DEFAMATION OR DEFECATION?

A crazy yet interesting story came out of North Carolina today. I initially discovered it on the Acid Queen's blog. A North Carolina resident named Davis Jones was citated by the police for cutting and removing Hurricanes jerseys that were sewn onto the Andrew Jackson and surrounding monuments (right) during the Hurricane's Cup run. Jones was and still is outraged over the disgracing of these historical monuments. "Do you think Andrew Jackson, sitting majestically on his horse while wearing a Hurricanes jersey was awe-inspiring and thought provoking?" Jones said to the North Carolina Historical Commission. "No, it was a distraction and derailed the purpose of the monument to both educate and honor." (Andrew Jackson, was the 7th President of the United States (1829-1837). He was a general in the infamous Battle of New Orleans, and apparently a co-founder of the Democratic Party.)
The Hurricane Organization, who actually owned the jerseys, did not pursue charges, and removed the jerseys from the statues. Jones, it seems, was even more angered because jerseys were placed onto the statues during the Canes' 2002 Cup run as well.
I couldn't help but laugh hysterically when I read what Hurricane's spokesman Howard Sadel said about Jones' actions: "For me the bigger concern is someone on state property wielding a box cutter with an obvious hairline temper." HAHAHAHA, that is classic!

My opinion of this is: BIG F*****G DEAL! But I'm not such a serious individual when it comes to statues of remembrance. I may disagree if it was the headstone in a graveyard, but not this. Jones makes a good point for the majority of those who probably don't like hockey and who view these statues as sacred, but that's not me. I would probably put a Canucks jersey on a Rick Hansen statue! On the flipped side of the coin, would I be angered if someone put a Stephen Harper shirt on Wayne Gretzky's statue during a Conservative Party election campaign??? Damn rights I would! Nah, I wouldn't.
Alot of times it's what we deeply value that offends us when it comes to defamation. The other stuff is no big deal. But nevertheless, it's a sensitive world we live in, and we need to respect the sensitivities of others........right?

Check out the article from the link below, and the Acid Queen's blog.

Excerpts and picture taken from The News and Observer.