama himself that has come to be embodied in Black Lives Matter.
Trump did what these people desperately wanted a politician to do: tell the PC police to "F*** Off, stronger message to follow."
Had the artiste more sense than passion, a simple papier mache tombstone could have been made, and much more easily installed, for the price of a few NY Times, some flour, and a bit of paint. And the costs all around, from manufacture to installation to removal, would have been negligible.
Where has the creativity of the modern protester gone, that they make such simple but expensive mistakes?
Speaking of death monuments, El Rushbo finally let go and crossed the CruzBot Cult this afternoon telling them what he really thinks about Cruz and Trump.
He basically contrasted the strong mind control plus Evangelical legalism con game run that was being by Cruz and his father, with the raw and vulgar words and all of an intelligent thinker and communicator of reality based ideas that was and still is being run by Trump.
Limbaugh said Trump has taught Americans how to think again. And that only Trump stands a chance against the Liberal playbook on destroying conservative candidates.
My respect for his On Loan From God Mind of Rush has returned.
It was illegal to put it there, and certainly unauthorized. That's why it was removed.
It would have been more of a threat had it had a date not far in the future. As it is, it just made no sense.
Tradguy heard a different Rushbo program, apparently.
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