Man questioned about Bush yard artwork

[ClintonTyree]

http://www.kca.net/readarticle.pl?D8NJO84O0.html

ALAMEDA, Calif.
Thu, 01 Mar 2007 18:54 MST

Secret Service agents have questioned an Alameda man about a display in his front yard featuring a cardboard cutout of President Bush with a knife through his head.

Michael McDonald said he was grilled for about 90 minutes by two agents who asked about his personal history and his political views. They also asked him to allow access to his medical records, he said.

The cutout also shows painted blood running over the president's eyes and down the bridge of his nose.

McDonald said the federal agents asked if he interpreted his work as a threat against the country's chief executive. He said he didn't.

"They said, 'You've got a knife sitting in the head of the president of the United States,'" McDonald told The Oakland Tribune. "I said, 'No, I got a knife in a piece of cardboard.'"

<snip>

Why was it necessary to "grill" McDonald about his political views? I mean, it would appear quite obvious what his political views are but why would it matter anyway? :shrug: Their overriding concern should be whether he poses an actual risk to "El Jefe". Maybe they wanted to see if he belonged to any subversive, underground groups bent on overturning Bush's pResidency by means of cardboard cut-out images. From what I hear they're springing up like daffodils across the country. :eyes:

Anyway, nice touch Mr. McDonald. ;)

[Oeditpus Rex]

1. So he's got a lawn gnome

What's the problem? :shrug:

[Kutjara]

2. I can understand the SS's confusion.

Telling the difference between * and a piece of cardboard isn't so easy.

[NMMNG]

3. Indeed

Their IQs are within a few points of each other. :shrug:

[Dangerously Amused]

4. Yes, but

...the fact that Cheney wasn't there controlling it with strings should have tipped them off.

[mduffy31]

5. Not that I agree with the Secret Service

But it is a Federal Crime to threaten the life of the president.

[Deja Q]

7. Oh come on, it was just a piece of cardboaaaaaaard...

:sarcasm:

Nice to see I'm not alone in knowing how to reason, mduffy31. It is a crime and as I posted a moment ago, a piece of cardboard becomes an effigy once a person's visage is pasted onto it.

That guy is a pompous ass; pure and simple and I hope he's not a Democrat.

[mduffy31]

9. Thank you for that Hypno

How are you surviving the storm in the Cities? Here in Duluth I am buried here at work in about 2 feet of snow with 7ft snow drifts, and being a nurse it is not like I can just leave.

[Deja Q]

6. Advocating or wishing the death of a public official is barbaric.

Disagreeing on politics is one thing.

It also happens to be a step short of, if not outright treason, to do such a thing - there is no excuse and most people usually don't pull grotesque stunts like that on a whimsical thought... especially if it's a political figure. :dunce:

I wonder if McDonald would have been grilled (not fried like the chain restaurant's meat) if he put up a picture of his neighbor like that... it's still just as wrong to do; there is no excuse!

Maybe I'll do what McDonald did: Stick a knife in a piece of cardboard. The moment I slap an image of somebody on the cardboard, it then represents a person. Not a piece of cardboard.

Sorry to be in the minority around here...

[taterguy]

8. I agree, really

The guy put the cardboard up to get attention. He got it. What's the problem? I'm glad he's not my neighbor.

[chknltl]

10. I'll join your minority

I laughed along with everyone else here but you bring up a very valid point...one which made me rethink my position on this. Sure, we have Freedom of Speech and all but there has to be a line drawn here. I now think the police should have been called FIRST instead of the Government Investigators... after it was determined that this was nothing more than a political statement the owner should have been made to remove it or face charges.
thanx HT