Yesterday in a Lovelock, Nevada court Paul Addis plead guilty to felony charges of damaging property by burning the Burning Man sculpture prematurely at last year’s Burning Man event. He was sentenced to 12-48 months in prison and ordered to pay $25,000 in restitution. He was given 68 days off his sentence for time served.
There is quite a bit of discussion on this issue in the comments and on Tribe.
More Coverage:
See Previously:
- Burning Man Set on Fire Early Due To Arson
- Paul Addis, The Man Accused of Setting Fire to Burning Man
- Paul Addis Arrested, Planned To Set Fire To Grace Cathedral
UPDATE 1: Andie Grace mentioned Paul’s sentencing on the Burning Man blog.
UPDATE 2: Amacker has more info on Paul’s sentencing, including some photos of Paul before the hearing.
photo by Scott Beale
Related Posts:
- Paul Addis Granted Parole After Serving Time Attempting To Burn Down Burning Man
- Paul Addis, The Man Accused of Setting Fire to Burning Man
- Paul Addis Arrested, Planned To Set Fire To Grace Cathedral
- Paul Addis Takes Gonzo to Seattle and Los Angeles
{ 185 comments… read them below or add one }
That seems like a fair sentence.
Thanks for posting this, Scott. Given the number of attendees, especially long-standing ones, saying that this was the exact right thing to do, 1-4 years in prison seems way out of proportion.
It’s a shame that BMOrg didn’t find something more creatively appropriate, like a 5-year probation with 200 hours each year working to build the man. A thousand hours of productive labor seems much better than a few years of pointless rotting.
Well that’s pretty shitty. The counter culture event demands restitution for all this free publicity. BM is certainly not a ’safe space’ for anything, but you’d think that there could be some wiggle room for someone who was a little confused. Paul Addis was made. That he has to go to jail in the real world is pretty much game over. You mine as well put him in front of a firing squad. 18 months in jail will destroy him. Anyone. The corperation that runs the event that is the face of our community is no longer calabrated to anything other then their interests. Which is totally fine. That’s the way people are in the world. But it’s shitty. I think if they want time done that we should all do a day.
Aside from the fact that it was insane to set the Man on fire while there were people in the pavilion beneath, there was a lot of hard work that went into the displays and technology under the man which was damaged. I concur that this seems fair. Yeah, the Man is built to burn, as many said in defense of the pre-burn, but there’s a lot of work that which has to occur immediately before the burn to ensure as much safety as possible.
In response to a couple comments that just popped up, I agree that prison time isn’t productive, and in fact helps to make things worse. If something more productive could be done with his time/energy in a way that’d address the danger he put others in, that’d be great. I agree that BM isn’t a promised “safe zone,” but I personally think that setting any structure on fire where they might be people in it is just plain wrong and there should be action taken.
“A thousand hours of productive labor seems much better than a few years of pointless rotting.”
Yeah, but isn’t that the point of jail.
When you go to jail it mean that you have failed. Failed as a citizen, failed as a human being, failed as a prankster. Whatever. You have failed and now society is going to take your freedom away from you and while the rest of us is San Francisco complain about how hot it is as we go from our air conditioned cars to our air conditioned offices you can rot in a Nevada jail cell and think about your life and the decisions you made that took you to this place.
Jail isn’t about being a productive member of society. It’s about punishment and having the State take your freedoms away from you. And no matter what you do or say, there is no way you will ever be able to get those 1-2 years back.
Maybe the use of this word is a little strong, but he done got martyred!
Wonder what the prank will be this year?
Once the Nevada DoC officially receives Paul, its web site will say where he’s housed:
http://www.doc.nv.gov/notis/search.php
Was Paul Addis charged for setting the Burning Man fire by the Feds or the County?
He was also charged by the San Francisco Police Department for allegedly preparing to set Grace Cathedral on fire.
I am sickened by anyone who has a shred of faith in our legal or prison system. Paul Addis is sick. He needs help. He’s not like you or me. We are responsable for our actions. Notice how we don’t burn things down? He didn’t make an error and needs to be punished. He is having a hard time compartmentalizing reality and fantasy. Find some compassion in your heart for “one of us”. We made him. We put those ideas in his head. We ALL talked about burning the man down early. But it was just bar talk, for fun. We talk about what movie stars would give the best blow job too, but we know that we are never getting Uma Thurman to go down on us. Paul doesn’t know that what he did was wrong in the same way that we would. Things get confusing when you’re scizophrenic. So it’s not like he murdered someone for money or put a ruffie in a young girls drink when she wasn’t looking or intentionally struck someone with his car because they were black or something… in a magical world were dreams come true and where things exist that are impossible… in a place where fantasy and reality collide in a confluence of science, sex, baccanallia and home depot to a soundtrack and a lightshow…. it’s easy to see how someone who is either weak-minded or confused because they are so strong-willed could get lost on the path. Paul Addis was trying to be funny. He wanted to be loved. Really. He wanted to be the good guy. He wanted to be against the bad guys. And years and years of listening to me, John Law, Scott Beale and other people he respects rail relentlessly on the LLC he did what he thought would elevate him to an elite status or something. He felt that was he did was ‘justified’ or whatever. But he’s not qualified to think these thoughts or whatever. He needs help getting through a day without SEVERE conflict. I feel more responsable for him doing this then other people, I have come to find out. And why he didn’t plead insanity is beyond me. But before you go talking about property damage or how someone ‘might’ have got hurt and that jail is a place to think about what you did or whatever… as someone who has been to jail I can honestly say that there is no good that will come out of sending someone there. I am happy that most of you will never know the nightmare of what jail is. That you will never have to experience the solitiary feeling you have when you have no rights. That you will never have to appear sick all the time to try to get people not to rape you. To cut your mouth up and stuff to make it look like you have herpes sores so people don’t want to shove their dicks in your mouth. To not have an intelligent conversation with anyone. To ask your friends to stop comming because the contrast of their visits actually makes the time harder. To watch people die of HepC and AIDS with zero help from anyone. To watch gangs brutally attack each other because of shit that happened on the outside as “payback”. To see the steel gaze of the gaurds who don’t care if you live or die and won’t lift a finer to help you. To beg for more solitary. And then to one day have a ‘good’ day on the inside, and feel like you’re losing your fucking mind.
Paul Addis is 5′ 2″. I am greiving for him.
Before anyone talks about how he ‘deserves it’ or whatever please feel free to understand the idea behind law. A law is one of 2 things: it is an enforcement tool or a deterrent. You are aprehended and brought before the judge when you break a law. But you are judged on your intent. What was Paul’s intent? Indeed. What indeed.
We are a community of people. We are in this together. All of us. Yea, you may not like one or 2 and maybe you’re feeling like you can pick and chose who you love and who you don’t but that’s an illusion. Like a colony of ants, we are 1 community of people. When 1 of us suffers, it affects the others. Please have some respect for this complicated situation and don’t always look for the easy path or right and wrong.
Thank you for reading
Freddy:
Charges were filed by Pershing County.
With respect to Grace Cathedral, Paul eventually pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts.
I’ll never be able to go to Burning Man again after reading this. How can this pretend to be a counter-culture event when someone is sent to real-world jail for countering the corporate culture of the festival?
A festival born of burning an effigy on a San Francisco beach as certainly lost its way. For shame.
Great post Chicken, Thank you.
The headline here reads… “Paul Addis pleads guilty to Burning Man 2007 Arson Charges”. I recall reading Paul Addis is an attorney. He must have known what the actions by the authorities and consequences were going to be. I agree with Chicken John that Paul Addis needs help. Was he also under psychiatric observation by the court after the San Francisco incident?
My observation is that Burning Man has not been a counter-culture event since the last century. The straight media may think so or write that it is. It is as legally entwined and involved with every facet of stuff America has to offer as anything else. It is just appears weirder to many people.
“How can this pretend to be a counter-culture event when someone is sent to real-world jail for countering the corporate culture of the festival?”
Huh?
People have been sent to jail for years now for acting like idiots at Burning Man. What about the junkie that stole a car and ran over the couple sleeping in their tents in 96? What about the sexual assaults and rapes (reported and unreported) that happen every year?
Keep in mind Paul is the same person who made DEATH THREATHS against the students that lived nearby him.
http://www.sfweekly.com/2007-11-14/news/burning-man-arsonist-paul-addis-backstory-murder-threats-arrests/
Last month, San Francisco’s Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory sought a restraining order against Addis after the 37-year-old allegedly threatened to murder students at the school. Nick Barsetti, the security coordinator for the school, claimed Addis told students on Sept. 8 he would “shoot them in the head with a Mac-10″ submachine gun, and “pick them off one by one,” according to court documents. An emergency protection order was promptly granted on Sept. 10. But, one day later, Addis was back and making “threatening gestures” to school staff.
***
Remember that when we have our next Columbine, our next Virginia Tech Massacre.
Remember that the next time some psycho with a gun and a grudge decides to settle the score.
Paul got off light and should be counting his blessings right now.
If we project the standard that Paul was held to back in time how many of the original Burning Man participants should go to jail?
A counter culture group using it’s *money* to oppress a *lone prankster* through the court *system?* We got way too much ego and apparently too much money goin on around here.
Time to move on, people. There’s nothing to see here.
Thanks John for relating some hard-earned experience and honesty with this no-win situation so common in our large-scale industrial prison society combined with little to NO mental or other health care.
I’m wondering though about commenters placing blame on Burning Man LLC or even us as the “society” (in a direct sense). I may be wrong with my limited legal knowledge, but isn’t it state and federal law to conventionally prosecute arson charges regardless of the plaintiff’s wishes?
Arson is considered a serious public safety issue I think and, if so, Burning Man LLC has no choice to drop charges nor do jurors or judges have the ability to choose more humane or productive punishment. The laws are rather strict on this I’ve heard and so Addis is subject to a more severe punishment regardless.
That’s not to say we haven’t allowed these laws to exist as a society and therefore have some responsibility in poor treatment of people in need. However, I would shun to place blame on anyone like Burning Man LLC since they probably have no choice in the matter.
think cosmos.
think planetary alignment.
many centuries later we might be connecting with civilizations who started paying attention to our little planet just because Paul had lit the man at that moment in time and attracted attention.
the best is still ahead, broThers and sisTers….
it’s just too bad Paul has to do time for this….
Consider this…. Paul Addis was locked up for 8 months in SF for handful of firecrackers and empty whippets. Now he is sentenced to between 1 and 4 years for doing what should have been done a decade earlier. Let there be no doubt about where the pressure for this draconian sentence came from – The Burning Man Organization. Will Roger, upstanding citizen that he is, represented BMorg at the hearing Tuesday and presented receipts that triggered the $25,000 restitution fine. … so the very definition of delusional thinking is believing that BMorg will lift a finger to help Paul.
Nothing BMorg has done can be considered a show of compassion, consideration or community. Their blog reports the sentencing with all the emotion of yesterday’s weather report. As far as they are concerned, it’s
“MISSION ACCOMPLISHED”.
None of their behavior should surprise anyone who has given their blood sweat and tears for the event, only to be discarded, ignored, and insulted once the scales fall from their eyes. For too long BMorg has been preaching community and compassion as their core values, yet THIS IS WHAT THEY DO TO ONE OF THEIR OWN!
… and for all of you who have already bought your ticket and pink fuzzy cowboy chaps for this year’s bullshit, try not to forget that a man sits in prison because HE CARED MORE ABOUT FREEDOM AND RADICAL SELF-EXPRESSION THAN YOU EVER WILL!
On the other hand, all of this fits so well with Larry RV’s Theme for 2008 -
“STAY THE COURSE!”
Time to Wake Up, Burners
I have a love/hate relationship with Paul. But, then again, anyone who truly knows him, does.
We live in a system that it is more than happy to lock up “undesirables”. And in this day of Shock and Awe, I find it almost amusing that Paul would be locked up at all. If anything, he should be lifted on our shoulders as the posterboy for “if it bleeds, it leads”.
Many think this was a cry for help, from Paul. Others, such as Chicken John feel that many of us, I included, help lead Paul down this path. I’m not going to disagree. Our system is not designed to feel compassion or empathy. We may be hard wired for it, but our legal system is not. Our legal system is a business. It’s in the business of locking up nonconformists.
Paul Addis is a nonconformist. Let this be a warning to all. Stray from the path, and you will be right there in the next cell. We all will eventually.
I’m very confused by Chicken’s response. Why blame BMOrg for Paul’s sentence? Addis, however broken and confused, committed arson on federal land. Is it really a surprise that the federal government (and perhaps the BLM in particular) really hated the idea of endangering both public property and the attendees? Sorry; I’m not that sympathetic here. I had a friend in the tent beneath the Man, and he could have been badly hurt (or worse) as a result of the fire started over his head. What did you think was going to happen? And by the way: your picture of Paul’s life in prison is very dark, but it’s not at all certain that will be his fate. If he’s in a minimum security prison, and if he’s getting mental health care, that may not be his life. The dramatic excess of your prose isn’t helping.
“A law is one of 2 things: it is an enforcement tool or a deterrent.”
OK. I agree.
And the $25,000 restitution fine that some people have a problem with is an excellent deterrent and a great moral in my book-
Act like an idiot and torch someone else’s property this year and you’ll go to jail and get a ticket.
“A counter culture group using it’s *money* to oppress a *lone prankster* through the court *system?*”
Sure.
***OR*** for those of us that still live in the real world
A LLC exercising it’s right to self-preservation and asking the law to create a deterrent-
Act like an idiot and torch someone else’s property this year and you’ll go to jail and get a ticket.
“Let there be no doubt about where the pressure for this draconian sentence came from – The Burning Man Organization. Will Roger, upstanding citizen that he is, represented BMorg at the hearing Tuesday and presented receipts that triggered the $25,000 restitution fine. …”
Yeah. That’s how they come up the number.
It wasn’t some hippy bullshit “cosmos and planetary alignment” logic.
They had the receipts.
They added it up.
The total came to $25,000.
You got a problem with that? Take it up with the judge.
“Aside from the fact that it was insane to set the Man on fire while there were people in the pavilion beneath”
everyone i contacted who was either in attendance or there shortly after said there was no danger of serious injury or bodily harm. perhaps your experience is more benign and you require safety labels of proper product use on everything, like not using an electrical appliance while showering, but not everyone else needs something like that. considering the nature of the event and what goes on, saying there was immediate danger is wrong.
he burned down a dogmatic cult icon, and one that has become cliche to many, thats what motivated a sentance that was partially based on people posting contact info for the prosecution and judge during a time and places where people were exhibiting lynch mob behaviour. and yet most who still dedicate themselves to burningman insist its an environment better than the one’s they live in, those same who commented that he should have been burned alive or dragged behind a dpw truck across the playa.
some better environment that is…
Everybody in the world is crazy except for you and me…
And sometimes I worry about you.
“everyone i contacted who was either in attendance or there shortly after said there was no danger of serious injury or bodily harm.”
Oh really?
From the original LS post -
http://laughingsquid.com/burning-man-set-on-fire-early-arson-is-to-blame/
comment by jennconspiracy
on Wednesday, September 12th, 2007 at 12:59 pm
Actually, I’ve changed my mind.
First I want to say that breaking with tradition and burning the man during a lunar eclipse is a great idea.
After details have started to come out — I realize that what he did really was dangerous and inconsiderate.
I have heard that there were about 100 people in that tent whose lives were in danger when the man started to burn. I have also heard that rangers had to keep folks away from the unstable structure (fear that it would fall down) for hours.
I also have heard from several sources that he had been soliciting volunteers to help him clear out that tent but went ahead with climbing up the man and setting off his incendiary device despite his failure to recruit accomplices to vacate the tent.
A ranger told me that Paul nearly got away, but that he got tangled up in sliding down the tent after setting off the device.
And, given recent news about Paul — all I can say is that Paul really does need some help. He’s thriving on all the attention and I don’t think he really knows when to stop.
****
Addis is going to jail because at the end of the day, he committed an act of arson (torched someone else’s property.) There will be no shortage of people making the arguement that since this happened at Burning Man, real world rules (aka LAW) shouldn’t nessasarily apply.
Put yourself in the shoes of BMorg. You organize this GIGANTIC festival (50,000 people, or close to) in the middle of what is really a national park. To put this on year after year, there is a never ending train of permit-bullshit, community PR bullshit, and an even wider variety of public safety/security hoops. Then some jaded-old schooler decides to burn down the man while a collection potentially drugged out folks are staring into oblivion underneath it.
No one got hurt, yes. But someone could have. And while everyone agreed to the disclaimer on the back of ticket, lawyers have a knack for finding their way around that annoying thing called ‘contracts.’
And what about the cost of rebuilding the Man? Yes, that shit costs money and although none of us have to deal with that, BMorg does.
And what about prescedent? I agree with Addis that BM has become rather disneyland’ish and is not sticking by it’s roots. I agree that it would be cool if we all started acting out based on those roots WITHIN REASONABLE LIMITS. BM is seperate from the real world but at the same time, it totally is not. If Addis had gone unpunished (or under punished) and the bar was set at burning the man down with a complete disregard for safety or (*chuckle*) property rights, I can only imagine how future burners would out-do last years antics.
Does he deserve up to 2 years jail time? Maybe yes, maybe no. AT the end of the day, the man was playing with fire (no pun intended) by doing this and is a fool if he did not believe this could happen to him.
Thus concludes my rant…
>I may be wrong with my limited legal knowledge, but isn’t it state regardless of the plaintiff’s wishes?
>Arson is considered a serious public safety issue I think and, if >so, Burning Man LLC has no choice to drop charges nor do jurors >or judges have the ability to choose more humane or productive >punishment.
That is correct. It’s the State of Nevada that’s the heavy here.
spect: you admit you weren’t there, so you have *no* personal information about the immediacy of danger, yet you can confidently discount anyone whose actual personal experience says it was dangerous? Rich, just rich.
Also, the LLC proved *in a court of law* *beyond a reasonable doubt* that it suffered losses in excess of $5000. I have yet to hear Paul — and certainly not anyone in the peanut gallery — offer to cover those loses. It isn’t too hard to figure who will end up paying that lost money.
I don’t think BMOrg had anything to do with his sentence, other than having to provide details (and witnesses?) for the case. BMOrg couldn’t keep Paul out of jail whether they wanted to or not. Arson is a crime, and the government (county or state or feds, I’m not sure) prosecutes. It is not required for anyone to press charges. This is my understanding of the law.
To me, the sentence of 1-4 years seems steep, since nobody was hurt (due to precautions he took himself), and what he burned was a structure that was INTENDED to be burned, he just did it early. It was clearly a prank, although arguably not a funny one, and possibly not in good taste (and it may or may not have made the statement he wanted to either). So fine him, yes. Give him some penalty, I think community service would probably be more appropriate (or make him be a firefighter, fighting the blaze near Big Sur…. poetic justice? of course you never know if an arsonist will just make things worse or not in that situation).
Yes, I too agree that he should not spend one day in jail. In fact I really don’t think anyone should be in jail. Jail is not a good place and doesn’t help people. What we need to do is educate people.
I’d recommend as a suitable sentence to enroll this troubled man into a school or college where he can get a free education and make something of himself.
Jail will ruin him, education will enlighten him.
>where he can get a free education.
Paul has a law degree. He needs medication, not education.
“I would shun to place blame on anyone like Burning Man LLC since they probably have no choice in the matter.”
Ah, but that’s one of the more popular past times of Burnt Out Burners.
They like to have arm chair quarterback theory discussions about the cosmos, planetary alignments and dogmatic cult icons.
But what their passion is, what they love to do, is to place blame and bitch and complain about the LLC, some of whom have been nursing grudges for over a decade now.
And look where that got them. Now their friend is going to spend the summer doing hard time in a Nevada jail cell. And where are all of his so called friends? Where are all of his buddies that egged him on? Where are all of his friends that helped him plan the arson and then fed him to the publicity circus afterwards? They’re not doing hard time with him. They don’t have his back in jail. It’s business for usual for them. They’re still talking cosmos, planetary alignments and dogmatic cult icons. The have their indy movie promotion shoots and video interviews where they bitch (yet again) about how the LLC took all the fun out of their lives.
Maybe it’s time to reevaluate some of these grudges that people have been clinging onto all these years.
You want to keep of carrying that load? Knock yourself out. But it seams to be doing more hard than good and resulted in one of your friends (if he ever really was a friend to you) in jail. Paul also got off light. Imagine if someone was hurt or killed during his idiot stunt and having to live with that on your conscious for the rest of your life.
Paul is already well educated; he’s more educated than most people in the world:
http://members.calbar.ca.gov/search/member_detail.aspx?x=184757
Tom, if I were to put myself in the BMorg’s shoes (which I can easily, with my history)… I can loudly and proudly say that I would have LIED and told the cops that it was supposed to happen like that and if we lost the event then so be it. I would have protected one of my own to my death. Nobody goes to jail on my watch except me. Nobody can say what the BMorg could have done or not. I’m not saying what they should have done. I’m only saying what I would have done. And truth be told, in the same way that I appreciate the consistancy of the Bush Administration and the Gavin Newsom deal, the BMorg is becoming like so many civic, goverment and other entities. You just know exactly what they are gonna do. Stay the course. When I say that it sickens my stomache that the descions made from their ‘board room’ (yup) it absolutly baffles me how all this happened. That man stands there as a monument to my broken heart. Hell is the only word I can use to describe the missed opportunity that is BM. Thinking about it brings me to hell. It’s tormenting. Yea, you’ll downplay everything and gimme that squishy Berkeley “See it from their point of view…” thing and it’s just not gonna work. Those receipts would have added up to zero if they would build the man out of scrap wood. But they don’t build their “green man” out of scrap. and to make it worse they buy their shitty wood from Home Depot.
Paul Addis attempted to be a hero. Yea, he’s a nut job. But really, honestly…. when was the last time you took a risk to be a hero? Ever? Have you ever took a HUGE risk to be a hero? Have you ever even had the chance? If there is one thing that you can not take away from me with the posion of your words and your mockery of my passion to exist in a functional community of persons without commerce… it’s this: if presented with the opportunity to be a hero I act without question or fear. We can all be heros. It’s kinda why we need monsters. The LLC is a dragon that will be slain by a hero. A hero, such as Paul Addis. Maybe a smarter hero, sure… but if you have lived your life and have not had the opportunity to have your heart burst forth and for you to say “fuck it”, and do, simply do… without restriction or weighing the consequences…. to just simply do what is right, as a reaction…. as a equal and opposite reaction as the remedy to the thing, whatever that thing may be… if you have not had this opportunity, then I say you are not alive. I say you are dead. You must be able to be a hero at some point, to someone. No matter how big or how small. No matter what size your audience. You must be a champion. You must have the experience of being the Paladin. To accept the consequence because you did what you thought was right.
This is the experience of being human. Paul Addis has checked that box.
Have you?
This is only one of the topics being presented here. There are many, many factors that contributed to Paul and this sentence and stuff. We can discuss every conceiveable angle. But I would like to say that there is no mental help for Paul in the joint. If you think that there is, you are naïve. Even in a minimum security ‘jail’, as you call it… it’s not gonna help him in any way. My description of jail was mild. I can tell you more. I can tell you about the fat guy who would let you feel his breasts while you jerked off for a ciggerette. Funny, huh? These are the mild things I can talk about. But health care is expensive. So you can literally watch someone’s skin peel off. They’ll give you an asprin. If you think that Paul is going to get mental heath care you are as deluded as he is. Maybe more. It’s bad. Not only worse then you can ever possibly imagine, worse then can even be reported. The conditions are an eclectic mix of 3rd world hygene, corperate bueorcratic paperwork, street-level gang ethics and schoolyard politcs with 250 lb. 7 year olds experimenting with boundries.
We are not talking about a law, a wooden figure or who’s a scumbag here. We are talking about a life, a human life. And I can’t help but notice that no one is offering to lift a finger to help this human. We are drawn to his celebrity and we are trained to be ‘interested’ in the human interest story. But Scott will keep posting more crap on his blog and tomorrow we’ll be talking about the new wiget that can connect your facbook to your coffee cup so everyone in Paupa New Guini knows that you’re eating a bran muffin or whatever. I just don’t want to be guilty of enjoying the show without paying for the ticket.
