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Burning to make a point at the Tompkins punk concert
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Photo by Jefferson Siegel
In a reportedly spontaneous event, a mini-American flag was burned at Sunday’s Tompkins Square Park 9/11 punk concert. Aron Kay, a.k.a. the Yippie Pie Man, held the flag as a crusty caught a light, and Chris Flash, one of the show’s organizers (in navy blue T-shirt), took photos. Flash said the organizers didn’t support or oppose the flag-burning — which the Supreme Court has ruled is free speech. Kay addressed the assembled anarchists about a punk with a swastika tattoo who had infiltrated a park show’s mosh pit a few weeks earlier and tried to instigate violence; a multicultural crowd of punks had immediately chased the man out of the park after he scuffled with a Hispanic headbanger. Last Sunday, Kay, whose mother survived the Holocaust, warned that any Nazi punk who dares come to a Tompkins show would be kicked out and “thrown in a pile of dog s—!” As for the music, the bands included The Comrades, Man’s Gin, The Alienz, David Peel and the Lower East Side — who played their classic hits “Have a Marijuana” and “Die Yuppie Scum!” — Jennifer Blowdryer and The Non-Prophets. Other highlights included L.E.S. Jewels urinating against a tree, and later dropping trou and flashing the crowd.
– Lincoln Anderson
the crusties lit the flags first and i joined in the flag burning during david peel's set….peel is going ballistics over the flag burning…he is coming off like a veteran who would like to punch me out!!!
Weather or not the performers agreed with it or not…A FLAG BURNING IN FRONT OF A PERFORMING MUSICIAN IS DISRESPECTFUL TO THE PERFORMER NO MATTER WHAT>>>>>ANY PERFORMER HAS THE RIGHT TO B REALLY PISSED OFF>>>IT WASNT THE PIE MAN SHOW>>IT WAS THE DAVID PEEL SHOW…AND RIGHT OR WRONG ARRON KAY OWES PEEL AN APOLOGY TO HIM AND HIS ENTIRE BAND NO IF ANDS OR BUTTS…PIE MAN HE IS NOT COMING OFF LIKE A VETERAN….YOU UPSTAGED HIM AND RUINED HIS SHOW AND THATS IT GET OVER YOUR SELF YOU EGO MANIAC
interesting article.
Weather or not the performers agreed with it or not…A FLAG BURNING IN FRONT OF A PERFORMING MUSICIAN IS DISRESPECTFUL TO THE PERFORMER NO MATTER WHAT>>>>>ANY PERFORMER HAS THE RIGHT TO B REALLY PISSED OFF>>>IT WASNT THE PIE MAN SHOW>>IT WAS THE DAVID PEEL SHOW…AND RIGHT OR WRONG ARRON KAY OWES PEEL AN APOLOGY TO HIM AND HIS ENTIRE BAND NO IF ANDS OR BUTTS…PIE MAN HE IS NOT COMING OFF LIKE A VETERAN….YOU UPSTAGED HIM AND RUINED HIS SHOW AND THATS IT GET OVER YOUR SELF YOU EGO MANIAC
As said, I have nothing against the flag burn, but David Peel has every right to feel that it was not what he wanted during his set. Aron jumped in once it started burning, but I'm sure he meant no disrespect to David..
It was a spontaneous thing initiated by an audience member, and not planned to take place during David's set. It was just unfortunate timing….
you know what Aron Kay has to burn…FAT
Flag burning… I support it on the terms as it counts as freedom of expression that you do not have to support anything your government chooses to do… declare war, outlaw baby formula (seriously, bloomberg is planning on it).
That's why I'm in this picture.
HOWEVER. One thing I, along with most of the population that has ever even BEEN to TOmpkins, do NOT support Nazism, Fascism, or all over, prejudice.
Think about it – if it were ANOTHER coutry's flag, every one would be hollering "RACIST!!"
But now that it is the American flag, you can bet your non-existent 401 K that the first person to tell you "You're a horrible person for burning the flag" has been fed lies by sitting in front of a tv all day when not shopping in walmart slurping a big gulp, and still think that Columbus discovered america.