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RSS icon Comments on "Seattle Takes and Gives Nothing Back—Except Child Rape!"

1

TWO pastors? Fuck, you guys better watch out now. We all know how influential the clergy is in Seattle.

Posted by Gitai | November 29, 2007 9:20 AM
2

I visited Seattle last Christmas and I had a good time, but I am sad I missed the Taxpayer Funded Vulgarity Museum. I wish somebody had told me about it.

Posted by mike | November 29, 2007 9:22 AM
3

In spite of his "hysteria" and abuse of the CAPS LOCK button, I kinda agree with him that the statue in question is "creepy." I had heard that its inclusion in the sculpture garden was at the insistence of a "donor," though, and not the "taxpayers" of King "County." Is there any TRUTH to that?

Posted by flamingbanjo | November 29, 2007 9:22 AM
4


Seattle:
Population (year 2000): 563,374. Estimated population in July 2006: 582,454 (+3.4% change)

Males: 280,973 (49.9%)
Females: 282,401 (50.1%)
Median resident age: 35.4 years
Washington median age: 35.3 years


Estimated median household income in 2005: $49,297

Estimated median house/condo value in 2005: $384,900
Median gross rent in 2005: $804.

Percentage of residents living in poverty in 2005: 12.3%
(9.3% for White Non-Hispanic residents, 22.8% for Black residents)

Chief Export: CHILD RAPE

Posted by Statistics Boy | November 29, 2007 9:23 AM
5

Best New Band Name: The Christianity Christians

Posted by davej | November 29, 2007 9:23 AM
6

So, who over there is the clearing house for all the 'straight propaganda'?

Posted by Darrell | November 29, 2007 9:25 AM
7

This letter sounds like it was written by the retired colonel from American Beauty who shoots Kevin Spacey.

What a nut job. Careful David he is probably hanging around outside.

Posted by SeMe | November 29, 2007 9:27 AM
8

If he'd really paid attention instead of having his panic attack he would have noticed that the water keeps either one from ever seeing the other's nakedness. But then maybe that's too conceptual for his rather small mind.

Posted by Darrell | November 29, 2007 9:30 AM
9

WHAT? So it proMOTES INCEST tOO???!?!?

How does a fellow like that, assuming he's genuine and not the work of an imposter, find out about the likes of Mr. Schmader?

Posted by Fnarf | November 29, 2007 9:32 AM
10

that letter sounds fake to me.

it's just a little too...pat and perfect.

a little obviously koo-koo, to be really koo-koo.

Posted by michael strangeways | November 29, 2007 9:33 AM
11

I call BS on this. It's too ridiculous to send to the Stranger, and someone was probably trying to get that guy's name to come up in Google with this letter attached to it.

Posted by Tiffany | November 29, 2007 9:33 AM
12

Oh man, the mental image of the guy putting on his windbreaker, only to discover a naked man statue is priceless. Can you see him grab his kid and frantically walk/run to the safety of his car--the hood to his jacket haphazardly tucked into his collar?

I wish I had been there.

Posted by tabletop_joe | November 29, 2007 9:35 AM
13

A reverand and TWO pastors. Holy cock suckers batman!

Posted by giffy | November 29, 2007 9:35 AM
14

@3, the statue was commissioned at the bequest of the late Stu Smales. Mr. Smales left a substantial sum to the Seattle Art Museum in his will, with very specific stipulations about how and for what the money was to be used. SAM followed the guidelines outlined in the bequest. King County and the city of Seattle had nothing to do with funding or procuring the piece of art.

Posted by DaiBando | November 29, 2007 9:36 AM
15

You gotta post a pic of the statue in question for us outta-towners.

Also, I "love" the excessive "use" of "quotation" "marks."

Posted by Mike in MO | November 29, 2007 9:37 AM
16

that letter was written by my grandfather. no one i know or have seen writing from uses quotes in that way except for him.

Posted by Bellevue Ave | November 29, 2007 9:38 AM
17

It'd be interesting to send this guy here:

http://flickr.com/photos/tags/vigelandsparken/

since, naturally, his fucking head would explode from all of the European child rape.

Posted by bma | November 29, 2007 9:39 AM
18

Oh... but why would they be sending this letter to YOU, exactly, and not the Seattle Times or the Wenatchee World?

Posted by bma | November 29, 2007 9:41 AM
19

Leave it to a right-wing hate monger to look at art in public places and call it a sinful piece of crap. America has some of the highest and most heinous child abuse cases in the world and yet boasts some of the most self righteous "Christian" church goers. From what I understand there is a statue of a Rape scene in Italy. Some hunky Greek God raping a nymph or some such. Does Italy have a rape problem too?

Posted by Sargon Bighorn | November 29, 2007 9:42 AM
20

Actually, @8 I believe there are times when both statues are exposed simultaneously.

