As we enter the 5th month of the year, BMOrg are managing to be strangely silent, while at the same time being all over the news. The “Burning Man Organizer Throws Bundy Fest” story has been picked up by mainstream organizations like Washington Times, Fox News, Reno Gazette Journal, Las Vegas Sun, Daily Kos, topix, Raw Story, The Blaze, Spin; as well as “alternative media” sites like Godlike Productions, BeforeItsNews, DiscloseTV, FARK, the Daily Paul, and even Datehookup.com.
Burning Man’s response to the confusion has been tepid. Communications director Jim Graham said in an email to the RGJ: “The person is not a Burning Man organizer and we actually have no information on him”. On their Facebook page, they said “For the record, the Burning Man organization has absolutely no involvement whatsoever with the so-called #BundyFest or its supposed organizer Sean Shealy.” This information may be useful to Burning Man’s community, but how many Fox News reporters are reading their Facebook page? As far as we can tell, no press release has been issued. So this is the total extent of their denial.
Instead, BMorg wrote a blog post entitled “why doesn’t Burning Man take a stand?” They published this with a new logo, mixing the Burning Man symbol with the American flag. This blog post and logo was put on the front page of their site. The post doesn’t explicitly say “we have nothing to do with Bundy Fest”, but it does try to throw them into the political mix.
In answering their own question “why don’t we take a stand”, they are, in fact, taking a stand. The stance they take is “we try to stay out of it, because radical inclusion means everyone is welcome; and immediacy means we can resolve political problems with face to face discourse”.
Certainly, the Feds are welcome. BLM special agent Dan Love, who led the machine gun brandishing, cow and tortoise killing, woman-tasering Federal team at the Bundy stand-off…also leads the SWAT team-like BLM forces at Burning Man, looking to bust Burners with their night vision goggles, drug sniffer dogs, and fully automatic weapons.
Supposedly, the cowboys are welcome, as long as they don’t bring their horses. The militias are welcome, as long as they don’t bring their guns. The Second Amendment is suspended at the largest event on Federal Land.
Here’s what BMOrg say:
Now and again somebody tries to tempt (or badger) the Burning Man organization into taking stand on a political issue – most recently the dust-up at the Bundy Ranch in Nevada.
Why doesn’t Burning Man take a stand? The answer is simple: our principle of Radical Inclusion. “Anyone may be a part of Burning Man. We welcome and respect the stranger. No prerequisites exist for participation in our community.”
We believe the best way for people to develop and evolve their political positions toward a better future is through interpersonal connection, sharing ideas, and engaging in informed dialog with people representing a diversity of perspectives.While many of our staff are politically active (across the entire political spectrum, actually), we pride ourselves on facilitating and cultivating a community that welcomes all political stripes. And religious stripes. And genders. And races. And creeds. And sexual preferences. And … you get the idea.
Face-to-face interaction is key in this equation … which reflects another of our 10 Principles: Immediacy. “Immediate experience is, in many ways, the most important touchstone of value in our culture. We seek to overcome barriers standing between us and a recognition of our inner selves, the reality of those around us, participation in society, and contact with a natural world exceeding human powers. No idea can substitute for this experience…
…We want to better the world. We ALL want to better the world — and people have vastly different visions of what that actually looks like. We’re not going to tell you what that looks like, but we can provide the space to find out for yourself.”
Does Burning Man really think that everything would be fine, if these good ‘ole boys and patriot militias showed up en masse?
There is nothing in the Ten Principles, or anywhere else in the ticket rules, that specifies a dress code for the party. And yet – can you wear jeans, shirt and a cowboy hat (if you’re not Larry Harvey)? Can you wear camo pants and Ron Paul t-shirts? An LA Clippers jersey? Perhaps you might answer “yes”, but come on – that’s theory, not practice. In practice you would be attacked by mobs of burnier-than-thous. You would be booed and jeered. There is an expectation to conform to Burner culture, as we explored in this earlier post “everyone’s unique except me”.
