As many of you know the Baron was a landscape artist for several decades. When he had to surrender that vocation in order to move to another — i.e., a “regular” job as a systems analyst, he didn’t give up his creative side. Or rather, whichever side of his brain was operative, creativity remained a constant. He would often say that new ideas simply bubbled up from the well; he had long since realized that no matter what one’s occupation, creativity was what made for excellence.
He was always creating images of one sort or another, that’s simply how his mind works (some fine doodles resulted from some exquisitely boring meetings). And he deeply believes in the power of images to move people to action, whether the action be internal as in a new recognition or understanding of an important idea, or external as in being moved to action based on the same perception. The critical point is changing of minds and hearts.
Today, Henrik Ræder Clausen sent us an image the Baron created almost exactly eight years ago, and which has now appeared again, here.
To see it return is deeply satisfying. The Baron is more sanguine about these things: there’s always another where that came from; in other words, the deep well of creativity never runs dry. The secret lies in recognizing that abundance means never clutching or hanging onto things. The only exception he makes for his rule is when someone decides to cash in on a compelling image by reproducing it for sale. At that point, his creation becomes commercial and he wants a cut. But utilizing his art as a display on a sidebar, or an avatar — those are simply sharing the image in order to make the idea take root and spread.
Back on that post in 2006, he explained his thinking behind the image:
It means, “Say no to the EU!” Also, “Stop EUrabia!” and “No more EUtopias!” I invite our European readers to borrow this graphic — or the smaller one shown below, which is designed for the sidebar — and use it on your blogs.
Forsake EUphemism and eschew EUnamity!
Whoever posted that image on Ekstrabladet gave the meaning a typically Danish twist. For him this image has a particular meaning in the coming elections,
Give the EU the finger!
So much for EUphemisms, eh?
Would be too much to ask to modify the symbol by adding crescents to the stars?
The star represents Uzza – goddess of fertility – morning star
The crescent represents the Moon – Allat, goddess of the moon
Hat tip: Norbert Pressburg’s book “What the Modern Martyr Should Know”
Do you see that crescent in the scythe?? There you go.
/smiley/Of course I do but that’s too subtle…
EU is taking its Arab/muslim designated course as enthusiastically as CCCP. There was no free movement of people. Stalin killed a portion of his population. EU is certainly not like CCCP. There is free trade. Free welfare and free housing for jihadis all over EU. AS for free movement of people … certainly there is. Waves upon waves of invaders are heading north to the EU continent one way. Europeans are being chased from other countries, kicked in [the posterior], spat on, kidnapped or killed not only in Asia and Africa but EU itself. I wonder who is facilitating that? In ten years Europeans will be confined to their little cold continent. Nay, they will / are being dislodged like that proverbial rock who was asked by a lawn seed to give it refuge for one night only. In the morning when the rock asked the seed to leave, he said no I am the owner. The seed put its roots under the rock and was dislodged and went down into the bottom of Hades. No good deed goes unpunished.
But EU has invited so many invaders enough to destroy the whole of EU not only a small portion. Poor democracies. They need people with morals, principles and conviction to stand their ground not clowns.
Just go to :
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/video/2014/may/01/ukip-leader-nigel-farage-egged-nottingham-video
and see the miserable state of democracies.
Murad, They need people with [redacted]. They need more people like the much smeared and villified EDL to do the dirty work for them.
Hey, it’s the first time I’ve ever been redacted. Didn’t feel a thing.
I do support your main argument, Murad, and voted UKIP in today’s European election.
Yet I can’t help feeling regret for the best of what could have been… last year I blew part of my pension on a special trip, passing through France, Belgium, Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria, Italy and Spain; apart from hotels, and ticket inspectors on trains, I only had to show my passport leaving and returning to the UK. Yes, you could argue, what if I’d been a terrorist or illegal immigrant; but if the EU’s exterior borders were secure, I should have been caught on my first attempted entry from outside.
@Murad,
Not only all that demographic squeeze but also the socio-political nudge that is now deep within Western societies where the influence is not only shifting local social attitudes but national and foreign policy making.