I think there is one thing sacred in America and that is: FREEDOM of expression. If people wish to go around doing illegal things, they can be arrested and answer for it before the courts - anything else is 'fair game' under the US judicial system (but it sometimes is very biased and fails in its true role of real and proper process and justice). I honestly do not think this petition will garner 100,000 signatures. People around the world support these artists for having had the courage to stand up to Russian authority during the Olympics and having been beaten for it as well for standing up to oppression and violence and you likely will NOT see any heavy number of people against them voting on this petition. Russia may have hidden the press releases form its citizens when these artists were beaten and harassed - it may be something you might not be aware of where you are. . . What this group does is 'shock value' propaganda to get their message heard and seen no matter what it takes and you also have to see a lot of the good they have done as well... so people are NOT going to go about bashing them so readily. They have stood up to imprisonment, beatings and harassment by Russian authorities and people laud them for their courage and their message is making waves around the globe... -- so NO, in my opinion this is NOT going to get 100,000 signatures as many people support this group for what they have stood for and done in the past in the name of free speech to begin and freedom to let the world know what is going on. . . Their actions have brought situations of oppression in Ukraine and Russia at the forefront and they are now a respected 'voice' in the world even if they have weird and strange ways to go about doing things as artists. . .
People outside of Russia have another perspective... FREEDOM of speech is extremely important to democracy and all it stands for and it is one of the highest values people hold in America. Start playing around with violating such RIGHTS as 'Freedom of speech and freedom of expression' and you will get a wall of opposition in America I can most assure you. Artists are a 'special breed' in America... - they express themselves to 'shock' and send a 'message' via what is called 'artistic license' and get away with a lot of 'bad behaviour' in the course of it all - yet, as long as what they are doing does not violate the laws... they are 'tolerated' and even accepted for what they do. . . Artists are the 'pulse' of the world... much as journalists are the 'pulse' of their nation and the world as well in the manner in which they inform and pass on a 'message.' One might not always agree with what they say or express but oft it does make us 'think' and perhaps look at new perspectives - some good - some bad. . .
These artists coming to participate in the Ferguson protests is their manner of expressing 'solidarity' with the people against what they view is an oppressive, racist, biased and crooked justice system - as long as they do not break the law in what they are doing, there is actually nothing wrong with going into the streets to protest as long as you do not damage nor hurt anyone in doing so peacefully. If they break the law, they should be arrested just like anyone else would.
People will see this petition as not having much 'common sense' in light of all that I have expressed to you here... - hence, it will garner very little support I would think. . . I would be shocked if it did and frankly it will not accomplish much... - a waste of time and should be taken down in my view. As crazy as it may seem... it is those who raise their voices first against oppression and crimes against humanity who 'sound the alarm' first and the world is paying MORE ATTENTION to such voices than ever before... - especially, as history taught us the dire lessons of not listening sooner ...such as the Holocaust, the Holodomor [Death by famine in Ukraine caused by Russia's regime]; and others... where MILLIONS of innocent were killed. . . We have failed in North America to listen to news of torture, death by famine in Syria until some 10,000 photos were smuggled here to demonstrate to us the cost of the lives there while authorities here had previously remained deaf to this... thousands of innocent lives are being killed at this hour while this has yet to be stopped and is under the guise of cover... Now, the world is forced to examine those photos under investigation and has the responsibility to find those responsible for such atrocities. What we have seen in photos made public is NOTHING according to direct accounts I have heard from people who have family there... - the heart-wrenching truth shall come out someday. . . For things which deal with injustice toward the innocent, oppression, crimes against humanity, I do not really care HOW the message is sent out as long as it reaches the ears and eyes of those who CAN come to the aid of those who need us among our human brethren - these artists have done so... they have spoken and given a 'voice' to those who could not speak and need help and for this instead of bashing them, I would be more inclined to support them instead as many around the world would. . . They have by this done valuable and good work to show how Russia tries to stifle free speech and more. . . So, to me this petition is a 'dead duck' and will not go anywhere. If these artists were oppressed, you can be sure thousands would speak in support of them for all they have done and what they represent in their work. . . I would rather give the stage to one 'crazy' artist than to leave an innocent person wronged because we failed to listen to the 'message' early enough. . . When World War I ended, the world promised itself to 'never again' allow this to happen again. . . - yet, WWII came with much worse travesty against humanity and so did the Holodomor in silence behind the 'walls' of Russia even before then (1932-1933). . . I will stand the voice of an artist and let them go crazy all they want and if their message is righteous and good and serves a purpose toward the betterment of humanity I hope it would even be LOUDER! I have a strong opinion about this and respect that of others but on this one I shall not budge... When states control the press, television and all communications such as Russia does... their ills oft fail to surface as they should and it is via the work of artists - much as has happened in the course of history which becomes so invaluable to us then... - hence, I am not one to 'silence' them but rather one to stop and listen to what they have to disclose to the world. . .
