"Impeach Bush" Ornament Accepted To Hang On White House Christmas Tree

Washington Post:

When Deborah Lawrence got the invitation from the White House, the Seattle-based artist decided to make a lefty political statement.

But she never expected it would hang on the official Christmas tree.

Laura Bush asked members of Congress to pick local painters to decorate ornaments for this year's 20-foot Fraser fir in the Blue Room. The globes (to be unveiled by the first lady tomorrow) are supposed to showcase something special about each congressional district. Washington state's Rep. Jim McDermott contacted a local arts organization, which asked Lawrence, a collage artist, to create the local entry.

Read the whole story: Washington Post

Comments

[Retrofuturistic]

Ha. I love it, it's great. And etiquette be damned.

As James Joyce said, the "weapons of the artist" are silence, exile, and cunning.

Or, in other words, you can stifle some of the people some of the time, but you can't stifle all of the people all of the time.

[JulieSA]

Whose speech has been stifled? Do you have any examples?

[rmetz74]

Everyone being held by in offshore American detention without access to legal protection.

Everyone whose votes were not counted due to Republican legal tactics in the last 8 years.

Everyone who tried to get into Bush/Cheney campaign events in 2004 and was turned away becasue they only allowed supporters to attend.

Every would-be whistleblower who was intimidated into silence by executives at corrupt companies during the reckless corporate free-for-all of the last 8 years.

Need more?

[butterfliesRfree]

Perspective, please.

She has a right to free speech. Also, it's just a tree ornament.

Personally, I think political ornaments are fitting for a White House Christmas tree.

[gcallaghan]

It's large, shiny and has swirling colors.
UU will like it.
'Nuff said.

[bubbuh]

Cute, lol.

[Crozier]

As a political realist, I believe President Bush when he said that his incumbency helped elect Barack Obama as his successor.

Had Speaker Pelosi initiated impeachment procedures in the House, and succeeded in having it passed, which I sincerely doubt, would President Cheney have been also impeached, which I sincerely doubt, and in what order? Are you speaking of a new slate due to the US Constitutional amendment that gave us Jerry Ford, or are you speaking of 1, 2 and then President Pelosi?

I appreciate the First Lady's sense of humor.....the artist had hubris.....but with only a few weeks left in office.....the Bush Family can accept the bulb and give her the finger !!!

[bubbuh]

Cheney would have had the House shipped to Gitmo as enemy combatants - all of the House, not just the Dems.

[VOTER]

The Bush Family has been giving you and everyone else "the finger" for years.

[rmetz74]

I wouldn't use the word hubris. She did not insult any gods, and she's not being punished with humiliation or death - those are inherent in the word's etymology.

Chutzpah, moxie, balls, stones, truth to power, absolutely. And hooray.

[rubberneck]

This is so tiresome. This was tiresome 2 years ago.

[FarRightDemocrat]

Isn't this kind of juvenile?
When invited to the White House, will the artist stuff the drain in the restroom sink and leave the faucet running?

[Grunty1]

It doesn't get much more serious than treason.

[rmetz74]

It is not juvenile for an artist to use his or her work to reflect something happening in society. Since when did we start looking down on speaking truth to power?

[RadicalConservative]

Wow! The angry little elves are out today!

[Two Three Four]

The auto industry has survived on minor revisions for the better part of a decade, but America doesn't need a recolored cozy-coupe, we need a green cozy-coupe.

http://voteforamerica.net/editorials/Comments.aspx?ArticleId=166&ArticleName=Ready%2c+Set%2c+Bailout%3f

[spinns17]

think they were not prepared again.lol

[LWkcma]

speak truth to power

[pfc1369]

"What a piece of work is Man..."

Fantastic, all the various meanings mankind can attach to a tarted-up pine tree!

[w&cheneysuck]

I'm sure there are many others who wish they have thought of this. Way to think out of the box!!

[Culturemaven]

Oh yeah, stickin' it to the man. A little subversion is healthy, methinks.

[saturnine maniac]

That's the modern world's version of stickin' it to the man? Making a christmas tree ornament?

[PDXTransplant]

Most of the things I or WE would like to do are i||egal as he|| - so the ornament will have to do...unfortunately.

[Horus]

I'm following Deborah Lawrence's lead with my Christmas tree which will feature ornaments for a good number of the terrible dictators and criminals the world has seen thus far. The ornaments will have a picture or drawing of the individual and a little saying like "Damn you Hitler!" or "Go Fudge Yourself Mussolini!" Because when I look at my Christmas tree the main emotions I want to come to mind are anger and disgust.

[Horus]

Oh, and also, **** Jesus!

[mouselion]

Considering how much American consumerism supports W's eight-year disaster -- you should feel that way without any such ornaments necessary.

[createpeace]

That is just sad.

[mirage2008]

Yeah **** Jesus.

[Yvaughn]

Actually, if you'd read the article, you'd see that the ornament isn't about Bush--it's about her Congressman and their district, and one of the many things she notes in tiny print is that her Congressman voted to impeach Bush. That's not the entire focus of the ornament.

So if you instead had an ornament to a WWII hero which included terms like "defeated Hitler" then that would be about on par. But you've got to admit--it would be more fun if you could get Hitler to hang it on HIS tree, right?

[pfc1369]

And what emotions do you get when staring at a pine tree in you living room?

[Horus]

Wow you've done a fine job of making it seem absurd. And to a point it is, of course. But that pine tree has a way of evoking memories, which in turn conjure emotion.

[helonias]

Wouldn't it be cool if it contained the ashes of someone who died fighting Bushcos war.

[Horus]

Or the pinky finger of an Iraqi child!!

[mirage2008]

Iraqis don't count as people though.