I propose that anyone who feels the lest amount of compassion for Paul write me an email and ask to be put on a list. I’ll make an email list and we can discuss doing something to help him. Probably the best thing we can do for him is to actually go visit him, and you can also pay for councling while you’re in jail. You can have a ‘therapist’ come and talk to you. In Nevada it’d be like $50 or less I’d guess.
My email address is chickenjohn@chickenjohn.com
Please write in the subject line Friend of Paul Addis
I’ll make a list thing or just cc’ everyone.
Paul tried to be our hero. Lets try to be his. He can be helped. He’ll never be as perfect as Tom, but there is a wonderful side to him. Lets try.
And I hope that other people are doing a better job of not being bitter about the deficiencies of the people who run the event that is the ambassador of our lifestyle then I am. Truly. Please, take a lesson from my rage and bitterness: don’t be like me. Forgive the Bmorg for their consistant and irresponsible actions and shortfallings. They are, in their way, doing what they think is right. Replicating my furious bewilderment will lead you down a dark path.
Paul Addis burned the man down because that’s the kind of world he want’s to live in. I kinda wanna live in that world too. I appreciate and celebrate his commitment to possiblitlity, although I do not applaud his method or his M.O.
It’s becoming harder and harder to create the world you want to live in. Every day it gets harder. Soon, we will all be criminals that want to create the culture of the world we want to live in. We would be wise to stick together.
Like glue.
The Court of The Crimson King
The dance of the puppets
The rusted chains of prison moons
Are shattered by the sun.
I walk a road, horizons change
The tournaments begun.
The purple piper plays his tune,
The choir softly sing;
Three lullabies in an ancient tongue,
For the court of the crimson king.
The keeper of the city keys
Put shutters on the dreams.
I wait outside the pilgrims door
With insufficient schemes.
The black queen chants
The funeral march,
The cracked brass bells will ring;
To summon back the fire witch
To the court of the crimson king.
The gardener plants an evergreen
Whilst trampling on a flower.
I chase the wind of a prism ship
To taste the sweet and sour.
The pattern juggler lifts his hand;
The orchestra begin.
As slowly turns the grinding wheel
In the court of the crimson king.
On soft gray mornings widows cry
The wise men share a joke;
I run to grasp divining signs
To satisfy the hoax.
The yellow jester does not play
But gentle pulls the strings
And smiles as the puppets dance
In the court of the crimson king.
“spect: you admit you weren’t there, so you have *no* personal information about the immediacy of danger, yet you can confidently discount anyone whose actual personal experience says it was dangerous?”
yes. it was a bit odd asking for a specific example who’s life was in immediate danger and no one could provide one. the closest indication of personal danger i was told – someone going into the pavillion to tell a couple of people there was a fire above their heads.
said thier reaction was to stare up at it a minute or so while talking about it and what to do with a few others. they got a few things from some showcase stuff they were working on until an emergency services guy eventually told them to clear out.
you know a specific example of someone’s life being in serious danger, other than more conjecture and hearsay? and would this example be significantly different than a danger anyone would expect to normally encourter in an environment like burningman?
Well, now that he’s been convicted of a felony, he’ll be disbarred, and unable to practice law.
The Burning Man Organization was asked to talk to the prosecutor and request that he not be charged with a felony. They didn’t do that. Instead, board member Will Rogers (a man who once held a girls face against a red hot burn barrel, and got away with it) testified against him, giving an accounting of what their costs were.
Though asked, they’ve given no comment about Paul’s sentencing.
You do the math.
BTW, Paul did NOT make death threats against the students at the school next door to where he lived… The students had been leaving trash on his motorcycle, and (as they were playing football when he talked to them) misheard him say “Stop it, or I’ll have wipe you guys off the field with the Pac-10″ NOT “I’ll shoot you with Mac-10.” I’ve known Paul very closely for 11 years now, and he’s never harmed anyone.
spect, the release of liability on the burningman tickets does not give anyone the right to *create* a dangerous situation.
You want to believe the hearsay that there was no danger, and ignore the hearsay that there was danger. Your selective hearing is your choice.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/06/27/national/a171139D62.DTL&tsp=1
“Paul Addis pleaded guilty in May to one felony count of injury to property stemming from the burning of the 40-foot icon on Aug. 28 — four days earlier than planned. He was ordered to pay $30,000 in restitution.”
Injury to property greater than $5000 is a Class C felony in Nevada, punishable by 1-5 years in prison.
I’m sick of all the jaded and burned out Burners getting their knickers in a twist about what Burning Man has become. Hey, Chicken John, if it makes you sick, DON’T FUCKING GO. Oh, wait, you don’t anyway. So WTF? If people think Burning Man sucks, don’t go. If it isn’t as cool as it used to be, don’t go. I think you can see the continuation of this thought.
The rest of us continue to go and continue to enjoy it. Having an asshole, a mentally disturbed one at that, set the Man on fire when people are underneath of it at night is not a prank. It’s arson and people *could* have been hurt or killed quite easily. He had no control over that except to not torch it in the first place. He created a potentially lethal situation and all the hand-wringing in the world about poor Paul and his mental health won’t change that. I don’t know if he deserves four years for it but he definitely deserves an arson conviction.
If you don’t like that, well, that’s too f’ing bad too. It’s done. Why not put your money where your mouth is and do something productive to help your friend instead of bitching about Burning Man some more?
“The Burning Man Organization was asked to talk to the prosecutor and request that he not be charged with a felony. They didn’t do that.”
Good call.
You want the person you picked a fight with to turn the cheek?
Go torch the Dali Lama’s shit, Tough Guy.
I’m glad that Mr. Addis burned The Man. I’m glad that no one was hurt. Even if you count the feelings of the people involved in the build, a good number of them were laughing it up at the time. It was a prank. A long awaited, much anticipated prank and a well played one at that. He was entirely within the spirit of the event. I’m sorry to see that his entire life is basically ruined as a result of his prank and the following BMOrg overreaction.
The fact that BMOrg went to the trouble to show their damages is great. It’s a reality check to show just where everyone stands.
Paul Addis will probably never practice law again. I’m certain that someone will make it their business to ensure that he’s disbarred. He will do hard jail time. This is not lost on anyone. I’m sure some people will take pride in knowing that he’ll be fucked and fucked up in prison. Just as people were ready to lynch him at the early burn when he was caught.
Mr. Addis was making a statement and it hit home in just the right way for everyone. For people like Mr. John, this confirms the death of their idealism and hopefully will get them to give up on Burning Man. Their efforts are best spent building new events elsewhere. For people like Mr. Billings, it’s a confirmation that people like Addis and Mr. John should stay home. For people like Mr. Tattoo, it’s the right punishment for an asshole who ruined the burn for everyone. For people like myself, it’s a solid confirmation that Burning Man is sold as one thing and actually delivered as another. It’s bullshit profiteering from an undeserved and inaccurate brand. This is just another example of it.
I personally look forward to the continued rebellion, the future early copycat burns, the bellowing of orders from the lame BMOrg aristocracy, the fattening of their respective wallets and many many more Paul Addis wanna-be heros.
Burning Man cannot be saved. It has already destroyed itself.
I’ll be at better events enjoying your collective bourgeois suffering from a distance. I’ll never attend another burn again, BMOrg will never get another dime from me.
Enjoy the frat boys and the Official Burning Man Center Camp Lattes on your own this year. There really is nothing quite like a city without any of the transparency, accountability or democracy we’ve come to expect in our lives. Enjoy the regressive tax system and all the Playa filled vagina you can eat at your whiny adult Disneyland.
Mr. Billings, I can’t help but think about what you would be like in the joint with your attitude of privelidge and calous. You would cry like a little baby girl when a 300 lb ganster with a 60 IQ toys with you like a cat plays with a mouse. You would, quite literally, cry for your mother. Jail is filled with people who do not value human life. People who harm other people in exchange for money or pleasure. Jail is a last resort for a quality of people I hope you are not aware of. Paul is not of this quality. You can argue that he put people;s lives at risk, but so have I. I have put people at risk. But I certainly have also helped people. “Too f*ing bad” is hopefully a place I will never find myself in. I think, at this moment in time, I have more compassion for you then for Paul. Paul is fucked, but he’ll figger it out. I hope it all works out for you, Mr. Billings. Innocent people find themselves in jail. It happens. As for complaining about BM, it’s actually quite interesting for people to harvest information so they can figger out what it is for themselves. Although fatally flawed, it is still a good ruler to measure what is not good enough. As a device, BM does this task perfectly. So what you skim as me complaining, is actually data that I’m providing. And also thearapy for me . To console my broken heart that I wasted my youth building a company for a bunch of ungrateful, selfish, closeminded, self-important dabblers that is the face and soul of my culture that is actually a lie. But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t go if you enjoy it. Because it’s not perfect doesn’t mean it should be shut down. I just like to think that I’m making space for people to do other things, that they aren’t drinking the kool aide that this is an actual community lead by like minded individuals. It’s certainly is not. Our confilct here is over ideas. They are meant to be argued. Back and forth they go, and to smart people it’s obvious to see what is working and what is bullshit. Your dismissive, impatient tone is not foreign to me. I apologize for being so longwinded, but this is an important topic to me that commands more of my time and thought then a simple hit and run post. You leave your opinion here like a grenade… pull the pin and split. This conversation is a delacte one. The situation is complex. We are talking about people lives and lifestyles and the culture that we embrace, which I don’t know if you relise this or not, gets replicated no matter if it’s of value and benifit or not. There is a certain responsability that I feel for BM being a responsable event, as the whole world is watching. The way BM handeled the Paul Addis affair is of interest to a lot of people. It is important that we understand that the LLC that runs the company that controls our annual convention does not have the same values of many of it’s attendants. Some of those attendants wandered away in disgust by the way they handled this. But it’s no matter, tickets sales are brisk I hear. The coffers filled with coin, the show must go on!
I was there in Lovelock last Tuesday to show support for Paul during the restitution and sentencing hearings. I was among the handful of people who were aware of the deal made between the DA and Paul’s public defender that if the amount of damage found in the restitution hearing was low enough, Paul’s charges would be reduced to a misdemeanor. Also among that handful were most of the BMOrg. Discussions were had with Marian, Andy, Harley, and others, letting them know that the power to send Paul to jail was, in fact, in their hands. They have been saying all along that they could not drop the charges, that this was entirely in the DAs hands, but that was not so. They very much could have gone to court and had Paul’s sentence drastically reduced, not sent him to prison, and not made him a felon.
But no, come Tuesday Will Rogers showed up in court with a stack of invoices. He and the DA went over them in the DA’s office before the hearing, and when they were finally presented in court, they totaled 30,000 dollars. The DA asked Will to go over them with him. Will stammered alot, unsure of some of the items, unsure of why some of the numbers for the neon were on an invoice with gas, food, and lodging for volunteers, and some of the numbers for the neon were on other pages. When cross examined by the public defender, he was entirely flumoxed about several items that were purchased on 08/17 or 08/22, both dates that were well before Paul burned the man. But despite the defenders best efforts, knocking off the price of food, lodging, gas for volunteers, knocking off the price of a water pump, the judge stopped him and said “Well, counsel, I still don’t think you’re going to get it under 5000 dollars.” and cut short his efforts. And so they went into a hasty little sentencing hearing. Paul got to speak a few words and that was it.
Besides being sad and concerned for my friend, who needs help that he simply will not get in jail, I feel betrayed. Another close friend went to Marion last week before the hearing to plead that the org help keep Paul out of jail. The discussion went here and there, but Marion said in no uncertain terms, “We do not want to send Paul to jail.” “We do not want to send Paul to jail.”… really? Well, I have to ask then, why did the org pad the invoices with items that could not be part of restitution, the food the gas the lodging, other durable goods, to the tune of 30000 dollars??? We were let know through a back channel that the org was planning in fact, to come with invoices around only 10k. This didn’t happen. Instead, after speaking with us about a compassionate course, they turned around and sent Will in to burn Paul as hard as they could.
And I have comment for those of who, like the judge in NV, keep bringing up the Grace Cathedral incident. Do you really think the SF Police would have jailed Paul for 8 months over a belt full of fireworks, if he hadn’t just gotten the notoriety from burning the man? Paul has been struggling for a while with these mental problems, sadly exacerbated by any of his seeming successes. So, he’s manic and he’s loud and he’s headed to Grace Cathedral (a place very special to him) to pop off some firecrackers. That got him 8 months and a couple of misdemeanors.
Next legal comment.. nowhere in any of the court proceedings was anything proved beyond a reasonable doubt, especially that there people under the man when it was set alight. I’ll have the transcripts of all hearings shortly. We can go over them together if you’d like.
The judge made it very clear during the proceedings. He said several times, “Make no mistake, Burning Man is a for-profit company, that throws an event every year to make money, alot of money, and Paul damaged an important piece of their inventory. This is what this case is about.”
Money. This is about money. ..the american dream.
“It is important that we understand that the LLC that runs the company that controls our annual convention does not have the same values of many of it’s attendants.”
Good Lord, I would hope so.
Let’s look at 1996, the year that everyone is still so sick with nostalgia with and can’t seem to let go of. In that community we had drunk drivers galore, at least 1 of which resulted in a motorcycle fatality that people to this day still blame Larry for, because apparently it’s Larry’s fault whenever a drunk driver idiot kills himself on the playa. We had that junkie who stole a car and ran over the couple sleeping in a tent. There were other thieves that stole cars and flipped them on the playa. There were the idiots that camped next to us that decided to torch their sofa on their last night and leave the remains out on the playa for us to clean up. There were a lot of idiots that year.
I’m glad LLC that runs the company and controls our annual convention does not share those same values. Thank God.
“It’s kinda why we need monsters. The LLC is a dragon that will be slain by a hero. A hero, such as Paul Addis”
That statement right there touches on exactly what this debate is really about, although most people don’t have the guts to admit it.
I brought this up in the original LS post when this first broke. I think a lot of people project onto Burning Man what is going on in their own lives. Their hopes, fears, insecurities, paranoia, fantasies, resentments. All of the above. And I think a lot of people have projected their resentment of everything that is going wrong at Burning Man (and by extension their own personal lives) onto the LLC because they need them to be the bad guy in order for themselves to be, by default, the hero. That is the paradigm that a lot of people are locked into and refuse to let go of. You guys NEED Larry and LLC to be evil, just like an televangelist needs Satan and Hell more than he needs God. You take away Satan and Hell and what’s the televangelism going to talk about? People have become way too invested in that paradigm and no matter what the LLC does it’ll never be good enough, you’ll always find something that will bug you because you need them to be the bad guy.
“Burning Man cannot be saved. It has already destroyed itself.”
As it does every year.
“Next legal comment.. nowhere in any of the court proceedings was anything proved beyond a reasonable doubt, especially that there people under the man when it was set alight.”
When a person pleads guilty, they admit all elements of the crime. The admission is proof beyond a reasonable doubt.
For the crime that Paul was charged with to be a felony, there must be (proved beyond a reasonable doubt) that there $5000 in damages. The comment by the judge makes it clear that happened.
The charges did not require anyone to be under the man (or otherwise in danger).
Don–
If you have access to the transcripts, I believe many people would like to see them. If they can be scanned and linked to, that would be much appreciated.
Agreed that this case is about money. But a lot more money than what it takes to buy some wood and neon.
For those of us with a certain relationship to the Moon, the Burning of the Man during the lunar eclipse was indeed perfect timing and perhaps an attempt to reclaim ancient spiritual knowledge that has been largely forgotten in modern times. Many ancient peoples regarded the Moon as the chief of the two luminaries. The sun was of smaller importance than the moon in the eyes of the Babylonian astrologers. The Assyrians and the Chaldeans referred to the time of the Moon-god as the oldest period in the memory of the people: before other planetary gods came to dominate the world ages, the Moon was supreme deity.
The effect of ritual and recitation during the eclipse contributes towards relieving the suffering of humanity and also of the planets. These people receive the blessings of the gods. Ignorance has eclipsed Self-knowledge. However, this eclipse will disappear. You will shine in your own glory. This is the spiritual significance of the eclipse. This incident reminds us of the inherent dualism of nature. Nature and therefore the ancient goddesses that represent nature, have aspects that are both creative and destructive. What has been forgotten in modern times is that every coin has a flip side, every light casts a shadow and that balance is an essential component of the cosmos.
Chicken John,
You wrote:
“Mr. Billings, I can’t help but think about what you would be like in the joint with your attitude of privelidge and calous. You would cry like a little baby girl when a 300 lb ganster with a 60 IQ toys with you like a cat plays with a mouse. You would, quite literally, cry for your mother.”
Well, thanks for this insightful commentary on what I would or wouldn’t do in prison (and implicitly wishing it for me based on the tone of your post).
I have a newsflash for you, I’ve actually done volunteer work in prisons and I am currently talking to people about doing it again (my previous work was in another state). I’ve worked with inmates, run classes for them, and tried to help them with their problems to the best of my ability. I did this even when they, personally, terrified me (though not necessarily by intent on their part). I guess that doesn’t fit into your little picture, does it? You can kiss my ass with this rhetoric.
You know what I learned from working with inmates in prison? I’ll mention a few key things:
1) You never ever want to do anything that will land you in prison. (This is the one thing any work with inmates will drive home with a vengence.) Prison is a horrible place for anyone involved, not just the inmates, and it is an often evil system. Don’t fuck up and land yourself there.
2) Most people that are in prison, frankly, deserve it inasmuch as they are guilty of the crimes that put them there. Many, when they get to know you, will freely admit it. Does that make all punishments on the books just? Hardly but there are few innocent men and women in prisons (innocent meaning “did not break the law in question”, we’ll leave the value of certain laws aside).
3) Most people in prison have emotional or mental issues, often drug related. That doesn’t excuse anything. Almost every inmate I ever worked with was all fucked up on drugs, and habitually so, when he wound up committing the crimes that sent him to prison. They only cleaned up and became really reflective about what was going on while sitting in their cells counting the months or years until they got out.
4) In spite of any of the above, people in jails deserve our help and compassion if they actually want to improve themselves or reform their lives. Plenty of them don’t. They just want out of the inhumane environment in which they find themselves and will put themselves back in soon enough. I volunteered to work with people because they wanted to make themselves into better people and *not* go back.
Looking at the above and my experience (and I’ve met Paul, actually), I think I can say that Paul dug his own hole, repeatedly, and knowingly and consciously committed the felony that he was convicted of doing. Larry didn’t make him do that with his evil Master of the BMorg powers. Paul chose to be an idiot (perhaps he was high at the time even) and burn down a structure, putting lives at risk and causing damage. He was convicted of the crime he actually committed, regardless of your bullshit reasoning, and he’s going to jail for it. Maybe this will shake him up enough that, when he gets out, he changes his life into something a bit more reasoned, sane, and healthy. If he behaves well and if the sentencing is light, we could see him next year back in San Francisco. As I said before, maybe you should focus on helping your friend instead of engaging in your next mayoral campaign here.
On another note, I used to respect much of what you tried to do around the Bay Area. Your posts here, in general and toward me, have shown me this this respect was mistakenly given. I suggest not being so much of a prick next time or turning one man’s mistakes into a holy crusade.
I’m not surprised to hear that Will Roger dithered on the stand about padded invoices that were unrelated to Paul’s actions.
So Paul the bi-polar lawyer is going to jail at the pleasure of the org.
Chicken is right.
This community could to pull together and help Paul. Take care of him while he spends his time in jail. That’s what Burning Man is about. Radical Inclusivity. Be the person you would want to camp next to. Send him some cigarettes or a book or some money. He’s a burner too. Forgive him.
“He did the crime, he should do the time” is a cop out. Burning Man should be better than that. “People could have been hurt” is a statement that could be made about every art piece, every camp, every square inch of BRC.
Take care of Paul. He is one of us.
Your not listening. I’m not wishing prison on you. I’m saying that if you’ve been to prison, you can’t wish it on anyone. I mean it. You’d cry like a little girl. I did.
Saying that my post here is another mayor thing or a holy crusade is a despicable. Shame on you.
If you do not know this, I am not alone in my opinions. I have done little else then spend time on the phone these last 2 days with persons of my ilk. There are at least 20-25 people (at this time) that are calibrated exactly like me.
I applaud you for commiting your free time to spend with inmates to try to improve their situation and defer to your experience. I have only ever been an inmate. But I know Paul for years and years. Paul is not the kind of person that needs to be in jail. This is the opinion of the guy who is kissing your ass with all this rhetoric.
Rhetoric is important in this leaderless community. To not be wishy washy is really all that matters. It’s what makes us seperate from the politicians. Not being passionite about your rhetoric is how Larry let Paul go to jail.
Fact is if the LLC could have done something to prevent Paul from doing time and didn’t either because they didn’t care or didn’t want to will basicly bring war to their front door. For the time being I’m going to assume this is not the case. Although I have a feeling in time this will indeed be true.
And Mr. Billing, you can’t not like something I did that you liked before because you don’t like the thing I’m doing now. Just because Mr. Roboto sucked doesn’t mean that Pieces of Eight wasn’t a brilliant album. Maybe I’m wrong about this whole thing and I’ll apologize… but we’ll get there together talking about it. I’m not giving you any of your respect back, and I’m confident I’ll win some more in the future. Kiss me or kill me your stuck with me…
I am not normally part of this discussion. I am not from SF or Portland. I am from Pershing County — yes, I am a townie, born and bred, just like the sheep. I am currently employed with the administrative structure of the county.
I attended BM several times, back when the price of admission was less than my student loan payment. It looked like fun, it was fun, but due to my position I do not dare show up there anymore.
But if you are interested in some information from the inside, from a townie in position to know, here it is.
BM had two opportunities to close this case with less flesh off Addis’ bones. They declined. In fact, they pushed hard for maximum prosecution and maximum sentence. That’s what they got. Even some people on the legal side were surprised at the level of BM’s vengeance. They didn’t expect “the hippies” to behave that way.
The judge, as you might expect from a small town in conservative, rural Nevada, was not interested in all the self-important “cultural” arguments from either side, especially from Addis. In his statement at the sentencing hearing he followed BM’s argument that they are running a big business and that Addis caused severe damage to that business. What it boiled down to was money, and BM’s testimony leaned heavily in that direction. If they had gone a little easier in that regard Addis probably would have gotten some jail time, but not four years and a felony rap.
What you might not realize is that the case opened some old sores in this community. It played right into the hands of a small but powerful group, religious types who don’t like BM and what it stands for. The attitude I heard from one law enforcement guy after the hearing was, “Good. If they say they want tough enforcement out there, that’s what we’ll give them.” These guys are tired of your jokes about Reno 911, people. They don’t find it amusing anymore. (I went to high school with this guy. He’s not shitting around.)
If you go this year, don’t expect the guys with badges to turn their heads to a lot of what they see on the playa like they’ve done in the past. Also, this officer said “outside” enforcement agencies have been in touch regarding possible police actions for this year’s event. Politically motivated, he said. Election year and all that. He didn’t say feds, but I assume that’s what he meant. He said it could include the use of undercover agents.
I’m telling you this because I liked most of the people I met at BM: Be careful out there this year. Tell your friends. Be careful who you deal with. Be careful what you do in front of people who are not known to you. Otherwise, some of you could find yourself sharing a cell with Addis.
(PS: I’m going to try to post this on BM’s corporate site as well but I do not know if it will get past their censors.)
Well, considering I have a friend who admitted to me that he was busted by an undercover cop in 2001 for giving him a small amount of drugs (at the cops request), I know a lot of people who have been watching undercover law enforcement for quite a while. I appreciate the warning, though, and I expect that others do as well. We’ll have to see what happens.
The statements about the BMorg pushing at the trial, as mentioned in Timothy’s comment shed some more light on this (and I am afraid that I tend to trust this more than the axe that many ex-Burners have to grind with anything BM related). Assuming it is true (which I actually do), that just makes this whole thing more of a mess.
Personally, I’m hoping that sentencing for Paul is on the ligher end of things and that he gets out much earlier, as is common, for behaving there and not causing a ruckus. If he’s lucky, he might be back in six months but you never know.