Be that as it may, I hope this family does go back to Mt. Vernon or wherever, and complains bitterly about all the sinful activities here, and then petitions to his legislator that any tax money he contributes NOT go to the "perverts in Seattle", at which point we, who probably contribute far more of our own tax dollars paying for HIS public services, are given an opportunity to play "tit-for-tat" as it were, and then laugh while he and his Christian family watch his streets degrade, and his water turns brown.

Oh, and hopefully he sent along his mailing address so Dan can personally send him each and every past and future ECSHAM&F and TWKWACB... postings, just to keep him informed about all the "faggot pederasts" ruining this Great Christian Nation (tm) of ours.

Posted by COMTE | November 29, 2007 9:42 AM
21

"If you wanna know how stupid people are, try this; think about how stupid the average person is, and then realize... half of 'em are stupider than that."

This is something I think about every time I get my scores back on some kind of standardized test. I am -- and I'm happy to go on record with this -- one of the dumbest people I know. I usually score in the mid to high 90s on standardized aptitude and intelligence tests, while most of my friends are in percentages of the 99th percentile. So I walk around feeling basically average most of the time. And then something like this comes up.

But here's the thing I really struggle with on an ongoing basis: most people are actually about as smart as this guy. When I wonder why we're still in Iraq, or how anyone can vote for Bush, I come back to the fact that most people -- the overwhelming majority of them, in fact -- are about as smart as this guy. And then I have to reconcile myself to the fact that, if we really believe in democracy, these are actually the people who run the country. These people are the country.

That's the kind of shit that keeps me awake at night.

Posted by Judah | November 29, 2007 9:42 AM
22

BAAAAAAA HA HA HA HA. What fucking bullshit! The statue was actually written about a couple years ago, well... the donor actually. A donor had given SAM a large amount of money, but the statue was part of the stipulation to recieve it. A portion had to be spent on his wish, the rest SAM could use as he wanted. Tax payers paying for it? Nay.

And am I the only one to note the "impending civil war"? You have got to be kidding me! What is he going to do, splash me with holy water and pray for my demise? Right, bring your brass tacks, and I'll bring my brass knuckles holy man! What a fun read at 10am, lol.

Posted by Will in Seattle | November 29, 2007 9:45 AM
23

I just feel bad for anyone who holds onto that much hate and lets it boil over in such a fashion. Imagine the hours and maybe even days he's shaving off of his life by letting this get to him so badly. I'm always surprised by how sheltered some people are. He should tell all his like-minded friends to stay away. We don't need that kind of hate-seeding here anyway.

Posted by Shawnzor | November 29, 2007 9:49 AM
24

God forbid that dude ever visit a place like Rome or Florence! The Sistene Chapel---scandalous! tut tut tut!

Posted by J in CO | November 29, 2007 9:50 AM
25

Troll.

Posted by Greg | November 29, 2007 9:50 AM
26

Oh, and #19: Does Italy have a rape problem? Yes. Yes they do.

Posted by Greg | November 29, 2007 9:56 AM
27

(Sigh. I hate having to not use my normal nomme de guerre, but I don't want to have the hassle of people who know me getting all wigged about about this.)

Speaking as the adult survivor of child sexual abuse, and as the father of a son with whom I have a healthy relationship, there is *NOTHING* pedophilic about the "Father and Son" sculpture.

Perhaps that out-of-towner doesn't have enough experience with fine art to understand that "nude" does not usually mean "sexual" in sculpture. Unless you're Jeff Koons.

Posted by Regular Contributor | November 29, 2007 10:02 AM
28

I just can get over how obsessed fundamentalist Christians are with things like child rape, pedophilia, and bestiality.

Posted by Hernandez | November 29, 2007 10:11 AM
29

I loves them random quote marks.

Posted by J.R. | November 29, 2007 10:16 AM
30

Judah @21. That shit keeps me awake as well. I also think about it from the standpoint of jury duty -- I am 99th %ile smart (as you say), but I would be really worried that I am not smart enough or good enough to make the kind of decision that a jury needs to make in a murder trial, for example. But, then I think, how are all these juries of guys like this doing so? That freaks me out. A lot.

Assuming this person is not a troll, I would just love to meet him. I don't get nearly enough exposure to people like that to even remotely be able to comprehend them. Most of my friends and family are, like you say, in the 90th %ile (or, at least, above average). Though, I do have an aunt an uncle who are "loyal Bushies", fundamentalist Christian, and, well, not 90th %ile. Everytime I hear something like this, I think, would my Aunt and Uncle react like that? Would they boycott Microsoft because of its policies on gay employees, or do other such crazy stupid-people things? I just try to get inside the head of someone like this guy, and they are my only possible link....

Posted by Julie | November 29, 2007 10:17 AM
31

C'mon, credulous Stranger, that's a fake letter. And very funny. I mean, "I took my wife and our two boys who are SIX AND FOUR, Mr. Schmader mere children!"

Mere children? Not genuine.

Posted by Glenn Fleishman | November 29, 2007 10:20 AM
32

@22 - um, guy, you know when you post using this sig that i get all the politicos asking me why I said that.

sincerely, the real Will in Seattle
p.s. it was 9:45 am

Posted by Will in Seattle | November 29, 2007 10:28 AM
33

Shenanigans, even!

