Put the paint on the cardboard.
Put the cardboard by the freeway.
Repeat.
photos courtesy of Beltwayblogger, quite possibly the mostly widely read political commentator in Washington DC.
USA - 1216
FB - 1197
Because when you put a sign up next to a freeway,
people will read it until somebody takes it down.
. 
Send pictures to freewayblogger -AT- yahoo.com
28 comments:
great work! peace, peter
Keep up the good work! Small groups of people can make a huge difference.
I don't care what the political message is. This man is a litterbug, pure and simple. I thought you lot were supposed to be oh so concerned about the environment. I guess when it comes to dissing The President, anything goes, huh? What's next? Painting "Down with Cheney" on an orphanage using baby seal's blood?
Dear Mr. Laing,
I think your primary mistake is confusing freeways with the environment. Freeways are not the environment, they are what's killing the environment. They are nothing more than multi-ton rivers of death and monuments to our stupidity and greed. They are the gun that's pointed at the head of your grandchildren's grandchildren.
If the founding fathers could be brought back and shown the free speech of a citizen on a sign by a freeway, they'd say something had to go alright, but it damn sure wouldn't be the sign.
As for these signs being "litter", that's your opinion. Go try and explain it to all the people who fought and died for the right to "litter" the way this citizen has.
Better still, go move to a country where the punishment for this kind of littering is death. Maybe you'll be happier there.
I'd have to say that james is a cut above your regular trolls. He has a cogent argument and he presumably used his own name. And the thing about the seal blood on the orphanage was actually pretty funny. He should be congratulated not banished to some country with an authoritarian regime like ours.
I certainly would prefer a few moldering pieces of cardboard over continuing to have to wash my hands in blood every day. I don't even question if it makes a difference. If just one person sees my blog on the way to work and pumps their fist that's worth it to me. The FB would argue it's the mass media aspect but I like to think of it as more personal.
And again: Blood. On. Our. Hands.
Check out this link if you have the stomach. We just don't see coverage like this in the US. Wouldn't be prudent. Wouldn't want to pollute our beautiful minds.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/video/page/0,,2125978,00.html
I wonder if James T. Laing would call those signs "litter" if they said "support our troops" or "yes to Bush."
I guess it's only litter if it's against HIS personal views.
Go Freewayblogger! :-D
Laing probably tears down roadside memorials too (you know, the crosses and plastic flowers people put up when someone dies in an accident.)
It's not litter until some a-hole takes the sign down and leaves it on the ground instead of taking it to a trash bin.
It's not littering. I would surely reclaim the signs to put them up elsewhere, except people like Mr. Laing tear them down and throw 'em on the ground.
-Beltwayblogger
If I lived nearby I'd write "Eat at McDonalds" over every one of them I found, and they still wouldn't be trash, eh?
Its a good thing most people aren't rude enough to go around forcing their opinions upon everyone, else defacing public property and distracting others from driving.
Your guerilla movement is more akin to a bowel movement, and about as dangerous and deep and useful as wearing a Che T-shirt and/or Palestinian kaffiyeh.
Theres nothing brave about your action. Or did you put your name on the signs to spur dialog?
You're just another poseur, dude, with too much time on your idle hands.
While its pretty dim to assume he suports Bush just because he doesn't agree with you, if James T. Laing actually put up signs saying "support our troops" or "yes to Bush" then you'd have to respect his "right" to do so and leave his signs up, just as he left yours untouched.
Then the next guy who has a gripe about something he deems "legit" posts his grievances publicly right next to those, and its still not littering. Then I'd put a sign up saying all those sign are ugly.
'fess up. This signage is about you first, and how clever you are, while pretending to be doing a public service for the people, and about Bush a distant second.
Dear Anonymous, (if that is your real name...) you're right on a couple of counts and wrong on a couple. The law is very specific about the difference between commercial and non-commercial speech. "Eat at McDonalds." would probably qualify as commercial speech and thus be subject to all sorts of limitations.
Freedom of non-commercial, or "Political" speech, on the other hand, is absolutely guaranteed under the First Amendment: we can say what we want as loud as we want. Anyone and everyone, to as many of our fellow citizens as we can reach. Pity you missed that day in Civics: It's the Fucking Cornerstone of Our Democracy.
My signs are oftentimes altered or defaced. I've never, ever, taken one of them down. Never even considered it. The people who take the time to get to the sign and take it down, or better yet change it - believe it or not, they're my brothers. They Get It.
That Free Speech, or let's say Freedom of Expression is their job too. If they don't like the sign, or want to change it somehow, then they goddam well take the next exit and do it.
Everybody else just drives on by.
What you're right about is that there's nothing brave about this sort of action. It's the easiest damn thing in the world: just paint up a bunch of signs, throw them in your car and drive around looking for cool places to put them. You pick the time, you pick the place. If something looks risky you don't do it. It's a game where you get to make all the rules: Bravery doesn't even enter into it.
Talk about irony: One of youre signs reads "Im tired of hearing what rich people think".
Well, I could say the same about you and your noble "messages", as theres no way I could afford to waste so much time and money on useless signage.
Four years and 4,000 signs later you've acheived exactly jack squat,well, except for pats on the head from thinking celebrities, fat and rich ones at that.
"Anonymous" is one of the pussies who just drives on by. I'd bet my next paycheck on it. He doesn't give a flying fuck about this country.
If it is not OK to put up signs to Impeach or Stop the War, is it OK to spray paint Trust Jesus and other Chritianist messages on bridges and other things on the freeway? At least the signs are not permanent, but the spray paint is.
"Anonymous" is one of the pussies who just drives on by.
Soooo unlike the brave and caring yet ANONYMOUS Freewayblogger with his drive-by-postings.