Chicken John, we can go back and forth about this forever. Sure, if I was convicted of something and sent to prison, I expect that I would cry. I think few people wouldn’t. I’ve never been locked up but I’ve been in there and it is a fucking scary place, even when you get to leave at the end of the day. I don’t really wish it on anyone. That said, I also don’t believe in a freepass for engaging in dangerous behavior. Paul didn’t get busted for smoking weed in front of a trooper, after all. If he’s mentally ill and people are such good friends with him, where was everyone a year and a half ago when, I am told, a lot of his behavior started being rather extreme? Where were people after last year’s incidents, like BM, Grace Cathedral, the charges at the school or the shit in Seattle? It seems like that if his mental state is so bad, his friends should have had an intervention then and not be simply wringing their hands now about how he’s getting jacked by the system.
I sympathize with you (not that you probably care) in that I can understand a bit about where you are coming from and also your relationship with what Burning Man is or has become. That being said, wishes don’t make things so, actions do and this has always been the case. In other words, talk is cheap. You may be doing something now as damage control and to help Paul but people who care about him should have acted before he started chalking up law enforcement encounters, not after. At this point, what’s done is done and he’s going to jail. What are you going to do from here beyond helping him out while he’s in there?
For all the people that rant about the BMorg and its behavior: do you go to Burning Man because of stuff the BMorg does (beyond making a space available) or do you go because of what your friends, acquaintances, friends of friends, etc. are doing there?
Other than building infrastructure and putting the Man up, I don’t give a rat’s ass about most BMorg policies, the politics around them, how it used to be better in year XX, or such crap. I go to Burning Man for the village next door to me with people doing and building cool shit. I go because my friends go and we get to work on a project, hang out together on the playa doing our project and meeting new people, and, at the end, we watch the Man burn.
I tend to think that my experience or attitude is more in line with most people going to Burning Man. Most people don’t give a shit about Larry, whether he lies through his teeth or makes a living off of the work of others, or any of that shit. We go because we enjoy the community, projects, art, etc. that is so different than the day to day lives we have otherwise.
Thanks Timothy for the warning. Most posts here seem to reflect an attitude that what Paul did wasn’t that serious. I disagree. I was near there that night and saw what happened. People could have been hurt. Those of us who were doing pyro on our art had to have detailed safety and fire preparation plans in place before we were allowed on the playa. Paul didn’t have that. Didn’t care to. Speaks to who he is , wouldn’t you say? The sentence is deserved and yes, I wish there was therapy for him. His lawyers could have pushed him towards an insanity defense, but that didn’t happen. Too bad.
The warning about increased enforcement forebodes something that’s been brewing for a while. 4000 people have been killed in northern Mexico since December. The traffic in marijuana and coke is the reason. Be careful where your drugs are coming from, because if they’re coming from Mexico, you will be ingesting stuff that has the stain of death on it, many deaths. The Feds would love to shut BM down over this.
Wow. When I heard about this, I was deeply ambivalent. But Mike Tattoo has convinced me that any side he’s on must be the wrong one.
Not that I needed his help in the end. That the BMorg could have stopped this and didn’t — and in fact pushed hard to make it a felony — tells me all I need to know. That’s such a disappointment to me. Whatever I thought Burning Man was back in the day is clearly long gone.
My special thanks to Don McCasland and Timothy Warren for the field reports.
“The BMorg could have stopped this and didn’t”
Good call. I approve.
“— and in fact pushed hard to make it a felony.”
Good call. I approve.
What the fuck did you expect? Seriously.
You want to pick a fight with someone who won’t fight back? Go torch the Dali Lama’s shit. Go pick a fight with a crippled girl scout. Fuck you.
You BOBs (Burnt Out Burners) have when bitching for years about how the LLC has taken the joy out of your lives and how they are very defensive, emotional, and overly protective of what they love. So what do you do? You fuck with the thing that they love. What the fuck did you expect?
But it worked out for you. Your paradigm isn’t threatened. The LLC is still evil and you can still be the gay paladin the slays it. Sounds lake a very lame, depressing, and pathetic fetish fantasy to me. But hey, knock yourself out. That hate-on for the LLC has really worked out well for your career and your free advertising.
I think what bothers me the most about this situation is that the BMorg knows Paul. He’s been a part of the community for many years and his exploits of late have been common knowledge.
It boggles my mind that BM did not take this very fact into consideration. They all had to know the extent to which Paul needs help – but instead they took every opportunity to throw the proverbial book at him. Timothy’s statement above genuinely disheartens me about the meaning of community.
I’m not going to judge whether Paul’s actions were right or wrong, though I will say, having known Paul for many years, he is one of the most safety conscious people I have ever met. He would never knowingly put anyone in harm’s way.
That being said, if Paul deserved to be punished for his actions, at least BM could step in and speak to the fact that they knew Paul and ask for leniency rather than “nickle and dime-ing” their losses via Will Roger, resident misogynist. If Paul were a stranger, perhaps their actions could be justified but in this case I find it reprehensible.
Addis’s act is akin to someone showing up to a raging party. There is a pile of firewood in the middle that the party organizer wants to set on fire. Some drunk yahoo lights it on fire early. Everyone knows the party gets rowdy, hell its printed on the ticket. Sure it was an assholish manuever, but its been discussed as naseum since I first went in 97. It was going to happen sooner or later.
It upsets me that, instead of getting an ass wuppin or a metric ton of community service and fines, that they decided to essentially destroy a man. Permanent black spot on his record, disbarment for sure, and 1-4 years hard time. I seriously doubt he would get minimum, that’s usually reserved for white collar crime. Arsonists are most often put in with the violent offenders.
So here’s what’s most likely to happen. I know this BTW from spending half my senior year in Bakersfield, I was somewhat the punk in my youth. Anyway, a small bald pasty white male in lockup will need to do one of two things. Get fucked as a loner, maybe threaten suicide or do something to get solitary (unlikely). Or join up with his race- skinheads and bikers. You have to choose sides or you will be screwed. After a couple years as a nazi and some jailhouse tattoos, it would be hard to shake that stuff off once he gets out.
So he goes in a guy with a couple screws loose, and comes out a buffed up skinhead filled with hate. Yah, this did a lot of good. Worst case scenario? Sure- but I’m betting on it. If he’s not an idiot, he will get in with the skinheads. If he’s impressionable as folks write about, the training will stick. You think he’s looney now, wait til he comes out filled with hate and racism, with contacts to get some fairly nasty devices.
Ya. Good job.
This is Paul’s current address – which will change when he is moved to a prison – will be good for a couple of weeks.
Inmate Paul Addis
Po Box 147
Lovelock, NV 89419
There is another address for shipping him books. Let me know if you need that.
With at least 25,000 people paying $300 a pop, I think BM Inc can afford $5000 in Damages.
I also find any babbling on about “Arson” to be a bonefide hypocrites, as The Man burns every year. All of you witnessing it and not do something to stop the fire are all accessories to Arson.
There were people in the Tent. They could have gotten hurt. Isn’t that what Radical self reliance is all about, taking care of yourself?
Did you run over anyone with your car today? You could have. There were people on the street I’m guessing. You could have hit another car. You could have hit a wall.
But you didn’t.
Therefore, crying about how people COULD have gotten hurt in the tent hanging out under an object that’s designed to be torched is moot. They didn’t get hurt. Nobody got hurt except a corporations pride.
Now, they have their revenge. They have their sacrifice.
It’s no wonder Paul’s got mental problems, having hung out with the attitudes I’m reading here. A bunch of radical week long rebels who go home, cut out their braids, but on the suit and go back to advancing the corporate machine. Radical anarchy in a safe, controlled environment. If being sane is thinking like what I’m reading here, I’ll take crazy. Thanks.
It comes down to this.
Burning Man is no longer counter culture.
Burning man is no longer about radical self expression.
Burning Man is part of the establishment.
Expression shall be kept within non-radical limits – using law enforcement as necessary.
Burning Man is now “The Man”
We all new it was headed that way – now it’s gone all the way.
Paul may be crazy – but his point was valid – and the BMORG proved it.
Time to move on.
Iain
> “BM had two opportunities to close this case with less flesh off Addis’ > bones. They declined. In fact, they pushed hard for maximum > prosecution and maximum sentence. That’s what they got. Even some > people on the legal side were surprised at the level of BM’s > vengeance. They didn’t expect “the hippies” to behave that way.
>
> The judge, as you might expect from a small town in conservative, > rural Nevada, was not interested in all the self-important “cultural”> arguments from either side, especially from Addis. In his statement at > the sentencing hearing he followed BM’s argument that they are running > a big business and that Addis caused severe damage to that business. > What it boiled down to was money, and BM’s testimony leaned heavily in > that direction. If they had gone a little easier in that regard Addis > probably would have gotten some jail time, but not four years and a felony rap.”
well said, lori dorn, chicken john, etc. not only that but how one can be punished for what *might* happen as opposed to what actually happened seems ridiculous and paranoid.
Shatter, let him burn your house down then next…
A question for Weazie or anyone that knows about law…
Does the 8 months he has already spent in jail count in his 12 to 48 month sentence?
And what can best enhance his chances of total months being 12 rather than 48? I imagine the “hero” mindset will make his stay longer.
I see this hero vigilante ruse as being delusional and sad. I urge those of you who feed this idea to deeply consider its effect on his situation.
Best wishes Paul… from a concerned friend.
Paul Addis’ early burning of the corporate logo of the Burning Man event last year was the single most pure act of “radical self expression” to occur at this massive hipster tail-gate party in over a decade. The extraordinary publicity that this singular act focused on the event had to be good for, at a bare minimum, 1-2 hundred last minute ticket sales at the highest rate of (correct me if I’m wrong) maybe $280.00 or $300.00 a pop.
That would work out to a bare minimum of $30,000.00. Not to mention the residual benefit over the course of succeeding years that that type of high profile exposure provides for the bottom line of a corporation engaged in the pursuit of long term branding opportunities and ticket sales.
$30,000.00 is the amount of receipts that Will Rodgers, as representative of Black Rock City LLC presented to the Federal Court as total damages incurred by Addis’ action. I’d say that, on the balance, the BMorg benefited financially from Addis’ action as opposed to being financially damaged.
The irony of Will Rogers being the corporate officer (one of six that own the event) that was saddled with the onerous task of administering the wrath of BMorg onto the hapless prankster Addis is deep and cutting indeed to anyone who is familiar with Rogers history and disposition in dealing with his duties as operations manager for the event for over a decade now. Addis is in jail, Rogers is not. It’s a strange world, indeed.
Paul Addis’ prank, when symbolically infused into the collective self image of the BM “community” is as mythic an action and as profound an image (relative to persons who might care) as Stephen Colbert’s roasting of George Bush at the White House Correspondents Dinner some time back. Colbert’s incredibly ballsy action will be lauded for decades to come. He directly challenged and (with humor) berated the most powerful man in the world (sic.) No one in the Bush White House had him arrested or assassinated even though his verbal attacks could be interpreted as extremely insulting even slanderous. Similarly, as long as there is a spark of originality, passion and true creativity in Burning Man, those who adhere to these precepts – precepts that originally fueled the event, these people will discuss and ponder the import of the epic action that Paul’s inner voices compelled him to make. Nonetheless, Paul, unlike Colbert will be serving hard time for making fun of a powerful image.
BMorg faced a profound choice when dealing with the fall out of Addis’ seemingly deranged action. They could have understood and capitalized on the PR value by simply, graciously accepting what happened and then making the best of it. They could have been (or claimed to be) compassionate. It might have looked something like this: send Harley or M2, (not the compromised Rogers) to court with receipts for less than $5000.00 and a request for community service for the offender Addis. He was (and is after all) one of the events children. The Feds would have prosecuted and convicted Addis of a MISDEMEANOR arson charge (under 5K is not a felony.) Paul would have been punished appropriately for his transgression – time served, probably and his friends would have thrown a fund raiser to pay it off; future potential transgressors would have been dissuaded from similar high jinx and all would be well in the kingdom.
As you all know, this is NOT what happened. Pity.
An essentially decent (tho’ undeniably off balance) young man’s life and his potential career have been crushed to pay the debt of anger and retribution of a vengeful corporation. He was made an example of in order to insure that NO ONE would ever challenge or desecrate the empty symbol (Oh….. excuse me, the brand trademark) of a corporation that could have been so much more.
Some have brought up the point that the decision whether or not to prosecute an arson case lies with the DA (or in this case the Federal Prosecutor.) Just to be crystal clear here – this is technically correct. However any prosecutor who does not have the tacit support of the aggrieved party in such a case (vandalism, property damage, etc.) will think very hard before dedicating his/her offices limited resources to a case that very likely will not culminate in a conviction. Make no mistake – Black Rock City LLC knew very well that if they declared their financial loss for the early immolation of their corporate logo to be less than $5000.00, the best conviction the prosecutor could have hoped for would have been a misdemeanor rap culminating in a much more appropriate finale for all parties. Any decent group of people that were part of a “community” would have acted with circumspection and compassion in this case.
Now, I would like to commend Chicken John for his passionate arguments regarding this issue and address some misapprehensions and misinterpretations put forward by various individuals in the responses posted on this blog.
I’ve heard so many people who became involved in BM in it’s later years excoriate Chicken and other “old timers” for sour grapes or living in the past, or simply being stick in the mud types unable or unwilling to allow the newcomers their right to simply enjoy their participation in the event without a lecture about how cool it used to be and how watered down it is now.
I believe that any misunderstanding here is simply one of definition. So, let’s define what Burning Man is and what it was. Also, let’s put the event into the larger context of the “arts” and culture scene of the Bay Area and beyond.
Now, Burning Man (legally speaking, Black Rock City LLC) is a for profit corporation controlled by six people (Marian Goodell, Harley Bierman, Michael Mikel, Larry Harvey, Will Roger Peterson and Crimsom Rose) that generates in excess of 12 million dollars annually for producing a one week event. Much of the labor to produce this event is volunteer or compensated at well below market value for comparable work on comparable events (Oregon County Faire, Coachella, etc.) Burning Man (like Montsanto, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and Intel Corp) has embraced “Green” themes to validate it’s corporate mission statement and counter balance it’s corporate “footprint” on the environment as well as to assuage the conscience and expectations of it’s target market (you.)
Burning Man (like Starbucks, Apple Computer and Nike) provides a superior product that generates intense consumer adherence and loyalty.
Burning Man (like The Body Shop, Esprit and Ben & Jerry’s) derives a great deal of it’s consumer adherence from it’s very successful PR campaign equating the corporation and it’s goals with specific ideals. Powerful ideological constructs that connect the consumers with an idealized vision of what the brand can mean as it exerts it’s sway on the larger world is also crucial to the corporations marketing campaign.
People go to the playa. They spend whatever it takes to be prepared for their individualized experience. They proselytize their friends and acquaintances to join them in their odyssey. They return again and again, adhering to the social order and cultural precepts that preconceived notions of the event and group peer conceptualization demand.
If they’re lucky, they are part of a crew primarily driven by the collective desire and motivation to create singular “art” or experience at the event – either underwritten by the BMorg (with not that much more butt kissing than might be expected from the average arts funding council) or self-financed. All in all the, consumer experience is a very good one and more than worth the cost of admission to a majority of the consumers.
So, as you see, you get what you pay for. In my mind, with the current BM set-up, you probably get your moneys worth.
What BM was:
A radically inspired and thoroughly experimental event created and organized by a loose cabal of nearly penniless artists and pranksters. During the early years of the event in the Black Rock Desert anyone could do anything they wished. The cops came and left soon thereafter because the “event” was not interfering with the property rights of powerful interests. In case you didn’t know, the primary job of law enforcement in the USofA is to protect property. That’s much of the reason that I have never had a problem with cops: they’re merely working class guys with a good job. They didn’t fuck with us because we chose to put the event as far away from civilization and commerce as humanly possible. Later as the event grew in commercial stature and the various governmental entities saw it for what it was becoming – a cash cow (BM provides most of the operating budget for the Winnemucca office of the BLM and buys various law enforcement agencies a lotta cool toys – helicopters, RV’ command centers, etc.) It was a trade off that organizations greater and lesser have made as well over the years. Had BM stuck to its original heart and inspiration it would probably have been snuffed out long ago. So it became something that could survive and thrive: a corporation that sells a lifestyle to a target market based on an original theme and spirit that resonates to this day with a tiny portion of the initial essence that drove the bus and forged the myth.
What many newcomers don’t realize is that BM isn’t a “movement” in and of itself; it is merely the most visible and commercial exponent of an actual movement that is much more amorphous and indefinable than a business that sells a lifestyle. BM grew out of a vibrant and completely anarchic underground scene in San Francisco (and other cities across the continent) that has continued to mutate and grow to this day. Artists and pranksters that meet and collaborate through BM move on to form alliances that are of value in order to experiment and create long after their last trip to the Playa. This is the same as it was when I showed up in Frisco at age 17 in 1976 and was immediately sucked into the swirling vortex that was to be my home for the next 32 years. Chicken John and other concerned parties are simply lamenting the fact that an event of such power and purity has inevitably devolved into a commercial endeavor that packages and sells (very nicely and effectively, I must say) a replication of that original spirit of such undeniable value. The heart and soul that birthed BM exists now apart from this commercial entity as they always have. The simple fact that that BM has chosen, essentially to sacrifice one of it’s own members in order to retain some semblance of owning and controlling that singular spirit is a sure bet that the magic is gone, replaced by a commercial simulacrum of that spirit.
Weighing all accounts of the early burn event that Paul enacted and, delving into my own not small experience (professional rigger, former operations manager for BM) as well as my personal knowledge of Paul Addis as a troubled but pure and sincere soul, I have come to the inevitable conclusion that no one was physically threatened by his masterful prank. Consequently, I am forced to conclude that BRCLLC/BM acted egregiously and erroneously by not interceding with the authorities in order to mitigate Paul’s punishment for what was in effect a gift to them and their event. Paul Addis is paying the price for speaking truth to power.
Timothy Warren – “but due to my position I do not dare show up there anymore.”
my guess is you dont want to be known public, which is unfortunate because what you have to say is being refuted by some and yet its very damaging to the burningman llc board of directors. if you are willing to correspond privately – email is spectabillis at yahoo dot com.
So Shatter, if they allowed guns on the playa, someone getting stoned and shooting all over the place would be ok with you, as it is radical self reliance and folks should know to get out of the way, right?
Rob, the Bmorg didn’t invent the justice system. Paul’s attorneys could have pushed him to plead insanity and thereby exposed him to the potential for therapy in a different institution. If the Bmorg didn’t take this seriously, what kind of message would that be putting out? Art fair game?
Dan–
The 8 months Paul spent in jail was for the charges relating to Grace Cathedral, not burning man. So, no, they won’t count towards the 12-48 months owed Nevada. But he will be credited for time he spent in custody on the burning-man charges (which, I believe, will include the time waiting for Nevada to pick him up from San Francisco post-resolution of the Grace-Cathedral charges).
(And Paul was prosecuted by the State of Nevada, not the federal government.)
“State of Nevada, not the federal government.” – I stand corrected.
Regarding the insanity defense: Such defenses are rarely pursued, and even more rarely successful. The crux of insanity (from a legal standpoint) is the inability to distinguish right from wrong. Knowledge of wrongness (and thus evidence of sanity) can be inferred from such things as running from the police (i.e., you ran because you knew what you did was against the law and thus wrong and therefore you are sane because you tried to run).
Mere quixotic misguidance isn’t enough. So I’m not surprised that Paul’s attorney did not go this route. (Related to the concept of insanity is competence to stand trial, i.e., whether you understand the nature of the legal proceedings, but I don’t presently see this being an issue with Paul.)
“Rob, the Bmorg didn’t invent the justice system.”
Utter… fucking… cop-out…
How can you quantify damage on a structure created to be destroyed? My bonfire example holds true. Say the firewood involved was from a rare tree and the total worth of the wood at the bonfire was $6000. Letter-of-law says that the non-owner of the wood lighting it is commiting felony arson.
The reason we have courts is to determine intent-of-law. Any honest cop with any experience can tell you that if you dig deep enough, you can find something to arrest anyone. All you have to do is observe and run down the list of laws. Cops discretion in enforcing laws, and judges have discretion in judging and sentencing. Trust me, you don’t want a society based solely on letter-of-law enforcement.
Your arguement is that Addis should have pleaded insanity. My arguement is that the punishment in no way fits the crime. Yours is that Addis should have used a cop out to avoid punishment. Mine is that while this was technically felony arson, the structure itself was not permenant and was created for the sole purpose of being destroyed. Had it been someone’s trailer or car, definitely a felony arson charge is warranted. But not for a fancy and highly overrated pile of firewood for fuck’s sake.
So I ask you, was the essential icon for the event. The symbol of radical self expression and all those community ideals that the event is supposedly about. The pheonix like wooden effigy. Was this worth utterly destroying the life of a man that had been attending and had been listed on the Burning Man wesite as being on staff for six years.
Well it appears this lofty icon has a different meaning now.
Revenge.
thank you to all for this stimulating dialogue.
you are very passionate and well spoken
i have been fighting wth my husband over paul
since we heard report of this on the internet
(we could not attend 07 because i was having a baby)
my husband sees this the prosecution of paul as a deep wound or even spiritual death of BM the event
and have argued repetedly of
1. the safety issues
*shatter, in response to your question
‘ Did you run over anyone with your car today? You could have. There were people on the street I’m guessing. You could have hit another car. You could have hit a wall.’
I did not because i was conscious i was driving a car, the alleged people in proximity of the man did not have that choice, but i take your point to mean that we all must be aware and responsible for our safety always, at BRC or main st USA…
2. the mean spiritedness,
which says i know more about your ‘fun’ or depth of human experience than you do
3. and my lack of surprise BMorg would do whatver they can to deter someone from making a personal statement with a public work or community icon
(what if someone less conscious than paul wanted to burn down the temple early as a statement against organized religion, or center camp , or MY personal camp because he or she has a beef with seattle or la or wherever i am from)
i have been defending BMorg to my husband
because i do not want the event to disappear
for all it’s faults i love this unlikely city
that springs to life for a week of the year
this event is in constant danger from law enforcement
(thank you for the heads up timothy warren; we ought to always be vigilant)
and political pressure
one of it’s most powerful political tools in the community
is how much money we bring to the area each year
(we have personally contributed to the local high school in the form of our traffic ticket!)
so it is no surprise to me that BMorg emphasized that element of the case
this community is very important to my family
my husband and i met there
we most likely conceived our child there
we hope to return for many years
however
like any good debate
i have taken in many of your arguments and accounts
chicken john
i am not a friend of paul’s
i have never met him
but i would like to contribute to your ‘paul addis mental health fund’
because you are right
he is one of our own
and this seems like the right thing to do
i
this compassion is not out of respect for his action
which i think are foolish and mentally unsound
but because it is my responsibility as a member of this community
i do not want him to be a hero
but of course i do not want him to be hurt
i am bringing my baby this year
and i am ultra sensitive to the risks i am taking on
i do not want anything like this act to take root
be repeated by sloppier, stupid-er art critcs
why bring down the event that has 20 plus years to build
even if you have outgrown it?
and al billings
thank you
for your work with inmates
your posts have inspired me to give back
starting with paul
i hope there is something we
as a community can do for him
that will help him keep his humanity intact
amacker bulwinkle
what books would he like?
lori dorn
i agree
it is unsettling to see what seems like a personal vendetta
on the part of BMorg
against a former ‘friend’
but maybe we can positively affect paul
without demonizing this group of organizers?
wow
sorry for going on and on
thank you all for continuing this debate
with love
-m
RE: Insanity or Diminished Mental Capacity Defense
… a point the amateur attorneys on this thread should keep in mind, a diminished mental capacity defense is very, very risky when it succeeds. The defendant can end up incarcerated for an indefinite time in a state mental facility. At least Paul has a clearly defined maximum sentence.
DONATE YOUR TICKET MONEY TO FREE PAUL ADDIS!
(… or just do some E and pretend you love everyone)
Thanks to John Law for the historical/philosophical perspective.
Thanks to Chicken John for his moving thoughts about jail, and the inappropriateness of sending Paul there to help him get better. (Makes me shudder.)
Thanks to Timothy Warren and Don McCasland for their first-hand accounts of the sentencing, and the discussions and maneuvers behind it.