A dire 'statistic' of our recent times ...over 80 journalists have died covering the conflicts around the world as they too tried to send a message across as to what was happening and what they saw. . . Artists and media oft die when regimes and groups which oppress come in and try to take over... - they are the first among the 'elite' to go to the Gulags, the gas chambers, etc. to silence them ...along with the clergy... the priests, the poets, the educators of society - teachers and university professors, the scientists, the 'intelligentsia' of their nations who dare 'speak up' ...along with anyone who has the courage to 'speak up' ...against those oppressing the innocent . . I say let the artists have a voice! We may not always like what we hear and see... but for those who have a message to help humanity take a look at itself - stop and realize what is happening elsewhere as well - and, ultimately do good by it ...no matter HOW they do it, as long as it harms no one, I am all for it! If they have to 'break the law' and cross the barriers of the legal system - especially, in an oppressive regime - to attract attention to themselves (which often people voicing against bad regimes do end up in jail), it is a laudable sacrifice in many cases in their attempts to give a voice to the innocent who cannot speak for themselves. . .
We rarely see artists getting medals for their raising awareness by raising and using their voice against injustice, crimes against humanity and oppressive regimes... they fight with words, art and music instead of swords... - they are the unarmed soldiers of the streets of society... like the clergy, the journalists, the educators, the scientists and so forth - yet, for every life they have contributed to save for helping to end wrongs against the innocent, they should be given medals for this!
The 'Fable de La Fontaine' ..'La Cigale' is a perfect example of the value of the chant of the poet in society... - artists do have a value in society... a purpose we oft do not readily see but is at the very core of our existence sometimes in the hardest of times. . . They are the 'voice' when society no longer can defend itself via means normally given to them before nor the courage to speak up when all is closed to them... the artist can cunningly sound the trumpet to raise enough fire under people listening to the power of their skilled words and expression to shock and obtain a result - the desired effect - as result to get help for those who need it. May it be a member of the clergy who pleads before the Pope; Charlemagne who comes to the defense of the Pope; the artists who raises funds for charity by singing 'We Are The World'; the punk band which shocks; the playwright who sends a message to society in a cunning manner to 'educate' the masses. . . let the message be heard... - for the single time it becomes an instrument to save a life, stop crimes against humanity, end oppression, injustice, killings, famine, etc. which we are not aware of or tries to raise funds to help the innocent, I want to be 'all ears' and shall add my voice to theirs in support of them. . .
This particular band has done some of this... - for their hand at this in the past, I would stay well away from signing such a petition and advise all those within 'ear shot' to do the same and would hope that they do more good work to raise their voice against oppression. They have spoken against people being arrested, stripped naked in the streets and left out in the cold, ridiculed, harassed, beaten, wrongfully imprisoned, stripped of fundamental rights and recourse to proper justice... - I would rather risk seeing them make a mistake and continue than to shut them up! They have acquired enough world respect that their voice now has a greater audience and reach and what they have to say 'matters' now for many as they have acquired credibility as well via videos which were shown of them being beaten while trying to raise public awareness for wrongdoings and people are not about to shut them up. . . Their very 'presence' has become a public threat to Russian authority even during the Olympics while it does not like to have their 'dirty laundry' exposed for the wrongs against their own people and their involvement in Ukraine as well. . . People who have any common sense in terms of human rights... who 'know' 'who they are'... will NOT sign this petition. . .
Food for thought... I hope my 'opinion' helps to shed light on the matter concerning these artists. . .
Best
