The Latest From The Snow Globe Factory: Let Them Eat Tear Gas

Let’s face facts: although the summer in our fair city has been a lovely one weather-wise, I would not exactly call it a good one. The death of Eric Garner ushered in a series of “incidents” involving our “finest” which— and this is being kind— are appalling. Incidents which beg the question as to exactly who our public servants are indeed protecting and serving. It certainly was not Mr. Garner.

It is not my intent to simply blame the police, mind you. They follow orders. No sir: the blame, ultimately should be laid firmly on the doorstep of those who issue those orders. I do not think I need to name them here.

I have been wrestling with how to depict the goings on here via snow globes for months. Then Ferguson happened.

This is when I was reminded that this is not a mere New York City issue. It is a national issue. One which is fueled by institutionalized racism, classism, the militarization of our police force* and suppression of or (even worse) complicity of the press to name a few. Simply put: what happened there can and probably does happen here. We simply do not know about it— or prefer to forget about it. Ferguson, I suspect, has changed this.

Thus I opted instead to do a snow globe about Ferguson. Its “official” title is “Salus populi suprema lex esto”. This is the motto for the state of Missouri. It means:

The welfare of the people shall be the supreme law

I suspect a number of people will agree with me when I write that powers that be in Missouri need to be reminded of this rather apt piece of trivia. And sadly trivia is all it is. They do not seem to be comprehending much less following it.

Without further ado here it is. It pretty much speaks for itself.

Don’t shoot.

Policeman grappling with a photographer.

If you want a vision of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face – forever.

George Orwell, 1984