It’s so easy for a long-time burner to be torn by this whole affair. On the one hand, Mr. Addis DID commit arson and arguably endanger people and destroy property. On the other, this gesture was secretly and not so secretly applauded by a whole lot of folks who love Burning Man but have become frustrated by its increasing regimentation, hierarchy, and police presence. After years of the man being put further and further out of the reach of the “participants”, it was kind of a breath of fresh air. I even heard that prominent members of the LLC were laughing about it (once they heard that no one was hurt).
(New burners may not know that you used to be able to walk up the man, pat his ankle, and place some sort of token to be burned in the folds of the parafin-soaked burlap in his legs. Volunteers used to hoist the man up with a huge rope. The man belonged to the community in a physical way.)
As for Mr. Addis’ punishment: On the one hand it is understandable that the Org would want to strongly dissuade anyone else who might think of torching the man (and believe me, MANY people have thought of it). On the other hand, given the mixed feelings that MANY burners had about the act, it does seem appropriate to show some mercy and forgiveness. (Especially since the LLC has seen fit to show remarkable forgiveness internally.) I find it disheartening to read that the Org actively took steps to ensure that Mr. Addis would get charged with a felony, and galling that it denies any role in the prosecution. If you’re going to be a hard-ass, at least admit it.
I know and like the LLC members, and know they mean well. It is disappointing though how they seem to have missed the message in Mr. Addis’ act: Burning Man has become so big and organized that it’s lost touch with a lot of its participants. (Why else did so many people cheer?) And they missed the opportunity too: Instead of putting up hazard tape and posting guards, they should have invited anyone in BRC with tools and reasonable skills to come rebuild the man, allowing him to truly, for the first time in years, be raised by the strength and creativity of the community. Organizationally, this would have been very difficult of course, and the man would probably have been a mess, but what a beautiful mess! Imagine how people would have cared! “Hey, there’s the board I nailed on!”
Great, now we have both Chicken John and John Law lecturing us, at great length, on the noble and eternal principles being compromised and how important the struggle for the soul of Burning Man is…
As I said before, I doubt most attendees care about the personal vendetta that people have (deserved or not) with the BMorg. Whine all you want guys but the reality is that the event is what it is. If you don’t like it, don’t go. It is as simple as that.
I would like to second what Lori Dorn said – the org knew Paul, he’s been around for years, it was not unknown that he was manic. Since it was in their power to keep him out of jail by claiming damages of less than $5K, it shows the true stripes of the LLC, and how their personal egos are willing to destroy Paul’s life to get revenge. For what? They didn’t rebuild the man, they made the underpaid, under-insured DPW rebuild the man.
It’s just so incredibly sad.
The feeling I have is akin to seeing a beloved relative, who has consistently chosen to compromise their integrity, beat their child and then lie about it to save face. The org is a bad parent.
They are also not a very clever corporation. Anyone remember the Negitvland album “DisPepsi” ? It was a major jab at the soft drink industry – and after being sued successfully by U2, they had a cadre of lawyers standing by to meet Pepsi and Coke head on. When Pepsi found out about the album (from a journo asking them for a comment) they looked at it and said, “We’re not persuing any legal action to stop Negativland”. That was smart. It would have made them look bad to sue the pranksters.
This just makes the LLC look terrible. We’ll see how the cops act at BM this year. The LLC dug it’s own grave and used Addis as a shovel.
The thing thats really sticking out like a sore thumb is the divergent line between style and content in the actions of the LLC. I called Larry last week and begged for mercy. He told me his hands were tied. That if he asked the court to go easy this time what would it look like the next time? He said he had no axe to grind. I took him at his word. He also told me that they would not pad the expenses. He lied to me. Will Rodger walked into the court with a bloated bill.
I guess you should expect that kind of thing from an organization that pro-actively works with the DEA to continue to avoid prosecution under the rave act. I guess that’s the American Dream.
I’m not so much angry with you guy’s, I’m disappointed.
PS: When did John become such a good writer?
Al, I’m with you on that. If you don’t like what the event is, don’t go!
Or maybe now, if you don’t like what the reality of the event is now that you’ve had your eyes opened to it, don’t go!
If you could not possibly believe anymore what the BurningMan marketing machine is telling you the event represents regarding freedom, inclusivity, radical self expression, and community then DON’T FUCKING GO!
If you think it is bullshit that the LLC makes an assload of money off of ticket prices for an event borne on the backs of a labor force motivated by ideals that the organization clearly no longer cares for, then Burn Your Tickets, remit the ashes to
Inmate Paul Addis
P.O. Box 147
Lovelock, NV 89419
and DON’T GO!
If you can longer swallow the purest cynicism money can buy, no matter how many tabs of E you’ve eaten… then by all means.. do not go to burning man.
and hey, while we’re at it, if you ARE at burning man this year, could someone at least unionize the work force. I mean, it _is_ the american dream.
I have never written on this board before and I have to say I thank the person who sent the link to just read a blog about what is now the “Paul Addis event”. I apologise in advance for the length of this post, but it is my first and this is an important topic.
I have read just over half of this thread and have been moved a number of times. Both towards disappointment and sadness as well as irritation and forgiveness.
I have not (to my knowledge) met any of you that have been commenting here on behalf of, or against Paul. I have not met Paul either but I can say this…
I was there, not under the man or even that close to the pavilion…but I was there. I watched from a safe distance as the man took to fire…and I HEARD the cheers, I heard the Laughter when the man went up that night…I was there when the BRC FD put it out and all the cheers that rang out even louder after. There was a joy felt in that moment, speaking for myself, and I remember thinking…Well what the hell was that?!! Too funny, I said…wow, I said…and then all the theories that spawnded the next morning.
I remember some saying in anger, “I can’t believe he did that!” and I remember others saying in happy wonder, ” I can’t believe he did that!” I remember so many were angry, and so many others that thought about what to say to the people arriving on Tuesday…”Well we have good news and bad news, the good news is Welcome home to BM, the bad news is the Man has burned…ya missed it…it was awesome!” It also could have been said…”We have good news and good news and bad news. The good news is the Man burned last night, the other good news is that he is being rebuilt in time for saturday, the bad news is you missed it last night it was AWESOME!”
Truth is with a city of nearly 50, 000 we need some rules and safety measures to avoid reckless and violent behaviour. Stealing cars and killing people by accident is not a good thing, especially when you just came to party and have a good time. Setting fire to something and potentially putting lives at risk is also not good. Leaving without your life or your partner or your car stings a little or lot and that is not a good thing either. So yes bring on some rules and guide lines, but for god sake hold onto the irreverance, the audacity, and hold your hand high with the Middle Finger extended all the way up and wave it, shake it or point it at the man as that sucka burns…I thought that is the what and the why we all went.
I will not engage nor voice much my opinion towards the legal or the personal dangers of those close by or underneath when Paul set fire to the man, but i can say this…I play with fire, I have been around a bon fire or two, I also spin poi and I have singed or burnt myself several times so I know this truth…if something is on fire above my head…it is time to move away, in the interest of self preservation…move away. That people were asked to leave the pavillion as the man continued to burn just goes to show you that not all humans deserve to be at the top of the food chain, IMHO.
What Paul did and the why, inspires me. Listening to the voices of experience and those that know Paul, those that have been going for years, that have helped create it in years past and those that were a part of helping it grow in the hearts of their friends and neighbors…thus creating community, it inspires me ina way that connecting to the BM and it’s past is wonderful. It is wonderful when it is shared from a place of joy, sharing it like a grand tale of fun and adventure. And I will say that it is hard to listen when it is told from a place of anger or disgust when it is talked about what is used to be like and it was better when… I am a 3rd year burner…I am still a lamb compared to some, but I get it…mostly. After my second burn I could see the difference from the year previous and I felt sad and a little robbed. TEITD was sold as one thing and delivered another, there was nothing Green about the man last year…hell the man did not even fall on his own, they had to pull him down with heavy machinery and a steel cable. And as to the argument of putting lives at risk…PLEASE READ PREVIOUS PARAGRAPH.
Without ever having met some of you, I want to thank a few personally…here…for your comments and thoughts.
Chicken John…Thank you, thank you for telling me to not walk down your path of biterness towards the LLC. Thank you for letting me know from your experience a bit about what BM can be or might be and at least it was in its past.
John Law…thank you for your perspective about old and new BM. Thank you for telling it like it is and was, from your perspective. Thank you for being honest and saying it like it is without sliding into defending your views from other peoples angry rants how high to hang Paul off the yard arm and when they are not even thinking about whether he should hang at all.
Christopher Schardt…thank you for describing the mess the man could have been if only we had a chance to nail that board on ourselves…the man might have looked like the Belgian waffle (Uchronia) if we had that chance and it would have been a far more moving event to see him burn than the reproduction that did. That thought alone moves me to happy tears as after three years…I wonder how much of BM have I been a part of and how much of BM is a part of me?
And yes a thank you even goes out to Mr. Billings…just to be clear I am not mocking…but you have to admit, even to youself, that BM ‘07 was like no other. We had rain, a freakin double Rainbow, a lunar eclipse and tha man burned twice…Now that was a freakin good desert party!!! Well worth driving for over 33 hours there and home again.
And before you go off again with your “If you don’t like it then stay home!” rant Mr. Billings, I will say this to you. IF I choose to go to BM this year, I will be clear with myself and the reasons I choose to go. IF I choose not to go I will be clear with myself and reason for not going. Whether I share those thoughts and feelings with my friends will be up to me and those reasons are my own. Stop yelling at people telling them not to go if they don’t like it. If they go, then they are going for reasons that are more developed, and transcend the dislike they bare towards the Entity known as BMorg and its attitude towards the event it governs. If they choose not to, then I am sure they have made a choice they are happy with, despite your emphatic words to stay home.
Lasty to Mr. Billings and everyone else here I say this, there is a maturity, a grace or respect given and earned when one can cross the line and applaud someone they are debating/conversing with for making a good point, especially when then don’t agree with it. I have heard some very well thought out points both for and against Paul from friends of his, within the same posts. I am glad for their perspective because “now” I can speak a bit more intelligently about Paul and his act of celebration or defiance how ever anyone will see it, and how it has affected me.
If I was to draw a line in the dusty playa and pick a side, then it is this. What Paul did was great in spirit and heart! And a misdemeanor would have been appropriate for his actions. What the LLC did was over the top and full of rightiousness in protecting itself from others who have similar thoughts, but understandable to a small degree. Ruining a mans life, intentionally, actively harming someone that is a part of our community with intention, making them an example is certainly a sign that BM has lost its way, lost touch and that saddens.
J
Chris Rad – bless your heart for begging Larry… I have a hard time believing that the org has become such a monster. Despite all the critiques I may have leveled at them over the years I retained the idea that they were good people just caught up in the running of the show… but now I feel that they have crossed the River Styx.
Paul Addis could have been spared. Marion and Larry were actively lobbied by members of the community, and they either gave the “my hands are tied” version or the “no – of course we wouldn’t throw the book at him”.
What purpose does it serve? A deterrent? Please. It’s obvious that deterrents don’t work. The death penalty doesn’t work as a deterrent, why would Paul’s 12-48 months?
It’s like they have turned into republicans over the last 12 years. With all the underhandedness of the arbitration and the lawsuit, the labor rights violations (to say nothing of Will Roger’s sexual harassment problems), and now that they are acting like it’s justified to send a man to prison for destroying their symbol early….. it’s all too much.
It’s really disappointing.
Here’s a legal question:
Was BMORG under subpoena to produce the receipts? And if so, wouldn’t the directors likely have been obligated to produce any and all receipts related to the rebuild, regardless of the total dollar amount involved ? In other words, how could BMORG have said the rebuild cost less than $5,000 if it really cost more ?
I am not sure if anyone with an opinion about Paul is even aware that Paul volunteered many hours with Burning Man to help build the man in the 90’s. Yes, he was once part of the crew that built the man.
In fact, Paul went above and beyond his job description and gave the man some balls in 1998 – quite literally. Does anybody remember the man’s balls? Does anybody have a picture of the man’s balls?
So, in a strange way the man that gave ‘the man’ some balls has got his own balls placed in between a rock and a prison cell by ‘the man’.
Now our society must spend about $35,000 each year Paul is in prison only to fuck him up even more and deny him any kind of help. And some of that money could have gone towards Will Rogers food and lodging.
Chris:
When he figured out how to use the spellchecker.
I’m not shocked that these reactions are coming out. I’m also not shocked that the hue and cry has been about how poor Paul is being mightily abused by those awful BMorg people.
Sick, or well, guilty or not guilty, 5′2″ or 6′11″, the actions caused harm to people. Suggesting that the willful arson was exactly what the event needed is a lot like saying all a really annoying man needs is a punch in the mouth to shut him up. You commit the act, you best step to the consequences.
Advocate social change all you want; advocate violent revolution all you want. But I also state, very simply, you’re right. The best form of protest against the BMorg is to buy some BM tickets, then BURN ‘EM! And not go!
Yeah! Do it!
Rarely does the prosecution have to subpeona the victim to bring its proof of damages; the victim usually does so willingly. But you are correct that was a possibility: If the prosecution wanted/had to, it could have issued a subpeona, and the result would have been the same.
But John Law’s earlier point is also correct. The prosecution has great discretion in chosing when to charge, and what charges to file. So it would be possible for everyone to agree to a legal fiction that there was less than $5000 in damages (when in reality it was more), which would have made this case a misdemeanor.
As to who is the heavy (the DA, Pershing County, BLM, the Org, the Org’s insurance comapny, etc.) that pushed for a felony, I don’t know.
“Since it was in their power to keep him out of jail by claiming damages of less than $5K, it shows the true stripes of the LLC, and how their personal egos are willing to destroy Paul’s life to get revenge.”
I think Paul was hell bent on destroying his own life.
Was it worth it? Couldn’t he have thought up another prank that wouldn’t result in a felony rap? Did he even have anything to live for in San Francisco? A girl? A family? Friends? A scene? A favorite bar or a favorite band? Anything? Look how quick he was to throw all that away for the sake of his ego and the respect of his new message board buddies. Was it worth it?
In the real world there are consequences for your actions and punishments for your failures. You want to pick a fight with someone you better be prepared for that other person to destroy you.
“- the org knew Paul, he’s been around for years, it was not unknown that he was manic.”
OK. Let’s go over some of what is know –
1996 – Paul goes to Burning Man for the 1st time. He has a good Burn.
1997 – Paul goes to Burning Man 2nd time. He’s not happy with the LLC and the decisions it’s made, which is fine. It’s a free country and you’re entitled to your opinions.
2002 – Paul writes a pretty spiteful letter to the SF Weekly about the LLC. Kind of creepy considering Paul hasn’t gone to Burning Man for 5 years but is still nursing a vendetta of some type.
2007 – Paul goes to Burning Man for the 3rd time to burn the man early. Again, kind of creepy that someone who hasn’t been to Burning Man in a DECADE is now dictating to other people how the event should be run and throwing the word newbie around left and right.
Also, go reread that statement he released online after the burn. It wasn’t a happy go lucky “what a great prank “statement. There’s a lot of resentment and spite in that letter. I would be concerned if I was the victim of all that unwanted attention.
After Grace Cathedral SF Weekly writes a story about how Paul was threatening to shoot the students that lived nearby him as well as making threats to a Seattle hotel clerk. Sorry, the whole “Aw shucks, that’s just Paul. You don’t know him like I do.” defense doesn’t hold any weight with me. Yeah, I don’t know this guy, don’t want to, and people with guns that make threats and carry decade long grudges make me nervous.
Paul created all of this drama. Whether or not he wants to take responsibility for it, this is all on his shoulders. The LLC has every right to make an example out of him. The psycho with guns and a decade long vendetta needs to go to jail. Go stalk someone else for a change.
This turned out way worse than it should have. Personally, I think 1-4 years is overly harsh, but some charges were in order.
No matter how loud Chicken yells, Addis not a hero. Paul Addis has been disconnected from Burning Man for too long and doesn’t represent anyone but himself — well himself and seemly Chicken John that is.
This thread is full of lawnchair lawyers, pop psychiatrists, and superficial social critics with bullhorns. All of them blaming one thing or another and few knowing the full details of the situation. I don’t claim to know much about this situation either.
Could the BM LLC handled this thing better? probably. Could Paul Addis have handled this thing better? definitely.
When I co-founded Radio Free Burning Man in 1994 our mission, besides offering professional sounding radio on the playa, was also to call the BM folks on their shit. I railed against them as often as I could. It was good clean fun. I often called for someone to burn the man early, or not at all. Why wasn’t I prosecuted. I was attempting to incite, wasn’t I?
I felt strongly then, as I do today, that it’s the participants duty to keep the powers-that-be grounded. One way to do this is to make fun of them on the radio, and call them to task. Another was is what Paul did.
I can think of many times in the past when we (John Law included) would half-joke about burning the man early.
I have interviewed Larry many times, and each time I would ask him about the need of having the man there at all. His answer would vary. On more than one occasion he stated that there was no need for the man. The Man, he would say, is merely a symbol of the event, but in no way should it be the cornerstone of the event. Larry himself said the event itself is about community. The people should not need an effigy to remind them about the importance of community. I wonder how he would respond today?
I also recall a discussion with folks like John, Flash, Chris Campbell, and Jerry James, and others about flying in a second Man on the exact opposite end of the campground on the day of the burn. Participants would agitate about which Man is the “real” Man. I love that one. What would have happened if Paul brought in a second Man?
And what of those who build their own man? I’m thinking of the Little Man camp. Isn’t that infringing on trademark? Shouldn’t they be stopped?
And what about the Man? It would appear here that the early burning of the Man is being equated to the burning of the flag. The difference here is that it’s legal to burn the American flag when done as a form of speech. Was Paul not exercising his right to free speech in this haven of artists?
In the end, it’s as John Law has stated, the corporate emblem has been burnt, and the masters will not allow that to go unpunished. Good for them. They obviously know that others were watching the outcome of this case, strategizing their next flamable move.
This isn’t about the safety of the event, nor is it about protecting the participants. it’s about protecting the symbol. The Supreme Court has ruled on many occasions, that when you burn the flag, you’re not destroying America. The same should be said here: when burning the Man, it is not the same as destroying the event. The event, as Larry has said himself, is not about the Man; it’s about community. Put your money where you mouth is LLC. This just goes to show that the man in the hat, is just another face in the crowd. I’m afraid that he has little say when it comes to matters like this. Or does he?
As for Paul, i think it’s important that he comes out of this healthy and strong, but not as a martyr. Having known him, I know this will effect him in many ways. Though he’s already a poster boy, let’s take the time to process the current and future place of BM in our lives, as well as Paul’s health and well-being.
Okay, Jay… ya got me. hearing you speak about all the magic that happens out there despite and sometimes because of the the bad stuff (and yeah, I was out there screaming my fool head off at the double rainbow last year).. I mean, as one of my favorite partners once said “Its not an adventure til some part of it SUCKS” and off we’d go, until some part of it really sucked, and we figured out how to make the best of it. And the event still has that and the potential for so much more. You can have a million different experiences out there.. and it depends entirely on you and your willingness and direction.
Jay, it is because of spirits like you that this will keep going in some way here there n everywhere. And not even the cynics at the org or jaded old burners (including myself here, sort of.. i’m just quite old school enough.. and I still went the last three years) will be able to stop it.
“Fact is if the LLC could have done something to prevent Paul from doing time and didn’t either because they didn’t care or didn’t want to will basicly bring war to their front door… – Chicken”
The fact is YOU could have stopped your hate-mongering, anti-BMOrg diatribes years ago, thus not attracted unstable minds behind your destructive words, then blame everyone else for the outcome of the inevitable destructive. Keep it up until someone more unstable unloads their gun into a LLC member.
Paul is mentally ill and this action was not his first threat to life or well-intentioned enjoyment, nor was it his singular run-in with the law, nor was it the only time he has made others around him feel unsafe. Yes, he’s a gun owner. And now a convicted arsonist. Paul is mentally ill and he’s a danger to himself and others. He needs treatment but whatever road he’s on is because he wasn’t helped/stopped sooner.
No one stopped him as he asked for help in the arson on that fateful night. So now it’s the LLCs responsibility to help him? Why not yours? Your words helped direct him. Maybe he will end up in a mental health facility instead of a cell… but only if people like YOU go out of your way to help where others have chosen not to.
Now that Chicken knows he has an audience of minions who’ll take his destructive words into action, perhaps it’s time to watch those words before someone takes this beyond a jail term and we lose a life. I can excuse Paul’s actions, but not your continued character assassination on people who do not share your wishes. Our thoughts become our words, our words become our actions, our actions make us… a nurturing or destructive force to those around us.
The BMOrg has a right to insure their mission to bring BRC back for another year for those who enjoy it for what it is NOW, not a hundred years ago. The playa is free all but one week a year for you to create the event YOU want. Go do it and leave BRC to it’s evolution and growth away from the old days.
Al Billings wrote:
> Great, now we have both Chicken John and John Law lecturing us,
> at great length, on …
and we have Al lecturing us on his point, which seems to be that everyone who has a criticism of the Org should just shut up.
> I doubt most attendees care about the personal vendetta that people have …
It’s not about personal vendettas, at least not for most of us. It’s about feeling concern that a wild, exciting, creative thing is being stultified, normalized, and diminished. As the event has grown, some increased organization and limitations were necessary of course, but to many folks it’s gone way too far. It’s about sadness for something already lost.
Al also wrote:
> If you don’t like it, don’t go. It is as simple as that.
No, it’s not that simple. When you have come to love a place or event and you see it start to change in ways you think are contrary to its spirit, you don’t just stop attending. You argue and fight to try to stop or at least mitigate those changes. This is allowed, isn’t it? Al, if the people who run Green Gulch, which you appear to love, started changing its policies in ways you didn’t like, I imagine you’d fight that too, wouldn’t you?
Please, no one here is unreservedly defending Mr. Addis’ actions. We all know what he did was dangerous and reckless, and are VERY glad no one got hurt. The issue is whether a felony conviction is what he deserved, and whether the Org was justified in making sure he got it.
Al also wrote (and I can’t resist):
> Other than building infrastructure and putting the Man up, I don’t give a
> rat’s ass about most BMorg policies, the politics around them, ….
> I go because my friends go and we get to work on a project, …..
OK, so imagine a few years from now the Org, in order to make nice with an increasingly assertive police presence, decides that it must ask all artists and theme camps to conform with “locally accepted standards of decency”. You and your friends put up your cutely risque project and a BLM ranger comes along and says you have to take it down, and the Org says there’s nothing they can do. How will you feel about the politics then? (Don’t scoff. Something like this scenario happened a couple of years ago.) BMorg/BLM/Pershing County politics DO affect us out there.
“It would appear here that the early burning of the Man is being equated to the burning of the flag.”
Burning your own flag is constitutionally protected expressive conduct.
Burning someone else’s flag is a crime (denominated in Nevada as “injury to property”).
(And please no hippy “the man belongs to all of us!” crap. The Org bought the materials and (under)paid the workers who built it.)
To John Law
John, I appreciate the creative energy you invested in getting Burning Man off the ground years ago. Your comments about the banality and loss of soul in its current corporate drift are right on. I think Burning man has past the point of no return by compromising its original core identity. Now, it’s a reflection and a poor rerun of what it could be on many levels. It’s expensive eye candy without the spiritual backbone to really make a difference in the world, though Larry’s repeated claims would have us believe the opposite. It may be time to create something else and that is why I disagree with you on the treatment of Paul Addis by the BMORG.
I wouldn’t risk infecting the purity of your insights and revelations by involving Paul’s actions in them. What he did was dangerous, reckless, and potentially harmful to the folks who were under the structure at the time and those who had to deal with the aftermath. It would be sending out an equally dangerous message to the Burning Man community, especially to its fringe, anarchist membership, that such acts could be expected to be met with leniency and light penalties. I was a presenter there last year and felt something I’ve never felt there before. That was a kind of lawlessness and anarchy that felt no connectivity towards the people it might affect or injure. There was much art vandalism last year, including to my own sculpture, which cost thousands of dollars and beaucoup hours to build and install. My gut instincts are telling me that this type of destructive activity will continue at Black Rock and perhaps, get worse.