“Participation in society” and “dressing half naked in costumes, taking drugs and dancing on an art car” are not the same thing. Going far, far into the desert, and partying with other like minded people, is more like participating in a commune, than society.
It seems to me that BMOrg are quite content for the media blitz about BundyFest to continue, spreading their name to new audiences. They are even trying to capitalize on it by positioning themselves as an appropriate venue for political discourse – between us Burners, with BMorg staying neutral and providing “the crucible”.
The move may backfire, as Burners realize that they are losing freedoms at TTITD, not celebrating them. On the official blog, Burner Silvio says:
I’ve camped with Clan Destino since 2002. We had a meeting last night, and decided for the first time they we’re going to pass on BM this year, and put all our effort into BundyFest. We’ve always wanted to extend our time on the playa, we have more resources to offer than can be delivered in just 1 week. So we’re going to spend the whole month at BundyFest and offer the same entertainment and services we’ve offered for over a decade at BM. This decision was made for this reason, plus the fact that LEOs raided our camp last year because someone rolled a tobacco cigarette. The dogs were called in, and every tent and vehicle was searched. They found nothing, and even Black Rock Rangers helped to turn our camp upside down.
It’s just the evolution of Burning Man. It was just a matter of time before something like BundyFest would take over. I hope to see all of you out there.
As for the strange silence, we are still waiting for the announcement of 2014 Art Honoraria winners, the new web site, and the restoration of the marketplace.
What do you think, Burners? Should you have to dress like you’re at Burning Man, to be part of it? Or should people come in their everyday clothes, because everyone is welcome and we want to evolve their political ideas?
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HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA I’ll wear whatever the fuck i want, i’m busy making art, playing music, cooking food, and dancing my ass off… what i wear is part of me, and how i express- of course it’s not exactly like the tutus and faux fur that “burner culture” insists i wear… noone has ever said shit to me about not wearing tutus or special hats or animal costumes or car bumpers as codpieces… what a ridiculous statement!!! i wear what the fuck i want, and that is completely and totally uninfluenced by other “burners…” and at this point, despite my repeated attendance of burning man, i REFUSE to consider myself a “burner” because of what your very question is implying! (yes, i will see you on the playa this year 😉 )
hell i’ll see you at bundy fest too
In regards upon the strange silence, and towards the Burning Man Project web site not being of substantial existence, Project representatives have stated that the Project is, at present, focused upon filing paperwork with California for their non-profit 501(c)3 Burning Man Project.
The Burning Man Project has brilliant legal advice to perform a song and dance around this subject within the paperwork, but, as a commoner, I fail to discern the manner upon which substantial conflicts of interest are not present. Marian is CEO of the Burning Man Project, and Larry has been referenced as Executive Director of the Project, yet they, and the other four former Black Rock City LLC shareholders, whom owned the Burning Man(TM) event, are to pocket, by appearances, by my maths, $12 million to $20 million for their sale of the trademarks, at present owned by their Decommodification LLC, to the Burning Man Project, at 2016 end. Many of their decisions will be of effect upon whether the cash is available to pay themselves upon that date, which is of substantial benefit towards themselves. In addendum, Marian has stated that their Decommodification LLC is to pocket cash for utilization of their Burning Man(TM) trademarks. The Burning Man(TM) event, perchance, might also be renting properties in Gerlach at present owned by the former Black Rock City LLC shareholders.
I fail to comprehend the manner upon which the Burning Man Project may retain their 501(c)3 public benefit charitable organization status, of being of ability to receive public donations, without explicit public disclosure of these substantial payments to be made towards the pockets of their officers, and directors, and board members. Upon the website of the Project should be the Project’s Conflict of Interest Policy and disclosures, and the contract for the future purchase of Decomodification LLC, or, of the trademarks owned by Decommodification LLC, by the Burning Man Project, including the amounts to be paid, in addendum of many other documents.
