A Volunteer’s Artistic Inquiry into the Case of Reality Winner
Nick Keisel-Stagnone attended our online webinar “Case of Reality Winner” in January and when we asked people to step up and volunteer, he offered his graphic design knowledge to make images for the campaign (something we always need more of! hint hint).
Nick approached the task as an artistic inquiry so we asked him to explain some of this process . . .
“I tried to combine some aspects on the history of the Espionage Act using historical images that showed what public reaction was like during the passage of the initial bill. I had also wanted to include the reasoning Congress used when passing the legislation – but thought it would be better reflected in looking at how the law was applied, and then interpreted during the time period between the initial passage of the bill (1917) and how it became modified over time into the sedition act.
This is made all the more interesting when looking at how the enforcement of the Espionage Act in 1919 (two years after initial passage) during Schenck v. United States led to the famous ruling:
“The most stringent protection of free speech would not protect a man in falsely shouting fire in a theatre and causing a panic. […] The question in every case is whether the words used are used in such circumstances and are of such a nature as to create a clear and present danger that they will bring about the substantive evils that Congress has a right to prevent.” -Oliver Wendell Holmes
Personally, I feel the same methodology can and should be applied to how laws are enforced. If the weight of a charge / sentence like the Espionage Act can be applied to someone like Reality Winner, then it is essential that the public be informed of all the facts surrounding the trial. If a democratic government is drawn from its citizenry, then (in my view) a well-informed and educated public is essential to a healthy and functioning democracy.” – Nick Arecibo
Images used in “Censored”
“Mr. President Remember The Constitution” and “Mr. President There Can Be No Real Thanksgiving” (Free Press 1917)
Eugene V. Debs – “Debs’ speeches against the Wilson administration and the war earned the enmity of President Woodrow Wilson, who later called Debs a “traitor to his country”. On June 16, 1918, Debs made a speech in Canton, Ohio, urging resistance to the military draft of World War I. He was arrested on June 30 and charged with ten counts of sedition. His trial defense called no witnesses, asking that Debs be allowed to address the court in his defense.”
Censored/Monitored – The Espionage Act also gave the Postmaster General authority to impound or to refuse to mail publications that he determined to be in violation of its prohibitions.
“United States of America v. Reality Leigh Winner”
“For the defendant’s brief image, I used the top part of the document, usually a half box at the top of the first page – then just worked from that as a template for something that could be used as a flier/graphic. Most DB documents I’ve seen have used a solid line for the section containing the plaintiff / defendant, but the DB for Reality’s case looked like it used asterisks in century school book font.” – Nick Keisel-Stagnone
A Call for Artists and the Creative!
Can you volunteer your artistic skills? We need images, graphic design, memes and visual inspiration! Videographers and those of you with video editing skills, we need short campaign videos. We have footage, audio and access. Check out our current Images & Memes and Photo Album for resources or create something entirely new! We’d love to help you with direction, further resources, information or answer your questions. Just contact us!
Thank you Nick!! This is so awesome. Please feel free to send to Reality, if you have not yet done so. She will really appreciate your art and perspective.
Dear Reality Winner and family and supporters: I was born 29JAN1943. I joined the Navy in 1967 because I wanted to be an astronaut and decided on the Navy because their pilots had to be proficient enough to launch-and-land on aircraft carriers. Unfortunately, the U.S. was waging war against Viet Nam at the time and, pilot training was intended to prepare us for combat, not moon landings. After some soul searching, I informed my instructor I was not suitable for any assignment to a ‘war zone’. Fortunately he understood and (because I had an engineering degree) I was assigned to test jet engines at a facility in Philadelphia while the U.S. was drenching Viet Nam with agent orange and bombs. I never left the U.S. while in the Navy BUT, after being discharged in DEC1969 I bought a one-way ticket to Germany where I worked as a systems engineer for a German company on two different NATO projects (1970-1981). I married a German woman; our son and daughter were both born in Munich. I became an Activist for Peace & Social Justice movements in 1980 when nuclear weapons were a main issue. I fulfilled my desire to relocate to Europe in 2015 when I chose Valencia Spain for ‘home’.
It is here that I feel heartache for the barbaric treatment that Reality must endure as a young person with conscience and morality and soul. It is here that I feel great shame for what the U.S. government is doing to Reality. I am a ‘senior citizen’ who cringes at what the U.S. is becoming under ‘leaders’ who are dangerously ignorant of their reckless actions against citizens wanting to dramatically alter the U.S. for the Common Good.
I truly hope my comments serve as a brief distraction from what Reality is experiencing in her situation. Reality, please KNOW that my physical freedom is spiritually connected to your confinement. I invite you to envision us strolling along the shore of the Mediterranean Sea discussing how patience and perseverance and solidarity eventually brought you to a setting where your only concern is which paella specialty might suit you dietary needs…
With great admiration and respect for your… Being, John Chadwick
While Hillary Clinton was deemed to have committed no crimes for leaking 100,000 classified e-mails, while over 100 naval officers in the Pacific have leaked classified information concerning ship dockings in Singapore to an international gangster, named “Fat Leonard”, and while the majority of the Trump administration have been hobnobbing with Russian diplomats and politicians, the only one who has been arrested and denied bond is Reality Winner – for trying to protect our democracy from interference by a foreign country. I hope Reality’s attorneys bring that up in court – if that wouldn’t violate national security.
Goddess Loves Reality Winner and I, as a proud Navy Vet, am inspired at my fellow #Veteran’s courage. Stand with Reality Winner, she is a Hero for Freedom and democracy!
Dear Reality : Here from Houston Tx, wondering if I write to you if you would be able to answer back, an Email or a written Letter ?
Second if you are moved to Tx, can a Visitor visit you in the Jail ?
thanks
Pablo