This has nothing to do with the creative destruction that happens to a lot of art at Burning Man. Addis’ destruction is different and I wouldn’t call it creative or associate it with the higher expressions of art at Burning Man. Yes, it’s time to start something new and by all means keep up the philosophical scrutiny of Larry and his gang. Theirs is a fate that artists and cultural creatives would best avoid.
Weazie,
I’m not a hippy. I don’t like hippies. They gave up on their principle’s long ago.
I don’t think the Man belongs to all of us. I just don’t think the BMorg cares much about the participants. I think they meant to have the book thrown at Paul, to make an example out of him.
As for the flag analogy, my point was to say that speech, in any form, should not be suppressed. If measures were taken to keep people safe (let’s not start an argument about that please), then at the most, I feel, Paul should have been held responsible for payment of lost materials, and perhaps community service. The BMorg is not interested in that. They are interested in making sure it never happens again. To make certain, they needed Paul to serve a heavy sentence.
Conjecture? Perhaps. I was not in the room(s), when any discussion of his penalty was discussed. But I think his sentence sends a clear message to anyone considering the same, or similar action in the years to come.
Maybe they should erect a graffiti wall, and a “burn this Man early” Man? Yeah.
My last post was an accidental post.
Here is more of what I wanted to say.
………………………………………….
When it comes to Paul Addis?
………………………………………….
As a person who’s witnessed Mental Breakdowns in close friends, my heart goes out to him.
I too echo Jay Pretula’s comments.
I also think the “If you don’t like it you can fucking leave” comment is not very productive to the chaos and dialogue.
I like to believe there may be something to another idea that.
“If you don’t like it, offer up a solution”.
I also agree with John Law.
Addis didn’t attack a living creature.
He attacked a piece of wood, and (fortunately) no one was hurt.
Talking about “What might have happened” is like punishing someone for what they “might be thinking”. Perhaps for this discussion trying to frame it by “what actually did happen” may be more constructive. From what I’ve read, Paul Addis was not trying to intentionally hurt a living person.
With that said, I also agree that a little compassion from BMorg would have gone much further to “create a sense of community”. Attaching a stronger brand loyalty to the “Counter Culture” product they sell.
I don’t know the dynamics of how things are between the owners of the BRCllc, but from what little has been recounted to me in the last year, I’m inclined to believe that there may be an internal conflict of opinions happening. At this point it sounds like Will Rogers was the one acting with the heavy hand. Who knows, other owners may have felt much more sympathetic to Paul.
While there may have been far less destructive ways to make the point that Paul Addis so beautifully timed to the Totality of the Lunar Eclipse (an event no human can control), it did open up the can of worms to examine a very relevant question.
One that cannot ignore the past to be answered with any reasonable amount of lucidity.
The question being…
…………………………………………………..
What is Burning Man now?
…………………………………………………..
I personally have mixed feelings about the event in the desert. It depends on the perspective one wishes to push on me about the event. I like the people I’ve met there, and most of what it is, as well as the opportunity to play with my “art” in an environment that doesn’t ask me to justify it.
I just don’t see the event as “more then a business”. I see it “as a business” that has successfully capitalized on an existing paradigm. One that predates Larry’s choice to resurrect in the American Consciousness “the Burning of an effigy” a very primal instinct long practiced in many civilizations. I have said it before. On one level or another we were all ready to “create a Man and Burn it”.
That to me is why Paul’s action was so striking.
It hit in a place that makes some people feel a little insecure.
That somehow maybe “Burning Man ain’t all that”.
So what.
“If it ain’t all that” lying to yourself about it won’t change reality.
In the kind of space that tells people who question things to “shut up or leave” You find after awhile the only people left suffer that same delusional complex that Paul is suffering from right now (well intentioned or otherwise).
Whether a well intentioned Delusion or not.
It’s still a Delusion.
And that speaks to the fear I see in some people that will not discuss this subject. A fear that points to the possibility they may be as crazy as he is.
Aside from the potential insanity, the question has permeated and made irrelevant ignorant distractions, while focusing a wider “audience” on the spark that gave The Burning Man, it’s momentum in the first place.
At first in a very real way when John Law took “Zone Trip #4″ to the Desert, (http://deangustafson.net/BlackRock90.html) the people in those formative years (before the fence) must have experienced the real terms of Hakin Bey’s “imediatism” without the intellectual psychobabble in the way.
Now it’s something else, and as long as I don’t kid myself of this I can probably enjoy it in my own way.
I do LOVE Burning Man, or more specifically “THE Burn”.
I’m an Artist first, and maybe a bit of a prankster before I’m a “Burner”, and when I’m a “Burner” it’s usually in reference to the idea that Jack Kerouac states in his poem “Everyones Mad”, and lives independent from a Burning Effigy in Nevada.
The idea of “The Burn” is a free idea, no one can own it. I think it’s an idea that John Law (Probably from the Suicide Club days) tapped into, then later BRCllc (as Burning Man) adopted and maybe even gave a name to, but not necessarily an idea that the BRC Corporation invented or writes the rules for.
It’s a natural conclusion when we look at the world through Critical Thinking eyes and rip snorting, and nearly reckless good times.
Thinking BRCllc is the organization that creates and writes the rules is myopic and dangerous. It opens a door to becoming corporate marketing machines, rather then conscious, free thinking, meme replicators.
Or, that we are little more than Propagating ideas, rather then Sharing and Evolving them.
………
I waffle at the thought of going to the desert again, my last experience in “Wonderland” was possibly the most poetic experience I will recount on the Black Rock.
“Two Burns, Making Art, getting married on it during the Eclipse, the Rain, The dust storms and the Double Rainbows.”
Duality screamed it’s confusing presence across the Alkali. I had no care of how Larry and the gang interpreted this creative endeavor. It was my process independent from, yet empowered by, what they replicated and people like John Law and David Best, and my very close friend Gary Davis (who probably will never attend Burning Man) inspired in the first place.
After reading through these posts, some self-examination may hold the key.
Either way, that door exist anywhere we wish it to be.
We discover these memes and bring them to the desert.
We tell “The Burning Man” what it is.
It only reflects that.
That’s how it’s always been, Larry knows that, and anyone who doesn’t want to kid themselves knows that.
What Larry may not realize is that when that changes, “THE Man” will be little more then “A Man”, a generic attempt to speak for the unspoken.
“The Man” has been an idea we all know to create. it has no face, no mouth, it does not speak, it is the facet of our own projections, the Man is what you want it to be and nothing more.
Good, Bad, or Ugly.
When it speaks it loses that.
When the man speaks it dies, but THE Burn lives on, beyond Black Rock.
Burning Man is not “THE Burn”, it’s “A Burn”.
When we realize that we empower ourselves to participate beyond a mere week in the desert, or an event run by a corporation.
To me….
This is the Rabbit Hole that Addis uncovered and I tripped down almost a year ago.
He may be a Mad Hatter, but he still made The Man Speak.
Perhaps underneath all the rhetoric bouncing around is the very real fear of what the man said that night.
And maybe that’s what BRCllc is punishing Paul Addis for.
Not that he destroyed a lovingly created piece of art, or that he endangered peoples lives, or even that he cost them some money.
Maybe (if indeed it is a kind of retribution) the punishment is for daring to let the man speak something other then Larry’s ethos.
Still interested,
Napalm Dragon
)’( .o0o. )’(
…….
Burning was “ruined” when the first commercial RV was rented and that was probably 10+ years ago. Since about when I first wanted to go. Life has a funny way of getting in the way, but anyway, I’ll be going this year, finally for the first time.
When I first heard about Paul Addis’ prank, I thought “hell ya, that is exactly what its about…they should hold a fake award show for him or some shit…”
Instead, they make a scapegoat of the guy who could very well have re-invigorated a tired concept. Oh wait, he did that anyway…
The fact that it has become such a ridiculous display of power, is upsetting.
Is Burning Man dead?
Or rather, if the Burning Man Corporation continues to organize a Burning Man event every year does that mean Burning Man is still alive?
I wonder…
which is why I’ll end up going.
Christ, it was arson. People could have been hurt. Why is that such a difficult concept for some of you to wrap around? Had people been hurt, the charges would have been more severe. If Paul “cared” about the people below, he might have warned them about what he was trying to do. He didn’t do that. Jesus Christ.
As a representative of the Man I find many of these topics offensive. I have never been to Burning Man as I feel I am not welcome there — I like the art and financially support many artists, but the thought of having a self-image effigy burned is reminiscent of mixing fascism with pop culture.
Still it is sad that burning man became more ludicrously bureaucratic and legally punitive to attending performance groups — In the name of art it should have not been taken out of context.
Truly, the man always wins — as the people who reject a malformed social ideal eventually become the man in the end.
=)
“They are interested in making sure it never happens again. To make certain, they needed Paul to serve a heavy sentence….But I think his sentence sends a clear message to anyone considering the same, or similar action in the years to come.”
I would agree that deterrence of future premature burns was one of reasons why a felony sentence was sought. “Just business” to quote “The Godfather.” If Paul was given a (perceived) slap on the wrist, what would stop someone else from doing the same thing in the future?
So while free speech should not be surpressed, free speech is not an excuse to fuck other people’s shit up.
We all know to some extent that Paul belongs in far better place than jail, though not necessarily free.
We all know the LLC could have had some compassion.
We all know the Cult isn’t what it was last year or 12 years ago.
We all know half of you stopped reading because I called it the ‘Cult’.
We also know it WAS more than $5K in damage.
We all know Addis needs meds on a regular basis but won’t take them.
Unfortunately Addis decided to play with conservative business owners, instead of just being another wandering bat-shit crazy homeless person most of us pass on the way to work or play every day. So now he has to do 4 years, because unless they force him to take his meds there will not be ‘good’ behavior.
We should just start collecting pennies so we can buy him a ticket to the burn the year he gets out.
After he burned the man, many of Paul’s friends argued that he needed help. I was there when one of them was arguing with Crimson.
Much was made of how much help he needed.
Yet… what did they do to get him help? They didn’t prevent him from doing the stupid stunt at Grace Cathedral… They didn’t stop him from ranting in front of the judge before sentencing… This was reported by his friend’s who were at the sentencing:
“Paul was allowed to speak before final judgement. Although long, his Statement was fluid & florid with the brilliant verbage one expects from coherent Paul. He was also defensive, self-righteous and unapologetic”
Yep… that’s a sure way to get a long sentence. Paul’s a lawyer and knows it.
From most accounts, most of his friends were telling him he was a hero instead of trying to get him serious help. Now they’re whining that the state should somehow give him the help they didn’t.
Sorry. He dug his own hole. He matryed himself for a fucking party in the desert. That’s being a hero? You’ve got to be kidding…
A quote from an email i sent to some friends about the hearing which i attended is mentioned above by Reality…
“Paul was allowed to speak before final judgement. Although long, his Statement was fluid & florid with the brilliant verbage one expects from coherent Paul. He was also defensive, self-righteous and unapologetic”
That person who calls themselves “Reality” goes on to say something about Paul doing a stupid stunt at Grace Cathedral, which we all know was NOT A STUNT … cuz … nothing … happened.
Nothing.
Paul didn’t intend to do anything there.
The Police were called by the friend of a person whom Paul helped in an elevator in his apartment building, who knew about the Burning Man incident, and called her friend who then called the police who heard that Paul intended a “stunt” at the Cathedral, Total Bullshit.
And HERESAY.
That’s why they call it “heresay”.
Paul was completely exonerated on those accusations.
My god, do we have to go through this every time we talk about Paul??? What is real and what is presented by the Press who make a living on selling papers which have to have something exciting to print in order for you to buy the paper do NOT equate as “reality.”
I would argue that the BMorg’s lenience in Paul’s sentence would NOT give a green light to copy cats, as that is operating only from a place of FEAR. For by perusing this fully, like Homeland Security after 9-11 [which as we all know has absolutely NO chance of monitoring actual terrorist activity or stopping an actual bombing should one be planned] makes for drama and trauma, but no lessons learned and no evil deeds or evil doers actually vanquished.
I believe that the BMorg should have operated from a place of TOLERANCE.
Ghandi, Vonnegut, Drepak Chopra, Arthur C. Clarke, John Lennon … Jello Biafra hell even Green Day [your intellectual / philosophical hero HERE] … would any of them espouse such hateful judgement of another human being for this stunt ??? I hope not.
Better in a counter-culture environment to prepare for the worst expect the best and believe that copycats are not treasured at Burning Man and would not evoke a similar embroiled argument, but rather scorn and derision from everyone.
And better now to believe that Burning Man is not a counter-culture environment at all… but Big Business. A Corporation. After MONEY.
The message i sent from my iPhone while in the car on the highway coming back from what ended up being the most traumatic experience thus far for me in 2008, contains a notation about Will Roger that I wish to god i had not included. I was thinking about being fair to all parties, even while i knew he LIED on the stand and he LIED when he told me he wished for a better outcome. I was stressed and depressed and utterly stunned by the results of the hearing.
this is the content of that message sent a week ago:
Paul pled guilty to the charge of burning the Man early.
Today he was charged with a Felony verdict of Arson and sentenced to 12 – 48 months in jail.
Will Rogers presented the receipts for the damages claimed by Black Rock LLC as a member of the Board of Directors.
Paul’s Public Defender, Steve Cochran, gave an eloquent, thoughtful & pertinent statement in favor of lenience.
Paul was allowed to speak before final judgement. Although long, his Statement was fluid & florid with the brilliant verbage one expects from coherent Paul. He was also defensive, self-righteous and unapologetic.
The Judge, who admitted right off to being impressed with Paul, also said he had not “learned his lesson” & delivered a sentence harsher than even Will Rogers would have liked.
He was granted 68 days for time served.
I wish i had left out the bit about Will Roger stating that the judgement against Paul was not what the BMorg wanted, because honest-to-god that is bullshit and he himself proved it by padding the bills to over $33,000.00 when first presented. Thirty THREE Thousand Dollars. He is a liar.
As is Larry. Who in a conversation with Chris Radcliffe a couple of nights before said they were NOT pushing for the full amount. Absolute fucking CRAP.
Without knowing the full experience i had to impart that message is lame… I have corrected it elsewhere and so am doing here.
First off, if Will Roger and the BMorg he represented really felt that way, they would have let the charges go at $4800 in restitution. I volunteered a fundraiser — a “creative way to repay the $20k” to replace expenses for the Man” myself, and it was not what they wanted to hear.
Paul brought them hundreds of thousands of dollars in publicity and thousands of ticket sales. That wasn’t enough. So they are playing both Corporation *and* The Maligned ARTISTES in the same fell swoop. Again, I cry BULLSHIT.
And if you don’t think there is money in that kind of publicity, try getting some. People – good people … people you know and love ! do this shit for a living !!!
I wish I had not been so sterile about Paul’s speech. It was an elegant and engrossing plea to respond to him as a valued and responsible member of his community … which he *is* under “normal” circumstances.
He was unapologetic because he was trying to make an Artistic Statement of Radical Self Expression which is what I thought Burning Man was all about… or did, I suppose, until now. Contrition is hardly the Revolutionary’s creed.
Secondly, the judgement was for $25k, not $30k as was erroneously imparted by the press. [ Hell, they still haven't managed to get Paul's age right . so why does anyone believe anything they say without question?]
The Judge noticed the obvious padding and promptly denounced $7k of their claims forthwith. I love that word, forthwith. They padded their fucking claim with gas, food and lodging for a shopping crew to go to Reno for supplies, BEFORE Paul’s pre-burn! They padded the bill with a water pump that they still own ! They padded the bill with saw-blades and materials that were not expended in the rebuild and god knows what else … that was all that was mentioned to us, the witnesses of the hearing.
The Judge also rushed the Public Defender -Steve Cochran – making snide comments about how he didn’t have all day and although Will Roger had been allowed to testify at length on behalf of the DA, the defense was pushed to make short work of the rest of the hearing for time’s sake. Although a man’s life for the next many … MANY … months was at stake, the Judge seemed to think keeping to his schedule was more important than hearing any arguments against his precious DA’s case.
Lastly , sentencing Paul to 12 – 48 months does NOTHING to help ANYONE. Not Paul. And not the Burning Man LLC.
Think about it …. sentenced for ONE WHOLE GODDAMNED FUCKING YEAR OF HIS LIFE – to – FOUR WHOLE GODDAMNED FUCKING YEARS OF HIS LIFE (hey … remember College??? that was maybe some of the most significant time you have ever spent doing anything…. now, what if that time were spent in JAIL with MURDERERS or RAPISTS or MORONS or other assorted felons .. not to mention the WARDENS … or other people you are likely to encounter in that space and time, and not with your college roommies, and relationships and professors …. much less that first person you realized you could really be yourself with cuz you’d left all that high school shit behind you)
… i digress… but hopefully you see my point. One to Four years could mean everything … or ??? wtf ??? in a person’s life.
Put yourself in Paul’s place for just a minute. How does 1 – 4 years in HELL equate with what he did? Ever ? And is that the sort of Justice you want exacted on you and those *you* love ?? In other words, is that right? In any sense of the world according to Burning Man?
If they had fined him $4800 and sentenced him to 12 months of Community Service, no one in their right mind ( or left mind) would try this stunt again.
“Anyone crazy enough to think he can change the world, probably can.”
Something that Chicken John just posted on Tribe -
“People forget that a long, long time ago… the BM people divided into 2 groups: Friends of Larry and Friends of Smiley. The pranksters and the believers. Blessed be.”
That basically sums up what this whole feud is about.
It’s just a giant long standing Bay Area Hillbilly Artist feud,
The Hatfields vs the McCoy’s
The Friends of Larry vs Friends of Smiley.
That is their paradigm. That is how they see the world and they have dug a whole and are more invested in that position than the Neocons are in their position in Iraq.
The Friends of Larry vs Friends of Smiley.
Yee-haw!
Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition.
Amacker, you are a saint.
Yeah, Mike, great we have an idealogical feud, and Paul is the first human casuality, and the borg pulled the trigger. Is that really where you want to go with this analogy?
A hero is the first person to get other people killed.
I am saddened Chicken John could use what was an isolated, stupid, mentally ill event to springboard it to some idealistic diatribe about the politics of burning man.
The guy is mentally ill. He needs help, not salutations.
Paul pulled his own trigger. He was hell bent on destroying his life. Mission Accomplished.
Look at it from another perspective –
Pissed off psychopath with guns and a drug problem is off his medication, and has been stalking you and your business off and on for over a decade now and has been egged by this rival camp that has a long standing feud with you.
Pissed off psychopath just vandalized, with extreme malice, your 1 event that you hold every year that not only is your livelihood, it’s your passion and labor of love. Since then he has threatened to pull a Columbine on a neighboring school which resulted in a restraining order and has been incarcerated for 8 months.
Pissed off psychopath is unapologetic. If I was stupid enough to find myself in that position and was staring down a 1-4 year sentence I would start apologizing online really quick. “Hey, this was a prank that seemed like a good idea at the time which in hindsight I kind of regret.” Everyone is arguing that “The BMORG could have saved Paul but they didn’t” Fuck Man, PAUL COULD HAVE SAVED PAUL AND HE DIDN’T. Why is personal accountability and personally responsibility such a foreign concept to former Burners of all people? Why is it the LLC responsibility to be pissed off psychopath PR person? Maybe they didn’t handle it as honestly as some of you would have liked. Hopefully if ever you get stalked by a pissed off psychopath that has it in for you, you’ll handle the situation much better.
But ultimately it doesn’t matter. None of it. People are locked into their paradigms and only see what they want to see. The Friends of Larry vs Friends of Smiley. Just another stupid gang turf war. Yee-haw!
The ‘psychopath’ never targetted anyone’s life. He didn’t target the whole event. The ‘psychopath’ made a statement, that cost the event _some money_ and some extra _volunteer_ time. And the cost to him is his life and his livelihood.
I just don’t think your math adds up.
‘psychopath’ is not a very specific medical terminology, it is a very emotion laden term that I don’t particularly accept as a description of Paul. So, in my rebuttal I’ll avoid using it.
Paul did not target anyone’s _life_, nor their _livelihood_. He targeted an icon. His actions cost the project some _money_, and some _volunteer_ time. The cost to Paul is 4 years of his _life_, and his _livelihood_.
I just don’t think your math adds up.
“The ‘psychopath’ never targeted anyone’s life.”
Yes. He. Did.
http://www.sfweekly.com/2007-11-14/news/burning-man-arsonist-paul-addis-backstory-murder-threats-arrests/
Last month, San Francisco’s Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory sought a restraining order against Addis after the 37-year-old allegedly threatened to murder students at the school. Nick Barsetti, the security coordinator for the school, claimed Addis told students on Sept. 8 he would “shoot them in the head with a Mac-10? submachine gun, and “pick them off one by one,” according to court documents. An emergency protection order was promptly granted on Sept. 10. But, one day later, Addis was back and making “threatening gestures” to school staff.
***
There was an apologist before that claimed that was just a giant misunderstanding. The fact remains that the school called the cops and got a restraining order against Paul for death threats. In light or everything else going on with him, that should have been a huge wake up call to his friends and family.
That also drastically shapes how people perceive this guy and the threat he poses, especially when he seems to have it in for you, your business, and your dogmatic cult icon.
“I just don’t think your math adds up.”
Maybe. Maybe not.
Speaking from some recent 2nd hand personal experience that I don’t really feel like getting into all that much detail about, I will say that there is a world of difference between mental health care in the Bay Area as opposed to a red state. The Bay Area is a security blanket on so many different levels that you never consider until you travel out of state. A lot of the red states just do not give a fuck, they still follow the One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest school of mental health. It may not be fair, but life isn’t fair. Don’t fuck up in a red state.
Dear Mike,
The heart of this discussion seems to me to be a conflict between the ideals of people who want to believe that there is a heart in your community and those that see the leadership of the organization as divorced form the ideas that they espouse on your behalf.
Paul’s defense of his actions in court certainly didn’t help his sentence but I would like to point out he stood by his ideals. And didn’t wimp out with a lame apology like you suggested.
Idealism and the personal courage to see through your actions are somethings in very short supply now day’s. It may only be the purview of madmen. But without someone like Paul to stand up and voice dissent against the consumerist mediocrity that the event is devolving into you will only find yourself wondering at some future day when the whole thing went south, for you.
This isn’t some turf war this is the culture war. It has always played out in the arena of the arts. Try looking at it from that prospective. Paul Addis has taken personal responsibility for his act. For that I salute him.
The “old timers” that you see as some bitter cabal are the guy’s that broke your trail. We sit out here in the weeds and laugh at your incomprehension. Kids were tougher in my day bla. bla bla.
How did it cost him his livelihood?
I hate to break this to you but as people who have known Paul for years as told me, why he used to be a lawyer, he gave it up a long time ago. He isn’t working in the legal profession so his eventual disbarment will not affect his livelihood. I have no idea how he made whatever money he had. Maybe he was on disability because of his mental problems.
I’m sorry. I got flustered and posted twice, backed up, mistyped, etc.
Listen, we’ve heard alot of rhetoric here, passionate, eloquent at times, from several sides of these issues (because I believe there is more than two sides, and I believe there are more than one issue), but I would like to ask, if this thread is going to keep going, for some summary judgements from all of you.. on just one thing.. Does the time fit the crime?
I’m not asking you what you think NV law is. And I’m limiting the crime a little bit to try to keep it in the intersection of what we all believe he did. I _think_ most of us can agree on that.
The crime: Paul burnt the man early. It hurt alot of people’s feelings very badly. It cost the project alot of money. It cost a large group of volunteers alot of time, effort, and emotional angst. It kept the display of some art projects surrounding the pavillion from being enjoyed by others for some days.
NOT included in the crime: endangerment of lives. I haven’t seen one picture showing people sleeping under the pavilion while it burned, nor have I heard from anyone directly saying that they were there and they were almost burned alive.
The time: 4yrs of Paul’s life in a NV prison, which, even playing down the hyperbole is a REALLY AWFUL experience. Also Paul is now a felon, will be disbarred, and will face a life of difficulties finding work/housing/cetera because of it.
So, hands up or down people. Does the time really fit the crime?
Damn, my grammar went out the window.
