<nettime> green party vs the party animals

[david turgeon <david.t@steam.ca>]

interesting & perhaps even pertinent little blurb here...  the donkey &
the elephant as the new official hybrid symbol for the capital of
democracy?  it's not like that this double-symbol hasn't been used on TV &
elsewhere already...  at this point it's really just branding for US-brand
democracy.

i think the green party (as would any lucid citizen) is mostly pissed
because this is going to be a permanent display of this double-logo.  &
yet, i think the branders might be ultimately shooting themselves in the
foot with this, being so bold about the animal parties being presented
together, something so obviously monolithic & incestuous.  my suggestion
would be to make the two animals joined at the head to accentuate the
malaise.  i'm sure a majority of "demopublicans" wouldn't notice before
it's too late.  where's the saboteurs when you need them?

have a nice day
~ david


-------- Original Message --------
Subject: FC: Green Party sues over Washington DC's Demopublican city mascot
Date: Fri, 29 Mar 2002 14:05:14 -0500
From: Declan McCullagh <declan@well.com>
Reply-To: declan@well.com
To: politech@politechbot.com
CC: scottmclarty@yahoo.com

[Another terrific argument for taxpayer-subsidized artwork? --Declan]

---

THE D.C. STATEHOOD GREEN PARTY

MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate release:
Friday, March 29, 2002

Contact:
Attorney Jim Klimaski, 202-296-5600
Michael Piacsek (plaintiff), 202-638-7760
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator
202-518-5624, scottmclarty@yahoo.com


D.C. STATEHOOD GREEN PARTY SEEKS TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER ON 'PARTY ANIMALS'

Legal action against the D.C. Arts Commission's use of public funding on a
project to promote Democratic and Republican Party mascots

NOTE: The request for the temporary restraining order will be made on
Friday, March 29 (postponed from Thursday, March 28) in U.S. District
Court at 4th Street and Constitution Avenue NW.  For the time and
courtroom, please inquire at the courthouse.


WASHINGTON, D.C. -- On behalf of the D.C. Statehood Green Party, attorney
Jim Klimaski will file a complaint and seek a restraining order to block
the D.C. Commission on Arts and Humanities from displaying 'Party Animals'
on April 12.  The request for the temporary restraining order will be made
before a judge in U.S. District Court on Friday, March 29.  The two
plaintiffs are the D.C. Statehood Green Party and Michael Piacsek.

The D.C. Statehood Green Party has undertaken legal action in response to
the Commission's choice of the donkey and elephant -- the mascots of the
Democratic and Republican Parties -- for the major art project to be
exhibited throughout D.C. from April until October in dozens of
installations.  In selecting the animals, the Commission is presenting
them as the mascots of Washington, D.C., comparable to the Miami dolphin,
the Cincinnati pig, New York's Big Apple, and other city symbols.

"This is a major publicly funded arts project that will advertise the
Democratic and Republican Parties, to the exclusion of D.C.'s large bloc
of independent voters and voters registered in other parties," said Scott
McLarty, media coordinator of the Statehood Green Party.

"We fully support publicly funded art work, including political expression
in art," added party member Stacy Malkan.  "But this is a bald-faced
partisan promotion, a misuse of taxpayers' money, and a violation of our
rights.  The Democratic and Republican mascots were arbitrarily chosen and
don't represent the range of political ideals and party affiliation.  
It's especially an affront in the middle of an election year -- it negates
the American value of fair competition."

Statehood Greens note that they've achieved major party status, just the
Democratic and Republican Parties, and that Statehood Green candidates
have received percentages comparable to those of Republicans in elections.  
In the District of Columbia, Ralph Nader received 6%, closely trailing
George W. Bush's 9% in 2000.

"Imagine if the Commission had chosen only the donkey, in honor of the
Democratic Party, as the city's mascot," said Scott McLarty.  
"Republicans would be furiously, and rightfully so.  They'd demand an
immediate injunction.  That's what we're demanding."

"If the Commission doesn't believe that the project promotes political
parties, then why did they title it 'Party Animals'?"


MORE INFORMATION

The D.C. Statehood Green Party  http://www.dcstatehoodgreen.org


END




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