Inspired by Knute at Every Kinda People, Conservative Swede conceived the idea of the Öland Modoggie Free Speech Flag, and asked for my help in executing it. As CS explains below, by doing this we become part of Lars Vilks’ grand art project.
This all came about because an angry Pakistani mob, thinking they were burning a Swedish flag, burned a green and yellow flag by mistake. Conservative Swede wrote to me about it the other day:
The green/yellow flag “meme” is already spreading somewhat. The green/yellow flag is a real Scandinavian flag, but for the tiny island Öland. Kurt Lundgren (a great Swedish blogger) is from Öland and made fun of how the diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Öland now are worse than ever.
From a tiny grain of sand grows a great lustrous pearl, and so Conservative Swede presents…
Join the Art Project!
Lars Vilks’ Modoggies are an art project of his, and have been all along. Vilks is a modernist and sees the interaction with the audience as more important than the artwork as such. Thus he considers Ahmadinejad’s statement that “Zionists are behind such a dirty job” and Al Qaeda’s death threats as part of his artwork, as well as other reactions such as comments at his blog.
By putting this image on the sidebar of you blog, or as your avatar in a forum, or somewhere else on the web, you will also become part of Lars Vilks’ art project. By displaying the Modoggie flag you will not only support free speech, but actually exercise it!
– – – – – – – – –
The flag this time is not the Swedish flag, because — considering the cowardly behavior of the Swedish Prime Minster, as well as some Swedish companies — it’s not clear that it’s Sweden that should be supported. But there is a transformative process going on in Sweden that definitely should be supported. And we do so with a flag that is close enough to the Swedish flag for making such a connection. Close enough for Islamic fanatics to burn such a flag in Pakistan, and this is also how this flag became part of Vilks’ work of art. The flag — that is in fact the flag of the Swedish island Öland — is already emerging as a symbol of freedom of art and a free press, as well as of Islamic stupidity. And it fits the idea of being part of movement for creative freedom.
Lars Vilks sees Ahmadinejad’s and Al Qaeda’s reactions as comedy. I suggest that we, by displaying this image, follow Vilks’ example of speaking softly while carrying a big cartoon.
A playful, comic approach on our side.
Rage and death threats on their side.
Illuminating contrasts, just as the big thing at the Brussels demo was the illuminating contrasts.
Now join this art project!
Put up the Modoggie flag and be part of Lars Vilks’ artwork yourself. Support and exercise free speech.
— Conservative Swede
For previous posts on Lars Vilks and the Roundabout Dogs, see the Modoggie Archives.
So that’s what you two have been up to all afternoon.
Well, the project sounds potentially viral to me…but much more fun than the flu.
I hope this takes off. Vilks deserves it.
Here’s my picture of Mohammed, PBUH. Can I get a FATwa now? Ooooo, I am so bad.
Brilliant
This story just keeps getting better.
In case you don’t have a blog you can always post it in the box for your MSN-hotmail chat picture, or on your myspace!
I’m in!
Oh yeah.
It may be that that there is no distinct word for ‘blue’ in Urdu, but instead that they just classify [or see?] blue & green as one color/color group (“grue”) as many populations do: Wikipedia
I don’t know how it is in Urdu, but one study done with students from India showed that they:
“…chose blues that were even more strongly shifted
toward green (although it is possible that for some of these observers, the term interpreted as a ‘blue’ term was really a ‘grue’ term).” Link
And Al Qaeda will be the jury of this art contest?
By now Lars Vils is the winner.
conceived the idea of the Öland Modoggie Free Speech Flag, and asked for my help in executing it
The Baron is being too modest. The idea was conceived jointly by us. I had the idea about using the flag, Baron the idea of putting the Modoggie on it.
Actually the idea of using the flag was taken from Knute… Anyway, I wrote that text.
PS. Don’t forget to join the art project!
Ok, nice idea. However I think you’re being a little too quick to call “coward” here. Compared to the last motoons scandal this thing has barely started, and Denmark at this approximate point would have been issuing similar mealy-mouthed nothings. At least tive them a couple of months for the big riots to start before condemning them.
I posted a Modoggie banner! 🙂
Now let’s go through the caliphate calendar!
We had Modoggie Mondays
Now we’ve got Turban Tuesdays
Looking forward to Wahhabi Wednesday
Terror Thursday
and my favorite: Fatwa Friday!
Can’t forget Shiite Saturday
and Sunni Sunday though…
Done.
Trackbacked by The Thunder Run – Web Reconnaissance for 09/18/2007
A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention, updated throughout the day…so check back often.
I have just put it on my blog — The Doc Spot at thedoctor44.blogspot.com
Please feel free to view it .
Ha ha, Falcon. Yeah, I hate those Shiite Saturdays.
Way to go everybody!
The creativity is already gushing in some places, for example at swenglishrantings.com
Archonix,
What is happening is that a substantial and very noticeable share of the Swedes are seeing Reinfeldt as a coward in this. This is how much Lars Vilks’ art project has transformed the Swedish mental landscape already up to this point. The point is not so much in condemning Reinfeldt as in supporting the growing number of people who see him as a coward.
Support the healthy side of Sweden!
It´s a great idea!
And now it is in my blog.
Thanx!
/FS
The Swedish Bikini Team has dropped everything and picked up the Modoggie Flag. link
Otay, I got me some new crayons, and paper, and I’m gonna sit myself down and draw myself one helluva fatwa-worthy MoToon. Where to start? Where to start…heh. I got it! I got it! Oooooh, this is gonna get me into sooooo much trouble.
Here is an Animated Modoggie Flag posted by OC at TheMightyRighty
We could also use it as a signature in our emailapplications… done that.
But what does Öland think about this artproject?
Can we use their flag as “a symbol of freedom of art and a free press, as well as of Islamic stupidity”?
Are they strong enough to resist possible pressure?
Can someone give me an answer on that?
Thanks.
Lars Vilks put an image of the; invisible drawing of the Prophet Muhammad – on his blog..
There is something about this image, that screams a silent scream.
A deafening, silent truth.
finaly found more info on it:
http://www.thomaskvam.com/work%20euro.html
Are they strong enough to resist possible pressure?
I’m not sure you are serious, but I can assure you that we won’t see any burned Öland embassies or boycott of Öland products as a result of this Modoggie flag campaign.
To make it easier to participate, I’ve posted some code that bloggers can use to put the Modoggies flag on their blog, StumbleUpon page, and the like:
You Can Blog for Free Speech: Modoggies and Other Cartoon Issues
The Modoggies flag code links back to this article on Gates of Vienna whenever someone clicks on the flag.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Here’s the link to all articles pertaining to the “Mo-doggie” freedom of the press issue on GOV:
GOV Modoggie Archive
Thanks for taking the time to discuss this, I feel strongly about it and love learning more on this topic. If possible, as you gain expertise, would you mind updating your blog with more information? It is extremely helpful for me.