Mike,
The charges with regards to Sacred Heart Catholic church were dropped, not even a misdemeanor in the matter. It _was_ a misunderstanding, and Paul _never_ threatened anyone.
Now, for those of you keep asking “where were his friends as he spun out of conrol?” Well, I’m one of those friends, and while I don’t feel like fully detailing those weeks turned into months I will recount these things:
Paul was spinning out of control. His manic tendencies were severe, and while he was not threatening anyone ever, there were times when some of his actions frightened people. If you have ever faced a person truly suffering from this kind of manic episode you know what I’m talking about. They can be reeeelly REAAALLY passionate, to such a degree that people who interact with them out of context are jarred by the interaction.. to say the least.
As he spun out of control and frightened people with his passion, and believe me there are matters he is more passionate about than burning man, he attracted the attention of the police and medical professionals. He got arrested or detained and not charged several times in short order. He was held over for 5150 and briefly he was evaluated for 5250, the longer term hold for mental health reasons, but each time he was discharged beeecauuuse in California to be held and treated against your will, without a court order, you have to “demonstrate an immediate threat to yourself or others.” This is a very high bar. And Paul did not want to be held, and Paul can speak clearly for himself when he needs to. And, for that matter, he was never a threat to anyone else. At times we worried he was a threat to himself, because we feared he would frighten someone into harming him, but let me make this perfectly clear: HE NEVER THREATENED ANYONE. Not in any of the worst moments. Not even after he had been pulled off his bike by several cops and thrown on the ground before getting detained (but not charged). San Francisco PD was not just scared of him. They absolutely pursued him. And he did not threaten their lives or anyone else’s. Not in my presence anyhow.
And now to his friends’ involvement.. There were many of us, at first bailing him out of jail (much later refusing to bail him out of jail), picking him up at the police station after he had been detained, spending time with him, making sure he was eating, trying to get him to sleep, listening to his rants, suggesting that he was not behaving normally, suggesting that this path wasn’t healthy, suggesting that at the very least he should probably try to avoid interactions with the police, suggesting anything we could, cajoling, demanding, listening, suggesting, guiding.. we tried everything we could. Every day for weeks we were on the phone with his parents, folks that he kept pushing away, everyday for weeks were getting advice from lawyers and medical professionals about what we could and could not do to get him help.
We kept him alive and healthy as well as we could, we tried to communicate with him any way we could, we waited and hoped for opportunities, anything that would allow us to get him the help he needed, but.. you think our mental health system here in CA is so hot? I hope you never have to navigate the bullshit we did. …well, okay we spoke with alot of caring seeming people who could not do anything, but occasionally drop by Paul’s apt and ‘check on him’.. which didn’t really help us, cuz we had Just Been There.
This isn’t even the half of it, and my experience isn’t the full story, but you folks asked where were his friends? Well were right there, and we did everything short of just handcuffing him to a fencepost to keep him from his path. But y’know.. he’s sick, and he’s fucking smart, and he’s energetic.
Does this make him not responsible? Fuck no. But does it mean there could have been a better way for bmorg to deal with this, fuck yeah.
And why did we do this for him? Well for one, he saved my life… and I’m not alone..
Never threatened anyone? You mean like the hotel clerk in Seattle or the kids at the school down here?
The words are “a lot”. Two words, not one.
Love,
The high school teacher.
What’s very clear is that the sentence was indeed a message aimed at any and all possible pranksters who might want to prank Burning Man – IF YOU FUCK WITH US, WE WILL FUCK YOU UP. PERIOD.
The judge, in his ruling, basically confirmed what everyone knew all along, what John Law got pilloried for saying out loud: whatever good intentions everyone had so long ago when the man was first brought to the playa, NOW, RIGHT NOW, the Man has become a profit making venture raking in lots of cash and supporting an infrastructure that has a vested interest in sustaining itself.
It’s about the MONEY, kids.
So much for counterculture.
Same old cycle keeps cycling ’round again — instead of hippies in the Haight, it’s pierced mudpeople on their laptops as the Man burns at its appointed time.
As Paul closes his eyes at night in the horror shows of what most of us simply cannot imagine, another kind of man will burn, the kind of man that cannot be replaced.
I love the Peanut Gallery
- Paul would not burn down my house because that is where I live. Paul burned down your false God. Boo Hoo. Call the WAAAAbulence.
- People already get stoned and shoot guns all over at Burning man, or at least they used to. Perhaps they only allow airsoft now. I do enjoy how you are drawing a similarity between something that is instant lethal and something you have plenty of time to get away from. Much like cracking down on steam roller operation because of all the potential pedestrian casualties. I’m sure you would also claim the Mooninites Quadlaser would be the most dangerous thing in all existence. Please, put down the crack pipe and back away slowly.
- Paul knew what he was doing. He was torching an object that was intended to be burned. Nice try Mercedes, please leave the logic to your husband as his is holding the brains in your relationship. Apples and Oranges. You didn’t hit anyone, and Paul didn’t either.
As for the costs, they were padded. The Judge flat out say the padding and docked $7000 off the receipts as padding. BMorg added in the gas, food and lodging for the crew to go to Home Depot in Reno for more wood. Goods and tools bought and paid for and still being used were added. All cost for the man that was burnt and the man that was built, were added. Gov’t budgets don’t have that much padding.
I still want to know how torching EL wire is somehow “green”. How are Hydrocarbons “green”?
Hypocrites.
–S
From this point on I think the Bmorg moniker should be replaced w/ something more appropriate, BURNCO.
Hey, if someone set the fireworks barge in NY Harbor on the fourth on fire early, they would do similar time too. Fuck Paul Addis with a salty splintered stick. –p
John Hell, you hippie … i have practically trademarked the word “alot” … it’s rubbed off on Don. Thanks for Editing. Where were you when i learned to spell????
x0,
a
At the end of the day, the opinions here are worth shit. Paul committed arson, even his fans agree that he did. He got convicted of doing so and he’s going to do the time. Finger pointing doesn’t change the fact that no one *made* him do it. He chose to act and he’s going to face the consequences for it.
as was that last comment!?!
Open letter to Mr. Tattoo,
Dear Mr. Tattoo,
Ok, so you believe Mr. Addis is destructive, psychotic, lunatic who does not belong in the Burning Man, or any other society for that matter. You have made that belief of yours crystal clear, along with your steadfast adherence to that belief. You also make it clear that you feel Mr. Addis needs to personally suffer to the maximum degree allowable under the law as punishment for what he did. From what you have said I think it is unlikely that anyone or anything will get you to change that opinion, and I’m not going to try.
Now, my question to you is. Who do you want to come back into yours and our society in 1-4 years? While it is clear the “psycho”, “lunatic”, “gun owning”,”arsonist”, whom you have identified as having no concern for others’ lives or safety will not be at BM’08, I wonder how soundly Will Rodger and co. (and you too for that matter) will sleep once he is out.
I’m guessing Mr. Addis won’t come out of the clink, a “broken man” passively going through life with a conventional job where he has to say “yes sir” all the time. So Mr. Tatoo, you may hate and despise Mr. Addis, but wouldn’t you rather have someone released on society in 2009-2012 who hasn’t been hardened and embittered by jail and not filled with new causes, reasons and means to exercise his undeniably ill mind? As someone who apparently cares a great deal for what is best for society, Mr. Tatoo, wouldn’t you prefer a scenario where Mr. Addis is safely removed from that society, getting whatever benefit modern psychiatry and medical science can give him and not released until or unless he can be a positive contributing member of society (which many of these postings assure us he is capable of being)?
Sincerely,
Pantheraleos
PS The rest of you are welcome to answer my questions as well.
Paul was NOT convicted of Arson in Nevada. Which is an automatic Felony in Nevada.
He was charged with Arson in San Francisco involving the Grace Cathedral, but after the evidence was presented, the charges were dropped to a minor possession of fireworks charge, and a misdemeanor for “altering a toy gun”… yeah… go figure.
In Nevada, Paul was charged with “Destruction of Property” in Nevada. Period.
This is not an automatic felony. The burden of proof was put on the BMorg LLC to provide proof of the amount of damages.
The amount of the damages sets the Verdict.
There are 3 different categories for Charges of this statute in the Nevada court system.
1. under $2500 it is a misdemeanor
2. between $2500 – $5000 it is a gross misdemeanor
3. Over $5000 and it becomes a felony.
Paul has never been convicted of Arson.
Oh man I love the analogies around here. Logic escapes some of you. For all the mouth breathing it’s a damn shame none of it is O2.
“Hey, if someone set the fireworks barge in NY Harbor on the fourth on fire early, they would do similar time too. Fuck Paul Addis with a salty splintered stick. –p”
This is an exemplary example of “without a clue”. Setting off fireworks as you describe involves explosives. They are typically Class B & A. Many of them are special order and you can’t go on over to Home Depot to restock, in the case of BMORG. If it was a licensed operator who set’em off I’d love the free show. If somebody did it as a prank it would be a matter of the Health and Safety violation for the fireworks, as well as all damages to anything they hit.
To draw an appropriate example, what BMORG did, was if it had been a barge for a fireworks show, they would have included the cost of the boat, the port fees, as well as the Captains Salary and all his meals for the past year in the cost of damages.
How about a better example: Paul did the equivalent of driving a bulldozer through a house that was scheduled to be demolished the following week. That’s it. BMORG cried about having to rebuild the house, just so they could be the one to destroy it. That’s where the real harm comes into play.
It’s not about the man getting burned, it’s about who got to be the man to do it.
–S
The BM LLC has a brand to protect, is not obligated to explain their actions and is behaving in a self-serving manner. None of this is news to me, having observed and worked with that gang from ‘94 to ‘03. The vast chasm between their public statements and actual behavior made further participation impossible.
What is new is the blatant hypocrisy of their actions toward Paul Addis has been exposed. The LLC has managed to cover up many past scandals with out-of-court settlements accompanied with gag orders. I am not talking about someone setting a dry wood pile on fire, I’m talking about sexual assaults, permanent disabling injuries and deaths. In these cases the organization failed to address known risks, people got hurt and they were liable. Yet the public at large knows almost nothing about these past incidents.
The organization’s decision to screw Paul Addis signals entry into a new phase – preemptive action to protect against future risks to the business. I call it preemptive because no one was injured and relatively little property damage occurred. Argue if you wish that serious property damage happened, but anyone in business will tell you that a multi-million dollar operation has to absorb $5k, $10K, $30k or more losses all the time… the cost of doing business. In reality, BMorg suffered no losses, the stick man was bought and paid for and doomed from the start. It was entirely unnecessary to build a 2nd man, and having made that choice, it was unnecessary to run up a bloated tab on reconstruction. Using new lumber was not very green either, another BMorg hypocrisy sitting right on top of their “green pavilion” of corporate sponsors.
The arson signaled a direct challenge to their brand, as John Law has so well stated. They are reacting in a predictable manner to protect their investment. Sacrifices had to be made and in this case a damaged human being, Paul Addis, had to go down hard.
What you can learn from this incident is how hollow the corporation’s rhetoric is. There is no Burning Man community and attendees are not building some brave new world. There is a managing corporation using naive free labor to provide an expensive and environmentally unsound vacation for ravers.
As for those of us labeled ‘disgruntled old school ex-burners’, we at least know how great it was before it was co-opted by the least among us for the worst of reasons. I cherish my memories and did bring the original spirit of the playa back as part of my life in the default world. I graduated (a few years late) and no longer saw any need to attend bm any more than I desire to hang out at my old high school. Thus is is bewildering when a couple of current attendees feel qualified to judge my past experiences and the motivations behind my present critique. They speak so boldly from extreme ignorance. I am old school and I have moved on and my life is richer and happier than ever… in no small part because of Burning Man. After all, my wife and I hooked up right there in the dust in ‘96. We know we can’t go back to the unbelievable, barely controlled chaos of ‘96, nor would we want to. We also know that we could not be party to treating anyone like BM LLC has treated Paul Addis (and many others).
Attendance is de facto collaboration with the corporation. This is the moral choice everyone must make.
oh shatter
you seem so vicious
there is no need to insult me
as it turns out
BOTH my husband and i have brains!
and spellcheck!
Shatter:
*Paul knew what he was doing. He was torching an object that was intended to be burned. Nice try Mercedes, please leave the logic to your husband as his is holding the brains in your relationship. Apples and Oranges. You didn’t hit anyone, and Paul didn’t either.*
Honey, it’s YOUR analogy
if driving a car is nothing like burning down the man early
why did you compare these apples and oranges?
Shatter:
*Did you run over anyone with your car today? You could have. There were people on the street I’m guessing. You could have hit another car. You could have hit a wall.*
i only made reference to this statement in order to illuminate the point that EVERYTHING we do is in some way dangerous
especially at BRC
but we are AWARE of this and act as best we can
i am not driving drunk, or high or with my judgement impaired
the POINT is that those of us who value our lives
take as many precautions as seem reasonable
when driving, or watching fireworks, or attending a 40K person event in the middle of nevada
and that it is not fair for one person’s political interest to overrule the choices of others.
since you seem to be able to speak to paul’s mindset at the time of the pre-burn and beyond
can you please answer some of these questions:
1. was evereyone in the vicinity aware that this burn was taking place and given a choice to stay and enjoy the thrill, or leave in a calm manner?
2. were they drunk high, or unable to make a sound judgement for any reason?
3. was the man completely built and reinforced
so that it wold not crumble at the first ignition? or some piece of him come flying off?
4. were any art cars in the near vicinity? could they have approached? full of gas? or people? or made of flammable fabrics and wood?
5. were the fireworks or explosives rigged to the man yet? Class A or otherwise?
6. IF something unforseen were to happen
were precautions in place to save lives, such as water available? blankets?
please understand
my point is not that these things were ABOUT to happen or paul should be responsible for any conceiveable danger
or even that I personally won’t attend a burn unless these things are in place
but the fact is they ARE taken into consideration when the man burns
for a reason
there is a fleet of firefighters
JUST IN CASE
to protect
1. THE INDIVIDUALS IN ATTENDANCE
and
2.THE EVENT ITSELF
say if one year 35 people were burned or crushed in an out of control fire accident
that BMorg could have prevented
i would image it would be much much harder to get federal permission
and show up again the next year
so naturally
this organization (corporate or otherwise) would do whatever it could to prevent someone from taking on all that responsibility
listen
you say he was safe
and no harm no foul
that’s fine
i believe you
you seem to know this guy
not me
BUT WHAT IS TO KEEP SOME REAL ASSHOLE FROM DOING SOMEING EVEN MORE DANGEROUS?
I do not think he is a villain
to me, it was a mistake
and BM org made a mistake persuing him so harshly
but my argument to my husband has been
i would rather have them err on too harsh
and never have huge fatal accident
than being too lenient
so some yahoo gets it in his head to made a BIG mistake someday
i am very sorry paul
who clearly means so much to so many
is the scapegoat for this
and if he were my friend
i would feel terrible for him
i only see a sad sad situation
not a lone wolf v. the evil empire
or
the douchebag v. everyone’s good time
again
i think we are all resonsible for paul
knowing him or not
to support him
Danger Angel said he is one of us
and she is right
whether you are a ‘friend of larry’ or ‘friend of smiley’
we should help him as best we can
love
-m
People seem to be most pissed off that people *could* have been hurt. Those people might want to read Paul’s statement:
http://www.squidoo.com/pauladdis
It wasn’t a coincidence that no one was hurt, Paul worked hard for this. From his statement:
“this operation was extensively planned well in advance, and the number one thing to Black Rock Intelligence was that NO ONE be hurt. If you people actually knew us, you’d know that we have an extensive background in doing things exactly like this. In fact, we were on the ground for some thirty minutes before ascent, scoping the scene and clearing people in order to minimize any possiblity of injury to others. We were aided by several people who were recruited on the playa the night of this burn (BRI has no idea who they are, so don’t bother asking).”
I’ve known Paul for years and he wouldn’t do this recklessly. He’s been involved in lots of civil disobedience, billboard liberations, etc., and he knows how to approach a big project like this.
People keep saying “I heard over 100 people were in that tent”. That’s just not the case, and anyone who’s been to Bman should know all about playa rumors.
A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION AT BURNING MAN
I will be going to the Burn this year and I hope to have a reason to go for the rest of my life. But it deeply saddens and disappoints me that Paul Addis, who is clearly in need of help, has been sentenced so harshly. And if the reports coming from the trial are true (it would be very helpful to have some transcripts) it makes me question my faith in the organizing entity.
I wonder if there is a way to try to save the city that we love from the threats that it faces.
Understandably there are a lot of personal satisfactions in proclaiming Burning Man dead. It has a nice feeling of catharsis, and it puts one in the appealing position of being as it were a prophet of the apocalypse.
And there is equally an appeal to saying “fuck it” and preserving our good time by limiting our notion of what Burning Man is to our personal experiences, and the implications of the Addis case and assorted woes be damned.
On the other hand, one might point out that our city is exactly that, a city, although one limited in time, and that declaring that “Burning Man is over” because you hate BMOrg is a bit like saying “New York is over” because you hated Giuliani. (Okay, people said this, but it was both silly and mistaken). I think it should be an article of faith that the ideals of Burning Man are strong enough to survive what faces them.
This year’s theme is The American Dream. I would like to propose something following on from this idea.
I propose a Continental Congress be convened and that a Constitution, or perhaps a Declaration of the Rights of Burning Man, be written and agreed upon. This document would be submitted to the BMOrg for action (or inaction). So long as these discussions are only taking place on bulletin boards and in private conversations they are unlikely to take a shape in which they can be digested and acted on – or in which they can be a platform to demand that Black Rock City be the place that we want I to be.
When it comes down to it, we needn’t rely on BMOrg for anything but the layout of roads, the smooth functioning of infrastructure, and the necessary and, I’m sure, difficult interface with both local and federal authorities. We can lay down what we want for our city, undertake ownership and responsibility, and demand that – since we are effectively taxed for our citizenship and – what was surprising to me – the man is considered “property” – property that by extension we pay for — we have a certain say in the way that the city is run.
Some system of representation would have to be worked out. Off the top of my head every theme camp ought to be able to name a representative; but then some means of franchising those unaffiliated with a theme camp would have to be worked out as well.
I am not entirely sure how much time I have to work on this, as my camp-mates and I also work hard every year to provide hospitality to the citizenry. Accordingly, I am not sure if it can come off, and I am certain that it cannot come off without the collaboration of people who care as deeply about the city as the people on this thread. Even those who are clearly through with Burning Man are saying so because of the value they once put on it. I would simply argue that we needn’t surrender what we love to utter despair.
By the way, I am very happy to surrender this idea to someone who would rather organize it. I’m not really concerned with owning either responsibility or credit. Btu failing anyone else stepping up, and assuming I can wangle the time, I will try to pursue this.
Now – some personal thoughts about all this. I think that the opinions expressed here are a too black and white. I think that the vision of BMOrg functioning largely for profit is a bit silly. Yes, people who are devoting as much time as in a “real” job to bringing off the event must figure out salaries and these salaries may compare to those of people working in the for-profit world. But I doubt anybody is making a mint, and if their intention were to do so I think we would notice a lot more corporate and commercial activity. I may be mistaken; and a thorough audit of what BMOrg does financially might be a valid request in a Declaration of the Rights of Burning Man.
What seems more likely to be at play is a history of personal grudges and the (inevitable?) seductions of authority and money – its deployment on-Playa and outside of it, rather than its consumption for personal benefit.
John Law, your representation of “what Burning Man is now” is internally consistent, I suppose, but doesn’t account for the full range of what people do at and feel about Burning Man today. I am not particularly fond of people who treat Burning Man as the greatest party on earth, nor do I regard myself as a consumer,(at least in regard to Burning Man), which your argument reduces all of us to. But you may be onto a useful metaphor. One of the things about the corporations you compare BM to is that they are generally publically held, and must respond to the concerns of their shareholders. This is a valid goal for Burning Man. (Yes, you can respond that a publically held corporation needs to return money on shareholder investments, but there would be ways to negate that bit of corporate DNA).
Unfortunately, Paul Addis goaded the BMOrg into an act that any corporation might take. In doing so he has, perhaps, made his point. When I heard about the premature Burn I was worried that BMOrg would make the mistake of martyring Mr. Addis. Like many I wish that Burning Man had shown that Black Rock City wasn’t like anyplace else and displayed a proper degree of mercy while still providing enough protection for its citizens.
Personally, I could give two shits about the Man. He doesn’t mean a thing to my experience of Black Rock and the Burn itself is the thing that to my mind veers closest to Disneyland in the entire undertaking. And I don’t think it’s worth the personal life or a real person to preserve the Man for later burning. It’s important that Mr. Addis pay ONLY to prevent people from being physically hurt in the future. But a felony and 1-4 years strike me as tragically harsh.
Nevertheless I think that BMOrg has to contend with numerous threats to the very existence of Black Rock every year. I think they have made a terrible misstep in the Addis case; but I do not believe that is just cause for writing off the whole shebang.
I met my wife and we conceived our child at Burning Man. It is as close to religion as anything I have; hence my hope that there is a way to turn this tragedy into some form of rebirth. I hope I’m not alone.
On a final personal note, Shatter, since you have taken the time to insult my wife in print, as it were, though under the safe guise of anonymity, you may not be surprised to find me responding in the traditional manner. I would like to discuss this with you further, preferably in person, unless you would like to retract your (by the way, sexist) remark. My name is Chris Weitz. What’s yours? We can arrange to meet someplace, if you like.
Please feel free to contact me at weitz.chris@gmail.com regarding political action before and at the Burn or for you, Shatter, should you wish to deal with this matter under your real name.
Best
Chris Weitz
“ART SABOTAGE STRIVES TO be perfectly exemplary but at the same time retain an element of opacity–not propaganda but aesthetic shock–apallingly direct yet also subtly angled– action-as-metaphor.
Art Sabotage is the dark side of Poetic Terrorism–creation- through-destruction–but it cannot serve any Party, nor any nihilism, nor even art itself. Just as the banishment of illusion enhances awareness, so the demolition of aesthetic blight sweetens the air of the world of discourse, of the Other. Art Sabotage serves only consciousness, attentiveness, awakeness.
A-S goes beyond paranoia, beyond deconstruction–the ultimate criticism–physical attack on offensive art– aesthetic jihad. The slightest taint of petty ego-icity or even of personal taste spoils its purity & vitiates its force. A-S can never seek power–only release it.
Individual artworks (even the worst) are largely irrelevant- -A-S seeks to damage institutions which use art to diminish consciousness & profit by delusion. This or that poet or painter cannot be condemned for lack of vision–but malign Ideas can be assaulted through the artifacts they generate. MUZAK is designed to hypnotize & control–its machinery can be smashed.
Public book burnings–why should rednecks & Customs officials monopolize this weapon? Novels about children possessed by demons; the New York Times bestseller list; feminist tracts against pornography; schoolbooks (especially Social Studies, Civics, Health); piles of New York Post , Village Voice & other supermarket papers; choice gleanings of Xtian publishers; a few Harlequin Romances–a festive atmosphere, wine-bottles & joints passed around on a clear autumn afternoon.
To throw money away at the Stock Exchange was pretty decent Poetic Terrorism–but to destroy the money would have been good Art Sabotage. To seize TV transmission & broadcast a few pirated minutes of incendiary Chaote art would constitute a feat of PT–but simply to blow up the transmission tower would be perfectly adequate Art Sabotage. If certain galleries & museums deserve an occasional brick through their windows–not destruction, but a jolt to complacency–then what about BANKS? Galleries turn beauty into a commodity but banks transmute Imagination into feces and debt. Wouldn’t the world gain a degree of beauty with each bank that could be made to tremble…or fall? But how? Art Sabotage should probably stay away from politics (it’s so boring)–but not from banks.
Don’t picket–vandalize. Don’t protest–deface. When ugliness, poor design & stupid waste are forced upon you, turn Luddite, throw your shoe in the works, retaliate. Smash the symbols of the Empire in the name of nothing but the heart’s longing for grace”
-Peter Lamborn Wilson
4 things :
1) I want to amend my earlier statement about what I think jail is.