A summary upon 501(c)3 California law
http://www.adlercolvin.com/pdf/nonprofit_governance/What_Every_Nonprofit_Board_Member_Should_Know… (00304468).pdf
Yup.
without explicit public disclosure of these substantial payments to be made towards the pockets of their officers, and directors, and board members. = maybe they can do it because there are no substantial payments…..
Obliged for your comment HVM. The rationale for me stating that there are substantial payments, is that Larry and company have told us there are substantial payments.
Burners do not comprehend the huge cash out by Larry and company, neither the method by which they are pocketing the cash towards them becoming minted, nor the enormity of the numerals. I will place a comment with further detail following upon this comment, while attempting to pen the comment in a news reporting format, with the backup data contained as links within the comment. IF YOU, OR, IF ANYONE, IS OF THE ABILITY TO PROVE ANYTHING INCORRECT IN REGARDS OF THEIR CASH OUT WRITTEN WITHIN THE COMMENT, PLEASE DO SO, TOWARDS THE PURPOSE OF BURNERS GAINING A BETTER COMPREHENSION OF THEIR HUGE SEVEN ANNUM CASH OUT.
Upon their ignite site, pointed towards by their Burning Man Project site, they have a PR article purposed towards preparing Burners for the news of the substantial payments yet to be transferred towards the pockets of Larry and company.
‘ …
Money
When it comes to profits, I have a hard time understanding why people would be upset at the founders receiving a substantial energetic return for building Burning Man into what it is today. …’ Wesley Thoricatha
In addendum, within 2011, Larry stated that they plan to sell, to the Burning Man Project, in three more annums, the trademarks that were transferred, in recent times, from Burning Man(TM) to their privately held Decommodification LLC.
‘Yet Harvey and the other board members, such as Michael Mikel and Marian Goodell, insist that the board plays an important role in shepherding the event and the culture that has grown up around it, which is why they plan on waiting three years to turn control of the event over to the new nonprofit, the Burning Man Project, and another three years after that until they liquidate their ownership of the name and associated trademarks and are paid for their value.’
I’m not sure why this comment got flagged for approval…maybe the number of links. Would you like to write a guest post on this issue, rather than explaining in the comments? It’s easy for me to follow your logic which you have outlined several times, but maybe not so easy for the readers.
HVM, much obliged for your comment. The rationale for stating that they are gaining substantial payments is in due of Larry and company stating to us many times, utilizing different methods, that they are gaining substantial payments towards their pockets.
I am attempting to reply with links to their statements, which, at present, is within moderation. Afterwards, I wish to pen a very detailed comment upon, by appearance, by my maths based upon numerous sources, their $28 million to $45 million seven annum cash out, should I have, in actuality, gained the knowledge of the method to pen the two comments in this manner.
Prior to this, for details, view the posts on Decommodification LLC of 5 and 8 March upon this site, and the reporting of Burning Man upon the SFBG newspaper http://www.sfbg.com/politics/2014/03/10/burning-man-well-not-exactly-least-not-yet
Much obliged, burnersxxx! I will send the summary of their cash out post to you in a couple days after penning it with the appropriate quality, and many more links, with the theme of ‘please prove this to be incorrect’, to assist Burners towards understanding the cash out.
Reblogged this on Awayoflife0's Blog.
It’s not a political event, and the citizens of BRC are vastly diverse in their leanings… They don’t take a stand because doing so would piss off exactly half of them. The stand itself would only determine ‘which’ half they pissed off.
totally not a political event.
yet they have government lobbyists.
they even got their very own law in nevada, for them, by them.. and wrangled by their lobbyists.
look it up some times, just try “burning man sandoval” in google.
…or look at this picture http://blog.burningman.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/nvgov_bill_signing.jpg in which everyone is a burning man representative or BRC lobbyist ..cept the governor and 2 others..
yeah, apolitical my ass.
Sorry, by ‘not political’ I just meant, not ‘republican’ or ‘democrat’ – I’m aware that they ‘use’ politics to get what they want, just like any organization…