Posted by Levislade | November 29, 2007 10:54 AM
34

I'm assuming those kids have never taken a bath or a shower with their daddy. A statue that causes one to commit pedophilia is so much better than a book that merely causes pregnancy.

Posted by RHETT ORACLE | November 29, 2007 11:04 AM
35

Frankly, I'm a bit tired of Daniel Robert Creighton's and Frosty E. Hardison's own little vulgar and vile shenanigans.

Posted by Jimmy Legs | November 29, 2007 11:05 AM
36

Just another reason to secede Western WA from the rest of the state. Let Idaho have 'em.

Posted by Dave Coffman | November 29, 2007 11:11 AM
37

For those of us not in Seattle, does anybody have a photograph link to the statue in question?

(Which is to say: Pixoritdidnthappen.)

Posted by Christin | November 29, 2007 11:31 AM
38

@36:
F!@# You!

I've met way more rednecks in Western WA, than I ever have in Eastern WA. Ever been to the coast???? How's about that wasteland between Olympia & the Oregon Border?? Not to mention specific towns like Aberdeen or Long Beach.

Get out of Seattle one in a while. You'd be suprised.

Posted by Hal | November 29, 2007 11:37 AM
39

There are TWO Wills in Seattle? Crazy. Love the name Will by the way, so much better than Bill...

Posted by jhell | November 29, 2007 11:40 AM
40
Posted by goog | November 29, 2007 11:49 AM
41

This is a good example of the current unease Americans have with nude art. I saw Rick Steves on the PBS fund drive discussing how he makes his travelogues and he said they have to be very careful about content because they get so many letters from outraged viewers if they show the naughty bits of statues or paintings.

David, did the letter writer indicate why he chose you to receive his rant?

Posted by inkweary | November 29, 2007 12:27 PM
42

I imagine David and the rest of The Gays sitting around trying to figure out why the hell all the decent people live elsewhere.

You're all going to hell, you're all pieces of shit, we're going to bring God's wrath down on you.

Respectfully yours,
Hatey Haterson

Posted by PdxRitchie | November 29, 2007 1:06 PM
43

Maybe he should get together with John Ashcroft and Christo and run about the country kowtowing to the benighted and the bedimmed by covering every exposed marble breast and granite penis. If we don't protect our children from art, who will (of Seattle)?

Posted by RHETT ORACLE | November 29, 2007 1:09 PM
44

Does a certain Mr. Creighton need a lesson in female French surrealist sculptures?

Posted by Marcel Duchump | November 29, 2007 1:46 PM
45

Much thanks to goog @41 for providing links. Not living in Seattle I had no idea what the hell was going on.

Those statues are really beautiful.

Posted by Dianna | November 29, 2007 1:49 PM
46

As a member of the fountain committee appointed by Stu Smailes' will, I can assure you that the whole $1 million he left for the creation of a fountain was given to SAM and used for that purpose. Not one dime came from other sources for it. Upon the expert advice of SAM's staff, we selected world famous sculptor Louise Bourgeois who chose to do "Father and Son" which as has been noted, alternatingly displays one or the other of the two reaching toward the other. I personally believe this is Ms. Bourgeois's comment on the relationship of fathers and sons, but that's strictly my impression. When I visited the Olympic Sculpture Park this summer and watched the fountain in action, a group of straight people from NYC joined me and one lady said, "You got a Louise Bourgeois? I didn't even know she'd done a fountain!" Well, actually she has done one other (in Chicago) but this sculpture is the only representation of her work on the West Coast. I for one am very proud of the results and to those who see pedophilia when they look at it, I say "Look within yourself."
Oh, and lastly, the statues have very small peepees...

Posted by Tom L | November 29, 2007 2:21 PM
47

#41: Nope, and it was sent only to me--which, in my mind, lends credence to the suspicions of #10 and #11...could it be Darren D. Misklashuvacis trolling for some attention?

Posted by David Schmader | November 29, 2007 2:39 PM
48

Am I a philistine if I don't like it? I don't think it's incestuous, just rather dull and silly looking.

99% of me says this letter is a fake. The other 1% wonders if a bat-shit crazy relative from Idaho didn't write it.

Posted by Y.F. | November 29, 2007 5:31 PM
49

I agree w/@9 & @10. How would this nut job even know about David Schmader? Won't he go to "HELL" for writing to him? Oh, right - he was just here.

Posted by Megan | November 29, 2007 7:25 PM
50

My problem with the fountain is that the figures are very stiff [insert obligatory joke here]. I mean seriously, when a father reaches out to embrace his child, he doesn't stand ramrod straight and stick his arms out awkwardly.

Posted by keshmeshi | November 29, 2007 10:14 PM
51

This nut looks at the statue and sees pedophilia. Other people look at it and see an innocent work of art. I wonder who has the f'd up mind here.

Posted by Mike | November 30, 2007 7:47 PM

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