There are two corporations, Wackenhut and Corrections Corporation of America, that house some 30% to 40% of all inmates in this country. They are privately owned corporations that trade their stock on Wall Street based on how many human beings are in prison beds. Their net profits are derived by the number of human beings in prison. Post September 11th the stock of these two companies went up 200% in just three weeks after the attacks of September 11th. The prison industrial complex really isn’t about right or wrong or rehabilitation or even the law. It’s about money. It takes broken human beings. Stores them. Breaks them some more, and then throws them back into society. That may sound kind of counterproductive, but it’s just business and business is good.
“Now, my question to you is. Who do you want to come back into yours and our society in 1-4 years?”
It really doesn’t matter what I want. I live in the real world and I’ll leave that hypothetical discussion to the armchair quarterbacks.
Honestly though I think he will come back far more damaged goods then when he went in.
“I wonder how soundly Will Rodger and co. (and you too for that matter) will sleep once he is out.”
Are you kidding me? I’ve been living for about 7 years now next to a constantly rotating cast of ex-convicts that live in Section 8 Federally subsidized housing. I’m quite familiar with the welfare state and the human garbage that gets flushed out of our jails and if you want to make a threat than take a number. The line forms to your left.
2) I don’t think anyone else has said this directly, but the “prank” of 2007 was pretty lame. Your art sucks. The prank of 1996 was clever. It took some thought, some skill and planning, and the Smiley face in the dogmatic cult icon pushed all the right buttons, but without committing any felonies that would send you away for 1-4 years and with a $25,000 fine. Torching the Man early is about as brave as torching your neighborhood park’s playground at 2 AM. Kind of lame and you can see how it could rub people the wrong way. This isn’t your first time @ Burning Man (unless your Paul in which case it was your 3rd time at Burning Man) You all know some of the personalities involved and know that you just forced them to respond accordingly. A lot of them are really fed up with the arson and destruction on the playa and now you have forced them to set a precedent.
If you want to go bully someone that won’t fight back, go try abducting preschool kids at the local park.
3). Yes. I think it’s a fair sentence.
4) I’ve read all of your responses and taken them to heart. I even slept on it so I wouldn’t be speaking in haste. I understand that some of you are coming from a compassionate place where you are just trying to take care of your friend and I can relate to that experience more than you might think. So I’m just going to be blunt.
You failed.
You failed to save your friend. Nothing personal. We’re all human, we were all designed to make mistakes, but let’s be honest. Your friend is out of control and it shouldn’t have to be the LLC responsibility to protect the psycho with a grudge that has it in for you, your business, and your dogmatic cult icon.
Personally, if I was Paul’s friend right now I think I would reaffirm my commitment to my friend, ask for some compassion, and take a sabbatical on the LLC bashing or bullshit hypothetical cosmos, planetary alignment, ideological feuds, conflict between the ideals debate blah, blah, blah. Just take the weekend off and bow out with a “Peace be with you”. I don’t think antagonizing people by pointing fingers is really going to help anything. And do any of us really want it to get worse? For the record, I don’t.
And on that note, I think I’m going to take my own advice and just shut the fuck up and exit stage left from this thread. Don’t think there’s anything left for me to say other than once again I want to thank Scott for creating this forum. I’ve always liked your webpage and the upbeat, intelligent way that you present things. I think that also comes across in how people present themselves on your message boards where even though people have strong feelings and disagree with each other, the signal to noise reception is one of the best round.
Peace be with you –
Mike
Thanks for the last post, Mike Tattoo. Some of your earlier messages seemed vindictive to me – I supposed your anger at some one attacking something you loved was the driving force behind the vitriol. I now see that you are more thoughtful than that. I too would like to thank my friend Scott Beale for setting a civilized tone with his wonderful blog. It’s a place that seems, over time to encourage people to actually listen to and attempt to understand those who hold opposing views. Let’s agree to disagree. cheers, JL
With gas heading to god knows how much wouldn’t it make more sense to just have Burning Man in Candlestick Park. Think how much safer the community would be. Everybody could have a great seat for the burn. Oakland’s distant light would replace Gerlach. You could get to the asphalt playa by bike or muni and set up camp!
We could pay hard working San Francisco Police overtime rather than Nevada. And the permit money could help the city feed the homeless.
Why leave a bigger carbon footprint than necessary? I mean why bother going out to the desert? There’s a fence set up that keeps you in. Really what does the playa offer anymore. Any sense of being out of the city has totally disappeared. We probably burn enough hydrocarbons to raise the local temperature to an acceptable playa wear level if we recycle it!
If we got a house band we could be the new Dead show! All the art will look the same. If it relies on the desert look we can all way’s drop a background. Whatever made my experience of Burning Man so unique must have had something to do with the risks I accepted being in some place wild. Without rules or rulers.
Seriously, I see the community every where I go. The change Burning Man brings to peoples lives has diffused into popular culture. Not bad for a bunch of people that happened to get their hands on the wheel of imagination. Sure things have changed but let me beat you with this one last time, Its not the place, its not the idol, its the change in you when you learn to defeat fear and accept risk. Not to life and limb, but to your hubris. Your not going to find that out there anymore. It showed up for the last time last year. From here on out more crowd control will be needed to funnel you through the prepackaged experience of creating your own world. Make it easy on yourself. I don’t think this will affect ticket sales, your just too ready to be led.
Its magic!
Chris Radcliffe
Isn’t this thread title incorrect? I thought Paul was guilty of *destruction of property*, not arson.
The arson charge was the trumped up nonsense at Grace Cathedral, which even the Mike Tattoos of the world can hopefully agree was just bogus.
And parenthetically to my above post, but it bears repeating: since the charges were destruction of property, and not arson, all Burning Man LLC needed to do to spare Paul yet more jail time was deflate the bill for rebuilding the man. Simple. If they wanted Paul to be set free, which is their stated position, all they had to do was say no big deal, the reparations cost less than $5k, let him go.
But they didn’t do that. Instead they inflated the bill so much that even a judge who was obviously on their side chastised them.
I’m not saying they owed Paul anything, but it’s important to note that they’ve been saying they don’t want jail for Paul, that its not their decision. In fact it was very much their decision, and by having Will Roger get on the witness stand and present $30k of receipts, they decided to send Paul to jail for a long long time.
Paul has been held accountable for his actions, now shouldn’t we decide if and how we’re going to hold Burning Man LLC accountable for theirs?
And yet one more parenthetical, pics from the Photoboof last year arranged in the form of the new most powerful icon of Burning Man:
If this blog doesn’t support in-line pictures, here’s a couple of plain text links:
Tiny version:
http://photoboof.org/events/burningman07/paul_thumb.jpg
Bigger version (1.5 megs or so):
http://photoboof.org/events/burningman07/paul_small.jpg
Humungo version, suitable for poster printing:
http://photoboof.org/events/burningman07/paul_large.jpg
“I don’t think antagonizing people by pointing fingers is really going to help anything. And do any of us really want it to get worse? For the record, I don’t”.
Here, here, MT. I can agree to that too!
Paul is the only one who can save Paul.
Over the next 9 months (I believe he’s already done 3) he can perhaps exorcise himself of his inner demons and be out of the clinker and set himself free. Otherwise he’ll get an extension of up to 4 years total for further captive introspection. Then he’ll still have the rest of his life to set himself free — as do we all.
You are a colorful man Paul Addis.
Fun times!
Overpriced car: Good for you and your spellchecker. It’s sad when the best retort people can muster around this thread is to attack a grammar, punctuation or spelling mistake.
“i only made reference to this statement in order to illuminate the point that EVERYTHING we do is in some way dangerous
especially at BRC”
To that end it shouldn’t come as a shocker to somebody that something has been ignited and you need to get the hell out of wherever you are. Radical self reliance. Being shocked and upset about something being ignited at Burning Man is like going to Power Exchange and being shocked and upset to see some hairy naked guy waxing the bean pole.
“but we are AWARE of this and act as best we can
i am not driving drunk, or high or with my judgement impaired”
So those are the only conditions then that somebody may collide with another car or run over a pedestrian? Accidents happen. Things catch fire at burning man. People lose testicles in the Thunderdome. It happens.
FFS- are they handing out programs at the gate now with the time tables for events and what’s happening out there now? P{re-posted schedule of events with a big white board to let everyone know of schedule changes?
“and that it is not fair for one person’s political interest to overrule the choices of others.”
LOL. ROFL. Classic. Point, Set, Match.
You should bring this exact point up with Will Rogers.
–S
Oh dear….
“On a final personal note, Shatter, since you have taken the time to insult my wife in print, as it were, though under the safe guise of anonymity, you may not be surprised to find me responding in the traditional manner. I would like to discuss this with you further, preferably in person, unless you would like to retract your (by the way, sexist) remark. My name is Chris Weitz. What’s yours? We can arrange to meet someplace, if you like.
Referring that you, yourself are holding the brains in your relationship (exactly what I said) is not a sexist remark. If that is how you feel then i will go further to say that neither one of you are currently holding the brains, and all i can do is hope that this birth defect will skip a generation and not effect your children.
“Please feel free to contact me at weitz.chris@gmail.com regarding political action before and at the Burn or for you, Shatter, should you wish to deal with this matter under your real name.”
Shatter is what I go by, and everyone knows me as. I’m very easy to find, though it certainly sounds like your issuing a veiled net-threat, which, I should point out to you (taking into consideration your predisposed condition towards comprehension through written communication, to be lacking) is a far worse crime this day and age than the torching of a wicker man.
Were I to use any name but Shatter then I would be hiding behind an alias.
Back off on the bravado and the testosterone and realize that there are many brads on the market that do indeed taste as good as the real thing.
You obviously don’t know me from the next guy on the street, and the familiarity I have towards you and your spouse is the sum total amount that you have with me, namely, exactly what is written here.
Grain of salt there tough guy.
–S
Wrybread I wrote this post on June 25th and at the time all reports were that the charges were Arson. Amacker only mentioned that it was “Destruction of Property” on July 2nd. I went ahead an updated the title of the post, but would would help is if we had something to link to that verified exactly what the charges were.
Scott–
AP (and others) and other have reported that Paul pleaded guilty to “injury to property”:
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jli7iZcOKKbjqgguVt0assXYeftwD91IOT9O0
“Injury to property” is actually a crime in Nevada:
http://law.justia.com/nevada/codes/NRS-206.html#NRS206Sec310
…it is more commonly referred to as vandalism (or, my personal favorite, “malicious mischief”).
The penalty for injury to property in Nevada:
http://www.leg.state.nv.us/Nrs/NRS-193.html#NRS193Sec155
The punishment for a category C felony in Nevada:
http://www.leg.state.nv.us/Nrs/NRS-193.html#NRS193Sec130
Weazie, you’ll notice that the AP story came out after this blog post was published. All early reports referenced “Arson” which is why the original subject line read that way. I’ve since changed it to “Damaging Property” per Amacker’s follow-up.
Thanks Scott.
A couple of pics people might like, made from the pictures from the Photoboof last year:
Small-ish version:
http://photoboof.org/events/burningman07/paul_small.jpg
Massive, poster-sized version:
http://photoboof.org/events/burningman07/paul_large.jpg
Scott–
Oh I know (same thing happened to me on tribe.net, only there I can’t edit the thread title).
Just providing the links you requested. “Injury to property” is the technical (but awkward) name of the charge.
Such self-serving bullshit. Wow.
If one takes as granted that Paul doesn’t need jail-time, it seems to follow that what Paul needed was better friends. The wonderful crowd who knew he was off, who walked with him on the merry way from “bar talk” to arson have personally failed as much as Paul has.
Damn, you righteous pricks, with friends like you Paul really didn’t need enemies. I guess you picked the wrong fight to fight many years too late.
Scott-
Don’t trip on it it. The facts were accurate when you posted based n the data you have. Nobody is going to be dropping a summons on your door anytime soon.
As to everyone else (I promise to stay on topic, something my fan base knows I’m prone to tangents) let’s take a step back and look at a few things. I’ll even make a list cause I like lists.
1. Anyone who is questioning Paul motive need only look at the interviews he gave post “True Burn” (and I invite people who support Paul to use this term because, not only was it radical, but it was synced to when the Lunar Eclipse was at it’s apex, something that is beautiful in my book) as to the why, the execution, and that he would go down in flames to protect everyone involved. He has stuck to his guns on this one. Not once did he try to plea bargain, or rat anyone out.
So, stop guessing, read his own words.
2. If you think that BMorg will always give a truthful statement, then I’m betting you also own stock in Haliburton. As many other have testified, they are a corporation. They exist for one reason: TO MAKE MONEY. They will not give an accurate head count of attendance to Burning Turd. They say 20k, many others (here on these posting as well) claim upwards between 40-50k people.
Now, let’s examine a few things about Borg (yes, I’m tangenting, suck it) and the money trail.
A) Everyone has to have a ticket.
B) Camps pay to set up (wonder why there’s so many fundraisers for an event that doesn’t allow for cash?)
C) Corporate sponsorship (Get your Starbucks on the playa!)
D) To get an Art grant involves more hoops than you could imagine and they only kick down a FRACTION of any costs for the creation of the art they sell.
For the thick:
BM has become a United States icon just like Disney. They charge EVERYONE money, including talent. They sell art that is given for free. At $300/ticket we’re talking about, at 35,000k people, $10,500,000. Oh sure, there’s state fees, insurance, and porta potties, but that’s about it. They don’t pay talent. In fact, talent has to pay them. It’s a full blown racket, designed to take full advantage of the people they claim to love.
That being said…
The trumped up expenses of $25k (roflz) is a drop in the bucket at that point when you are looking at the amount of cash being generated, never mind the ONLY vendor allowed on site is operated by BMorg. They like their product and their cash flow. Mind you, I can’t blame them, it’s capitalism at it’s finest and I applaud when they rake in cash over all the stupid Llanowear playa bunny Etards forking out fat cash to look like a down syndrome child in the middle of the desert.
What makes be vomit however, is the self righteous Evangelical dogmatic hypercritical bullshit.
So, on top of it all, they have set a man to prison who did more for the product than anything to happen in the last 10 years of Burning Scam. National attention and a shot in the arm to people to “Come out to Burning Man cause you don’t know what the hell is going to happen!”
Fuck you BMorg
Fuck you Will Rogers
Fuck You US court system that puts Paul in jail but allows murderers and rapists to walk out streets.
–S
My, my my. The chickens have spoken. I have read all these comments and wow!, did a valve just turn on. Too many opinions to retract and go through each individuals comments, rants, philosophies, misinterpretations, and of course, facts that hardly are truly known. First off, I think the scope of the matter has been obscured. Yes, we have all joked at some point or another of burning the man. And it finally happened. Hooray! But wait, reality: People underneath, people’s art work besides the “man” itself. Artwork people worked for a long time to prepare for. The careful work of the man crew assuring us all a good time will be had. Oops, let us not forget the Neon crew, the Art support services and of course Man base crew building all this wonderful stuff for our burning man pleasure. And DPW. All that shit cost money. Lots of it. The wood for the man alone is worth more than 5K (this I know for a goddamn fact!). To rent and operate the cranes per day is a bundle. The neon and transformers are well high priced. Not to mention the fuel for all the runs done by dozens and dozens of motor vehicles. Oh yeah, food too. To feed 40-50 people 3 meals a shift while they’re working to rebuild the man (at the rebuild site) is costly, too. Wait a second, 2 shifts if I’m not mistaken. And that’s not including the other gracious 20-30 volunteers doing other work at the playa while the man was being rebuilt. The expendables are staggering, pulleys, wire, shackles, screws, tools, the fire department hauling their asses out there to put the damn thing out. The authorities brought in to investigate the incident, the boom lifts (not to be confused with the cranes) etc, etc, etc. So, less than $5000 you say. . . bullshit! You people didn’t take that into consideration and neither did some of the accountants of the BMorg. A lot of receipts went under the radar my friends. So a guy as the right to be creative because he felt Burning man has lost it perspective by torching a planned scheduled effigy early? Because it wasn’t 1996 “the radical year” and nostalgia and what it meant to John Law and Chicken John and so forth. Hey, he didn’t have the fucking right to destroy a hundred or so people’s hard work. Try telling those people that. And endangering others as well in the process. Why not David Best temple? Or Dan Das Mann and Karen Cusiito’s crude awakening. I’m sure they wouldn’t be very pleased. The guy purposely thought this out, calculated, and carried forth with his mission. His also posted the $25000 bail the next day after his arrest knowing full goddamn well he just might get caught and go to jail. The money was already there and waiting. Not to mention the sudden posters that miraculously sprung up the next couple of days. Sure we’re pranksters and mischief seekers an pyro’s and artists. But I sure as hell don’t have the goddamn right to torch someone’s art piece causing considerable amount of harm and damage. Thank god no one was hurt. But as one person said, when you drive your car, your taking chances everyday. Sometimes you get into an accident and no one is involved, sometimes not so lucky. No what ifs. The potential was there.
John Law, as a founding member of Burningman I am quite surprised of your remarks. Thanks for your vision of what you and the others have created. A creative monster really out of the BMorgs hands that promotes originality and sparking a vast artistic radical self-expression that has grown into a collective. By the way, didn’t you just settled a law suit with the Org in which you received quite a lump sum? Paperman I presume without going into unnecessary details? Your philosphy of what burningmn represents (or should) does not warrant the actions of an individual who perpetrates vandalism of the extreme causing due harm just to prove a point. Cowboyangel and Chris Weitz along with others have spoken of this and gave quite irrefutable examples. And Chicken John, you are well known to take big stick and go to a mud bath full of acid and stir a big malicious cake. Were you at the proceedings? And yes, I second the comment. What will you do for your friend now.
Shatter . . . get real.
“Buy the ticket, take the ride” wasn’t that Addis’s hero’s line?
I agree with Al, those of you who pine and felt a loss of what was . . . “Don’t go”. Things change. Nothing stays the same. And this is not about the Org, John Law, Chicken John, Mike Tattoo ( though I agree with some points) and others of what burningman should and should not be and the causes and effects of the ever evolving institution involving all who participates. it is about someone who took action that had a profound negative effect (and in circumspect: positive) and now is paying the price for those actions. It was deliberate, thought out, calculated. The org are only defending their rights. So let me know if it’s okay to burn your house down after you put your hard earn money, toil and energy and laugh about it. I got a few matches.
And yes I could go on about the sentencing, and point counterpoint of a dozen other remarks, opinions made and so forth, by why bother? it was done. State law dipicts the consequence. If his mental state was known or in question in the past , those friends of his should have done something then and not cry foul now. I for one do not like to see a life ruined, but a “ticket was bought”. And those friends of his weren’t really true friends were they? All is not lost. Fear not. He’ll be back in SF sooner that any of us think.
Harry T.
Shatter, I respectfully disapprove of your reference to what Paul did as “True Burn”. It was unlawful-life threatening burn. That’s all.
Also. I had the official “TruthBurn” sculpture last year that went on despite pro Addis vandalism and vandalism caused delays.
http:911truthburn.blogspot.com
Where are the voices of the LLC Board members and individual Burning Man staff members? That’s the interesting question to me.
Why is there not here, not here, not anywhere I could find on the Burning Man website including the eplaya, or on tribe.net, are there any voices from either the official side of the org – or any individual opinions of people who work for Burning Man? (Correct me please if I’ve missed something.)
Tom? Ray? Andie? Terry? Rob? You are real people I know and have worked with, not some faceless Borg. Can people who work for Burning Man (as I once did) express their opinions freely – dissenting or not? Certainly Marian, Harley, Larry, Will, Crimson, Michael – I expect you as leaders to speak up and explain your position, your motivations and why you chose this course of response.
I don’t know Paul Addis personally, though I have friends who do with differing feelings about him and a pretty clear consensus that he has serious mental health issues. We have someone with serious mental health issues in our community- for many people not their favorite person – and he is now serving time in prison, as a consequence of his actions within our community (and to a certain extent inspired by our community), rather than being in medical care. Always very tricky with mental illness, as often in these kinds of scenarios the self-sabotage is a symptom of the illness – for example of not pleading insanity or apologising.
How does the LLC’s response reflect the values of Burning Man? Or does it?
I realise it’s not simple – there are emotions as well as real safety, legal, and precedent-setting considerations – and that I don’t have all the information available to the LLC Board. I – and hardly I alone – am curious to know how you came to decision to deal with this situation the way you did. Town hall meetings and blogs and all the massive amount of information the org puts out, the great amount of care and thought that is put into creating forums for communication and information sharing, are for more than the easy issues – let’s hear it from your side.
kelly aka swervegirl
kelly aka swervegirl
as per your question:
‘Where are the voices of the LLC Board members and individual Burning Man staff members? ‘
i have a suspicion that BMorg has issued a self imposed gag order to staff and pr
in order to keep a united front and not incite further anger
i would imagine that if there is THIS much dialogue among people who do not know paul addis or work on building the man for a living,
there must be a lot of internal conflict among the people who both know him
and have a deeply vested interest in the burning man festival.
just a hunch
like you,
i would very much like to hear some kind of stance from the ‘official’ body
remorse?
or even an unapologetic justification
‘we threw the book and would do it again’
but the silence strikes me as a deliberate effort
to regroup
and let things calm down
again
no inside info
just conjecture
love
-m
It bears repeating since the later posters still don’t seem to know this:
THERE WAS NO ONE UNDER THE MAN WHEN PAUL BURNED IT. He and, yes, some other people, cleared everyone out before setting it on fire.
So criticize his action or his sanity or whatever as much as you want, but please don’t use the argument that he put people’s lives in danger. He didn’t.
Says you (or, more accurately, says Paul, unless you will claim to have been there).
The LLC says otherwise: “The Black Rock Rangers immediately responded to the situation by waking up two participants under the Man, presumably there to watch the eclipse, who had dozed off. One participant did not wake up quickly and had to be dragged out from the burning structure.”
http://afterburn.burningman.com/07/admin/legal.html
Also: “Alert Rangers in the area protected life safety by clearing the pavilion of participants and instinctively forming a perimeter.”
http://afterburn.burningman.com/07/playa_safety/ops.html
Sure, some will accuse the LLC of lying. But Paul, with his claim that all other Black Rock Intelligence operatives killed themselves after his burn, isn’t exactly a bastion of accuracy either.
“Sure, some will accuse the LLC of lying. But Paul, with his claim that all other Black Rock Intelligence operatives killed themselves after his burn, isn’t exactly a bastion of accuracy either.”
i’m not sure much confidence could be placed with someone who has the motivations to be dishonest combined with a questionable state of mind. but that seems to be about the same lack of confidence i have when doing research and following up with people over it. one case was a ranger who said someting about people under it that had to be dragged off or awakened. i asked someone who was with her who said she was lying about it.
since no other witness could back or deny it, i lean towards it being false or the prosecution would have pursued it since thats thier duty. if they couldnt produce a witness or someone involved to come foreward, they wont.
in either case, the risk of someone being injured or killed is less than what most seem to get upset over.
Just because the prosecution filed charges doesn’t mean it happened. But the converse is also true: The absence of charges doesn’t indicate it never happened.
I’d have to agree, if someone was asleep under the man while it was burning, and so asleep that they had to be dragged out, we definitely would have heard about it in court. The only thing we heard about in court was destruction of property (not even arson, as some have said), no mention at all of putting people’s lives at risk, as far as I know.
I really wish the LLC would stop being so damned dishonest about this. First blowing smoke about rescuing people to make Paul’s actions seem worse, and then saying “their hands are tied” and they couldn’t let Paul off the hook if they wanted to.
It’s all so typically corporate and big business and P.R.
And I think our feeling that we can’t do anything about it is also typical of what happens when big business (and big government) does shitty things in America: we’re trained to be apathetic and think we can’t do anything about it.
> But Paul, with his claim that all other Black Rock
> Intelligence operatives killed themselves after his burn,
> isn’t exactly a bastion of accuracy either.
Oh come on, he’s joking. Give the guy at least some credit. Paul’s being painted as pure crazy in this thread and elsewhere, but he isn’t. He’s super smart, super funny, and more than capable of using metaphors.
Sheesh.