Spray-painting and hanging signs are apples and oranges.
You're so much nobler than the God squad, so why would you stoop to their levels in any way, getting all preachy and smug about yourself, forcing your opinions upon others without a opportunity to dissent and dialog, claiming to know whats best for them?
You're faschists. Different stripe, same idiotic tripe.
P.S. Have we yet planted a tree to offset the regrettable cardboard consumption?
Graffiti "artists" tagging everything is cool, def, dope, phat, ill, rulz, whatever.... someone spray-painting "Jesus Saves" is not.
Carboard signs are the way to go, so long as they rotely read "Impeach". Gotcha.
"The people who take the time to get to the sign and take it down, or better yet change it - believe it or not, they're my brothers. They Get It."
Don't they have better things to do, like instead clean up the fastfood trash the noble masses and sundry rebels from society discard everywhere?
Speaking of being "deeply creative for the greater good of all mankind" - why haven't any of the thinking nobles yet taken some Lawn Green and sprayed their tripe on grass in public places for all to see?
Its environmentally safe, leaves zero litter, and is surely legal, too?
1. The Freewayblogger is not anonymous. He has put his name out and has been featured in a documentary.
2. We're recycling cardboard, not using extra trees.
3. Freewayblogging costs next to nothing. And I live under the poverty level, work full time and go to college, and still find the time to do it.
4. Make your own damn sign. I won't take it down.
5. If I can force my opinion on you just by putting up a sign, you must be pretty weak.
-Beltwayblogger
Hey, Freeway Blogger, good on you for attracting trolls! I hardly ever read the comments on your site, but I find the trolls a VERY encouraging sign.
This quote from Ghandi has been very popular, since the 2006 elections: "First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win."
Keep up the good work!
If attracting trolls were his aim I'd have to agree. As it stands this troll now won't vote to impeach jerk-off Bushitler cuz your attitude bothers me no less.
I think you should pay more atention at school, specifically yer civics class: If my sign says "Eat at McDonalds" it can very well stil qualify as personal opinion. Its no less noble than yours.
This site kinda stinks of self-gratification. Its not enough that you actually hang up your signs, but you also feel compelled to flaunt it. I assume Cindy Sheehan is a role model?
Oh, and Ghandi, of course. You're practically peers.
Thanks for mentioning that. I should've mentioned that "Eat at McDonald's" could not only qualify as political opinion, but probably constitutes the very pinnacle of right wing political philosophy today.
I've found a way that allows almost any individual, regardless of wealth or class, to broadcast their political opinion to tens, even hundreds of thousands of their fellow citizens outside the filters of corporate media.
You're damn right I'm flaunting it.
The troll actually thinks he can vote on impeachment. Is he a Congressman?
Yes, it is self gratifying. But I'll tell you what else it is. Here's what happens when you freewayblog:
1. It puts a message out that will not be read or heard in the mainstream media.
2. It tells likeminded people that they are not alone. It gives them encouragement.
3. It incites others to action, whether for or against the cause. Either way, someone is getting politically involved where he or she would not have otherwise.
About Cindy Sheehan: you're damn right she is a role model. Should I be ashamed of that? She is one person who speaks truth to power. You watch Fox News and you think printing her name would somehow discredit us. Cindy has more credibility in her little finger than you have in your whole life. We're taking action; you're trolling the internet for people to pick on. Start your own movement!
-Beltwayblogger
If Ghandi were alive today, I somehow doubt would he keep a blog showing off pics of himself leading the masses at Bangalore to display his nobility.
But point 3) hit the nail on the head.
Your uninspired, rote antics (whats next, a "LiveImpeach" concert with some idiot like Woody Harrelson annocuncing the acts?) annoy me enough to want to keep Bush in office, just to annoy you right back.
You put up 4,0000 signs seen by x passersby; so how many people have actually contacted you saying "I was on the fence on the issue, but your signs made me decide for impeachment" or "your signs turned this Republican into a Democrat" as if there were such a big difference)
I suspect most of the mail you get is "Good work!" from like-minded people, which, bottom line, makes your noble effort rather useless.
Sorry, dude, you are the very definition of "troll" with yer inane "impeachimpeachimpeach", and yer "Movement" is not much more than a self-serving circle jerk.
I feel Ghandi would agree.
P.S. So what if your signs are from 100% recycled stock If I throw 'em in the regular trash?
"The troll actually thinks he can vote on impeachment. Is he a Congressman?"
We are sooo pwned by you. You sure know your vocabulary!
"to vote"
6. Informal To state as a preference or opinion: I vote we eat out tonight.
Do you call your Congressman when you elect, i.e. vote, to eat out?
P.S. I sure hope you don't vote against posting my responses, what with your proclaiming to be a person who encourages dissent, discussion, and free speech, no matter how tired, dim and repetitious. You know, kinda like chanting "impeach" all day long.
Otherwise I'd be maybe be encouraged to start my own anti-Freeeway blogger blog.
We're not here to change any minds; we just want people to take action. You know over half the country is on board with impeachment; they just may not know how much support there is out there.
If you're threatening to switch your allegiance to Bush just because of what we're doing, then you're just a Bushie in disguise. I couldn't care less what you do with your right to free speech. But starting an anti-freewayblogger blog would be pointless unless you actually did something in the real world, not on the internet.
What do you do when you want your voice to be heard? Call in to the Rush Limbaugh show?
Earlier this year, half a million people marched on the Capitol demanding impeachment and an end to the war. It barely made the news. One sign put up on the highway by one person will be seen by more people than that news report was.
Also, a hell of a lot more people see our signs on the highway than they do here on the internet. We don't just post the pics here to show off; we put them here so others may try it too. That's the whole point. What are you doing in real life in defense of your beliefs?
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