So everything Paul said was true, unless it was meant as a joke, and then it wasn’t? Like how the judge at sentencing pointed out that Paul claimed both to have cleared all the people out of the pavilion before it caught fire, and then rescued those that were (somehow) still under it after it was on fire?
http://bm.tribe.net/thread/69a941ac-ac30-4593-8e06-03db7c11e36f#5e732e9d-db41-4be1-9cce-ccdfd0542a52
Were these contradictory explanations meant to be a joke, or a metaphor?
Look people. He went and torched a lot of peoples work. setting a lot of things back. Anyone want to confront anyone from DPW? or the Man base crew? how about the the builders or the artists?? Do you have enough balls? If the man was on hay bails from years yonder. Sure, s o what? I would’ve went “Well, it finally happened.” Not this time? And by the way, where were you Addis supporters during the first burn? Let’s hear your actual time rather than hearsay. People talk shit. People talk a lot of rumors. Burning man is founded on people’s rumors, illusions, and false info. How many times have your heard “I hear the man is smaller this year,” / I hear there are secret service patrolling the area. I heard they let that guy swing in the dome tent who killed himself for days………and so on. What knowledge or facts I should say that you have?
A couple of thousand in 1996 and smaller populations in past BM years. It is now up to 50,0000. Does anyone have any solutions on how to fund this monstrosity and keep people somewhat in line without the state and county political officials breathing down your back? Could you imagine if they let things remain the way they were since the wild years of BM. Were any of you in the trenches of what it really takes to pull this off? I know at least one you on this blog site are. And I’m not talking theme camps, oh I built this sculpture one year. I mean really fucking involved? “It’s all about the money you say.” Man are some of you short sighted.
The guy obviously has a streak going on with all his shenanigan shit with the law. Crazy? to be determined. Insane, no. Knew what he was doing ….yes. Others invloved. Give the man credit for being tight lipped. You face the judge. What would you do?
ht
“Were any of you in the trenches of what it really takes to pull this off? I know at least one you on this blog site are” – Harry tompson
If you read through all the post, you will notice quite a few people from the first few years that started/supported & volunteered to build the event.
Eric-
Very cleverly put, but that post you’re referring to also claims “The judge also asked how Paul managed to go from being an attorney to pleading on arson charges. ”
Given that Paul was never charged with arson, he was charged only with destruction of property, I’m going to go ahead and assume that entire post is more alarmist bullshit.
I remember when I was at Bman while Katrina was going on, people kept talking about how other cities were now rioting too, how the whole country was going crazy. That was all just playa talk, and has the same flavor as this in my opinion.
I could be wrong though, since I wasn’t at the trial either. So I’m wondering if anyone who was at the trial cares to comment?
“Just because the prosecution filed charges doesn’t mean it happened. But the converse is also true: The absence of charges doesn’t indicate it never happened.”
why i said i tend to lean, meaning its not completely true of false in my mind, and i am not saying that makes it alright in either case.
its this one thing that i am concentrating on to understand how people can generalize and project indignation thats obviously not at the same level of risk involved. even if it turned out to be true, considering things that i have seen at burningman for over ten years now.. art cars catching fire, drunks running over artwork, people throwing stuff in burns that explode, art car flamethworers shooting off around crowds…etc.. its true many things are unsafe, but it isnt uncommon.
yes, the danger aspect has become tame, probably elevated to safety-second or first, and maybe for good or justifiable reasons. but it still happens, yet this is one of the first times its being singled out with a huge amount of scorn.
(ironically, the reactions of dpw’rs to the early burn are some of the most venomous, yet they are some of the most accident prone and dangerous group who have pulled some serious stuff around people.)
Kudos to you Kevin Evans. Must’ve missed a few. Will go back an reread thru. Huge commentary Blog, eh?
H.T.
..ironically, the reactions of dpw’rs to the early burn are some of the most venomous, yet they are some of the most accident prone and dangerous group who have pulled some serious stuff around people…- Spect
True. Cannot deny that. However, they are trying to tone it down a bit. May take some time.
H.T.
What follows in an internal email from Black Rock LLC:
By now most of you have probably heard the news that the perpetrator
of the arson at the 2007 Burning Man event has plead guilty to the
crime of second degree arson and has been sentenced to 12-48 months in
jail, and ordered to pay restitution of $25,000 in damages to the
Burning Man Organization. Often times the news media doesn’t always
give the full backstory, so we’re sending additional information to
our staff because we believe that all of you who were affected by the
arson have a right to know the full story. Plus, every one of us is a
representative of the Project, and we sometimes find ourselves being
asked questions within the community about the organization’s position
on issues like this one. In fact, some members of the staff have
already asked a few questions about Burning Man’s role in the arson,
so we’re going to address them here. Please note that this email is
being sent to staff only, and staff policies prevent cutting and
pasting work emails to other online forums. But, feel free to
communicate the information contained in this email should others in
the community inquire about the Organization’s take on the outcome.
Q: What was the Burning Man Organization’s role in the prosecution of
the defendant?
A: The defendant was arrested by the Pershing County Sheriff’s Office
and faced charges in Nevada for First Degree Arson, Destruction of
Property and Illegal Fireworks. The prosecutor had a choice to bring a
full-blown trial and seek the maximum penalties for all of these
charges, or to accept a plea-bargain for a reduced crime with a lesser
sentence. The prosecutor advised the Burning Man Organization that he
believed a plea-bargain would be the best choice for all parties
involved–the state, the defendant and the victim. In the interests
of justice and fairness, the Burning Man Organization agreed with the
prosecutor that a lesser charge and a lighter sentence would be better
for everyone, including the defendant.
Q: What would have happened if the defendant had demanded a trial
instead of plea-bargaining?
A: The defendant could have been sentenced to nine years in jail for
first-degree arson.
Q: Could Burning Man have refused to press charges or refused to turn
over receipts to the prosecution?
A: Part of putting on the Burning Man event means maintaining good
relations with Pershing County so that we can continue to have the
Burning Man event on BLM land within that county. Good relations
means cooperating with criminal prosecutions. Refusing to press
charges for a felony arson that threatened human life would not bode
well with the government and law enforcement agencies in Nevada that
support our event. Nor would it bode well with the participants and
staff who could have been seriously injured or killed by this crime.
Plus, if the Organization had not submitted receipts the prosecution
would have subpoenaed them anyway. Finally, there was enough evidence
against the defendant for the County to prosecute without Burning Man
pressing charges.
Q: How did the Organization compute the restitution costs?
A: Once the prosecutor requested the information, the Accounting
Department compiled documentation of the following costs: lumber,
hardware, burlap, wax, fabric, neon, labor, fuel, meals, delivery
charges and heavy equipment use. Because some receipts were not
available, the Organization relied on the costs for the first build as
evidence of what the costs of the second build were. Of all the
receipts that were available the total came to a little over $30,000.
Based on the evidence submitted by the prosecution, as well as the
good points raised by the defendant’s counsel, the Court felt that
$25,000 was a fair and reasonable amount.
Q: What about the cost of the artwork under the Pavilion that was
never exhibited due to the crime?
A: The total cost of the art grants and the wages of the staff who
worked so hard to get the projects on playa came to an additional
$42,000 in documented costs. However, criminal restitution only
covers materials that were actually lost. To recover these additional
costs would require bringing a civil suit for destruction of property.
Q: Is the Burning Man Organization going to pursue a civil suit
against the defendant for the additional costs that were not recovered
in the criminal sentencing?
A: No. The Organization feels that the defendant’s plea bargain is a
fair and just outcome for all parties involved.
Q: So, how does the Organization feel about the sentence?
A: An organization does not have feelings, of course – only the
individual people within it do. Like all of you, and the rest of the
community, the staff and the board were diversely affected by the
premature burn, and each of us has our own human response to the
outcome. Not one of us can speak for what everyone around here feels
now that this chapter of our history ends, but we can say that we’re
uniformly glad to have this crime behind us, and we’re looking forward
to burning the Man together in 2008.
Ray Allen
Executive Project Manager
Black Rock City, LLC
1900 Third Street
San Francisco, CA 94158-2502
(415) 865-3800 x137
<ray@burningman.com
Well looks like we have Ray’s official response.
I found more truth in the Bush Administrations explanation of 09.11.
Lies lies lies and propaganda.
So.. we’re saying now that that’s 50,000 at burning man? Awesome. That’s $15mil door gross. Let’s hear it for all the artists and their hard work that put on the show, that all have to buy a ticket to show off their art.
I’d also like to take the time t thank burning man inc. for all they give back to the community of artists, namely a handful of chump change art grants that is less than .5% of their door gross.
let’s hear for DPW and all the people who spend weeks prepping for burning man, setting up, baby sitting, and also, have to buy a ticket to show up for work.
Please cry more about permits and portipotties. Cry more about costs. Cry more about art.
Then go blow your nose on a stack of Benjamins.
Dear Ray: Fuck you too buddy
–S
Shatter go get some help or a real brain. What the hell do you want? That entry by Ray Allen are lies? Seemed fair to me and to the point. With your tangents and rants and comparisons. . . You don’t have a leg to stand on. As far as I’m concern, this conversation is done. Over and out.
More info over here:
http://tribes.tribe.net/freepauladdis/thread/6d42cb75-d762-4045-a1d6-a46215fbd2c4
How does that memo from BMLLC reconcile with the post by Timothy Warren above?
I’m reposting it since it’s so damn good:
“I am not normally part of this discussion. I am not from SF or Portland. I am from Pershing County — yes, I am a townie, born and bred, just like the sheep. I am currently employed with the administrative structure of the county.
I attended BM several times, back when the price of admission was less than my student loan payment. It looked like fun, it was fun, but due to my position I do not dare show up there anymore.
But if you are interested in some information from the inside, from a townie in position to know, here it is.
BM had two opportunities to close this case with less flesh off Addis’ bones. They declined. In fact, they pushed hard for maximum prosecution and maximum sentence. That’s what they got. Even some people on the legal side were surprised at the level of BM’s vengeance. They didn’t expect “the hippies” to behave that way.
The judge, as you might expect from a small town in conservative, rural Nevada, was not interested in all the self-important “cultural” arguments from either side, especially from Addis. In his statement at the sentencing hearing he followed BM’s argument that they are running a big business and that Addis caused severe damage to that business. What it boiled down to was money, and BM’s testimony leaned heavily in that direction. If they had gone a little easier in that regard Addis probably would have gotten some jail time, but not four years and a felony rap.
What you might not realize is that the case opened some old sores in this community. It played right into the hands of a small but powerful group, religious types who don’t like BM and what it stands for. The attitude I heard from one law enforcement guy after the hearing was, “Good. If they say they want tough enforcement out there, that’s what we’ll give them.” These guys are tired of your jokes about Reno 911, people. They don’t find it amusing anymore. (I went to high school with this guy. He’s not shitting around.)
If you go this year, don’t expect the guys with badges to turn their heads to a lot of what they see on the playa like they’ve done in the past. Also, this officer said “outside” enforcement agencies have been in touch regarding possible police actions for this year’s event. Politically motivated, he said. Election year and all that. He didn’t say feds, but I assume that’s what he meant. He said it could include the use of undercover agents.
I’m telling you this because I liked most of the people I met at BM: Be careful out there this year. Tell your friends. Be careful who you deal with. Be careful what you do in front of people who are not known to you. Otherwise, some of you could find yourself sharing a cell with Addis.
(PS: I’m going to try to post this on BM’s corporate site as well but I do not know if it will get past their censors.)”
Harry, you’re obviously trying to achieve new status in the cult, perhaps moving up from plebe to Acolyte. Good luck with that.
I have no doubt it seems fair and logical to you. This speaks volumes.
–S
After so much self-inflicted damage, time for DAMAGE CONTROL. That means it’s time for my forecast on how BM LLC/BRC LLC/Etc. LLC will handle the issue**:
1. It is a communication problem. Soon as we explain ourselves, any reasonable, dispassionate person will understand and sympathize with our actions.
2. We are the victim, innocent and defenseless, attacked without warning by a madman.
3. We had no choice, our hands were tied by the “authorities”.
4. We did all we could for the perp, who, without our help, would undoubtedly gotten a longer sentence… AND, and, and, we didn’t sue him!! (yet)
5. Mistakes were made. By some nameless accountant (btw: his name is Thorny).
6. Many, many people were endangered!
7. Art was destroyed!
8. Steps had to be taken to prevent a re-occurrence.
9. Did we mention that a person most certainly might have been briefly endangered and some art could have been destroyed?
10. Finally, speaking for the organization, the loyal staff and all the participants, we are delighted to put this behind us and look forward to seeing you all at the burn on Tuesday!…. ‘er, ‘uh,… I mean Saturday!
“Now we will take questions, but due to time constraints, we will only recognize the reporter from that paper…. yes, that one over there…, no…, not you, that one… ”
“Thank you. Black Rock Gazette. Are you looking forward to the record crowd this year with even more fucking amazing art? Oh, no need to reply, I found your answer right here on the official handout. Thank you!”
————————————————-
** So this exercise is not a complete waste of time, be sure to do a shot whenever one of these talking points is repeated **
I came over form tribe and I have read all 189 prior posts here, and everything there. I’m a bit late but here is part of what I posted o tribe, and expanded on here, with an idea I have not seen in this thread:
My first impression:
Burning Man, LLC. shall be taken seriously, whatever the cost in human life. They’ve got CLOUT. Be afraid, be very afraid!
–is that the message they send nowadays? Glad I went in 1996 before it was such an “important organization”. But it was always dangerous. Enter at your own risk! Close to my lone tent outpost that I preferred, near Gateway Sound System and the Consortium of Collective Consciousness, people sleeping in their tents got run over & burned when a driver fell asleep in the middle of the night. Or at least that’s what we heard. (Back in the days when anyone could -and did -drive anywhere). Borderline chaos is not freedom, it was discovered. So changes were made in subsequent years.
On the other hand, What Paul Addis did was outrageous and wrong. Thankfully no one was hurt or killed. But the fact that Paul did not plead insanity is proof that, to some extent, he is crazy. I don’t know him. Was he an innocent, fun-loving “crazy artist”? I didn’t get that impression. As for art, most of us who ever made art in our life have had it stolen, plagiarized, damaged or destroyed at some point. No, it is not fair, it sucks. Nor was he any longer a practicing attorney, as he let his license expire in 2005. However, even in counterculture community, there has to be a limit on acceptance of aberrant behavior.
Yet his aberrant behavior is exactly what makes him especially vulnerable in prison, as mentioned. He didn’t stop to think about the repercussions of his actions -not the impact on others, or on his own life. Yet he does not regret his actions. So he really has my compassion, because he is clearly on the fringe. Let’s not call him an arsonist, he was prosecuted for “malicious destruction of property”. Let’s just say that he has a fascination with fire. I can relate. But I only burn my own art, my own writing my own prayers and intentions at my own altar. What do I know? I’m no shrink.
While prayers of protection go out to Paul Addis, and Blessings to Chicken John for being his gutsy self and to the many others for having compassion, it has to be balanced with logic and what is best for the greater good. Now it is simply too late to re-write history or negotiate the win-win solution that would have kept him safer, one that BM, LLC. was not interested in anyway. But can you really blame them?
Sure, Paul was reportedly very intelligent, despite battling mental illness for apparently quite some time. There is an assumption in this entire thread that Paul wanted to stay out of prison. Yet his many actions both in this case and in others suggest otherwise. Is it not possible that he was acting out in a desperate and ultimate cry for help??? What could make a bigger impact than THIS scheme, one that people had joked about but not seriously considered or planned…until Paul did. How tempting it must have been to one with his history of involvement with BM and his subsequent resentment over the changes in recent years. He couldn’t resist. Most of us could, we have inner restraints. He didn’t.
The insight provided by his friend about what they went through trying to help him suggests he did not WANT to be helped. He wanted to make a big statement, yes, and as a learned attorney who was capable of lucid brilliance at times, I think he knew what he was doing. It was willful and pre-meditated, not an impromptu prank. Had someone died, the debate here would be over manslaughter vs. murder charges. But fortunately, no one died, and Paul certainly got more than he probably bargained for, and possibly more than he deserved, but he KNOWS what happens when you break the mold in our legal system, you are made into an example. He knew that. If he was lucid enough to carefully plan so that no one got hurt (something no one could guarantee), then he was lucid enough to have chosen the inevitable, in order to make a statement that was so important to him he was willing to risk prison and risk the lives of others. What I’m saying is that on some level he got what he wanted. He had opportunity to plead differently or show remorse. I think he may have wanted something that would force him to be controlled in a manner that he and anyone in his life were incapable of doing.
Yes, perhaps I am a New-Agey idealist, but I think at this point his friends would find that their time and energy would be better spent finding a way to get him private psych help and convincing BM, LLC. not to appeal his request for parole, when and if the time comes…if he survives that long.
I also want to say that my one and only Burning Man experience in 1996 was full of a range of experience and emotions. I knew I had to get there that year, or I might not ever make it. The following year I was on a meditation retreat in Hawaii in August/September, then I was sick for about 2 years…and somehow BM had become more difficult to access as the years went on. (Now I’m on the East Coast, not in SF/Marin any more).
My point is that I am not one who ever soured or said, “Oh, it isn’t what it used to be…” Of course not! That is the beauty of it. BM is a microcosm of life at large, compacted into an intense and accelerated experience. Life is not static, it flows, changes. I never intended to “not go back”. I hope to go again some day and take it as it is in whatever configuration is current at that time (but not this year).
My one and only Burning Man experience was so ~powerful~ and so ~magical~ that it literally left me speechless. (I am known for my loquaciousness, so that is some accomplishment! :-) It changed my life. For the better.
Thanks all, for your intelligent and thoughtful discussion.
Paul is in the Nevada DoC system:
http://www.doc.nv.gov/notis/detail.php?offender_id=1021703
Paul is at the Northern Nevada Correctional Center in Carson City: http://www.doc.nv.gov/nncc/nncc.php
His parole eligibility date (PED), when he’s first eligible for parole, is November 24, 2008.
An exit strategy…
Here’s a thought on how Paul could get on parole this Nov.
Bury the fucking hatchet.
Everyone seems to agree it was a prank, right?
If he says he is sorry for the losses he caused others, that he’s paid his penance, that he has no hard feelings towards anyone, and will not do any further destructive “pranks,” — if he could convey these sentiments with a modicum of lucid sanity — I believe the parole board would give him a chance.
In the mean time if there were to be a few fund raisers and or donors to line his restitution coffer, to offer up with, or with a promise to come up with shortly after his hearing, that that might be really helpful also.
On the other hand, maybe Paul will want to stay in. Maybe he’s found his calling there. Or if wasn’t just a prank and he is destined to be martyred as the poster-boy for the anti-whatever jihad, then keep that hatched a-swing’n and tell the parole board where they can stick it.
Paul said he loves (but not necessarily likes) all of us which means never having to say you’re sorry. When we truly understand, there should not be an ego need for a formal apology.
Isn’t it sadly ironic how much praise Hunter Thompson is getting for ‘Gonzo’ — the new film about him while Paul is being severely reprimanded for acting in such a similar way.
Wow. I just now discovered this impassioned blog. It’s definitely a cut above those in Tribe.net and other more rancorous discussions I’ve read. I’m very curious about who Paul Addis is (as a human being) rather than as a symbol of rebellion against “The Man” et al. This is a question for Don McCasland and others who know him. My two encounters with the guy weren’t exactly positive and I didn’t know he was a playwright and “performance artist” (as the papers classify him). I wish I had caught his Hunter Thompson play. Had he done other performances? Also, I’m baffled what the hell he was up to that night at Grace Cathedral? Obviously he didn’t have the means to destroy the place. So what was he going to do, give a speech (using the firecrackers to attract attention)? As you know it was this incident that changed the minds of some who applauded the early burn.
An old Suicide Club and Cacophony member Bob Campbell, who never attended Burning Man until last year happened to be in the Pavilion when Addis did his deed. Here’s a description he sent me of the occurrence:
“Somewhere around 3:30am or so on Monday night / Tues morning (wild
guess, no timepiece) I wandered into the pavilion for the first time
ever, carrying my djembe drum thinking I would drum a little for the
Man. When I arrived there was a small crowd of 10-15 people scattered
around the massive logs which form the base under the Man. A grey haired
Rastafarian dude was playing his didgeridoo and doing some sonic healing
with it by holding it up and playing it into a few people’s chests. I
went over and got consecrated by his tones and stayed nearby to enjoy
the beautiful vibe of the space and the moment.”
“The Rasta then began about 5-10 minutes of a sweet and thoughtful stream
of consciousness vibe poem about Burning Man, I don’t recall the words
but I was moved and charmed at the time. There were just a handful of us
attending to him and I think all were feeling the love of the moment, I
certainly was.”
“He wound up his thing, and I went a few steps over the the bench that
circled the logs and sat down to get my drum out. I decided I wanted to
play my drum with the poet’s didg and was excited about the chance to
make some more magic in this space.”
“The neon on the Man went dark for a very short time about this time,
then came back on. I never heard an explanation for that. “All of a
sudden” there was a series of loud popping sounds overhead. I looked up
and saw what seemed to be a dozen or two firecrackers going off at the
far end of the huge horizontal support beam under the Man. Immediately
after that there was another series of ‘firecracker’ events that
traveled rapidly down in a straight line on the pavilion fabric to the
ground, passing a few feet over my head.”
“Uh, wow! I was a little taken aback by that, yes indeed. I think at
that point I assumed I was witnessing some kind of tech malfunction. A
few moments later somebody yelled out that there was a fire, and I
looked up and saw a small area of flame where the overhead ‘firecracker’
event at been at the far edge of the beam.”
“People started yelling loudly immediately to get out and I made a hasty
retreat, dropping a few things along the way. I’d guess this was all
happening around 4am, as best I could tell, but not sure. The rallying
cries to evacuate were very immediate and loud and convincing and
anybody not passed out knew it was time to get lost fast.”
“Seems like it took some 10 minutes before the fire really was of
significant proportions, and emergency vehicles were arriving by then.
The rest is all in the news I guess. It was my perception that there was
lots of time to safely evacuate the structure, but I wasn’t at that time
aware of people passed out etc. I guess although I was technically one
of the few directly ‘endangered’ by this event and not very much at
that, I have to admit the potential for serious harm was there,
especially for anybody sleeping through this who perhaps wouldn’t have
been found and moved. That gives me great pause to consider.”
“After hearing the big picture and talking to an acquaintance who build’s
the Man’s head every year (twice this year), it seems like the
‘firecrackers’ I saw were really lighting or pyro devices shorting out,
still not sure about that, especially why they travelled down the
pavillion skin to the ground in a straight line. weird.”
I’m not an artist and don’t live in San Francisco. For some reason, I became interested in this story just from reading about it, and I read and admired the statement of principles set forth on the “Burning Man” website. When I saw that a ticket to the event was $200-$300, it was immediately clear that the event has nothing to do with the alleged principles on which it is based. While the event may at one time have provided a forum for people to celebrate those principles, it is obvious that the event today is a commodity and a brand and therefore of no particular importance. Nobody needed to commit a prank, much less a serious crime, to make that point. The spectacle of a countercultural event mainstreaming itself into an ordinary business was worth my time in reading about it though, so thanks for the information.
I may not know Paul personally, but I do remember the Cyberbus in my neighborhood in ‘96. I remember the John Law prank and all of the colossal pranks that people would play on each other in the early days. To me, what Paul did on the playa was in the spirit of the event and totally appropriate. I suppose the difference is that Larry doesn’t have a sense of humour and didn’t want to play. The Man needed to burn early; Paul had the insane courage to pull it off. I was relieved to see a black man for the first time up there; it looked right somehow. I was disappointed that the LLC lacked the imagination to see how hypocritical they were to rebuild the Man out of virgin lumber when the theme was “Green Man,” about conserving resources and recycling. They have a “Green Man” theme and don’t want anybody driving, but can’t stop driving internal combustion engines themselves. They are leading the way just as poorly as the politicians in the regular world. It saddens me that they seek to fuck this man up psychologically for life by putting this sensitive soul in a regular jail. Unless Larry changes his mind and realizes what he has done, I wish for him exactly as much pain in his life as he is going to cause Paul to suffer through this experience that Chicken has described.
So he is gettin' out?
Thank you for sticking up for my nephew. You are right on! Paul does need help, not jail! If you talk to him, tell him his Aunt Shirley loves him!