Declaration of Independence

[mattconlon]

...from the annual theme discussion

When in the Course of post-playa events it becomes
necessary for burners to dissolve the discussion lists and message boards
connected by them with another and to assume among the
powers of the burner, the separate and equal station
to which the annual themes of Burning Man entitle
them, a decent respect to the opinions of Burners
requires that they should declare the causes which
impel them to their opinion.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all
themes are created equal, that they are endowed by
Larry Harvey with certain unalienable Rights, that
among these are controversy, ambiguity and the pursuit
of creative license. — That to secure these rights,
Larry has instituted among burners, deriving just
powers from the implied consent of the participant, —
That whenever any theme becomes demonstrative of these
ends, it is the Right of the Burner to argue or to
endlessly discuss it, and to institute new
interpretation, laying a foundation on 10 principles
and organizing campmates in such form, as to them
shall seem most likely to effect their immediate
experience. "Old-School" Burners, indeed, will argue
that burner traditions long established should not be
changed for light and transient themes; and
accordingly all experience hath shewn that the event
is more disposed to suffer. But when a long train of
flamewars and fuck yous, pursuing invariably the same
Object evinces a design to reduce Burners to absolute
Fuckoism, it is their right, it is their duty, to stop
arguing such themes, and to provide new complaints for
their burs. — Such has been the patient sufferance of
every burner; and such is now the necessity which
constrains them to flood their local discussion lists
with flames and opinions. The history of the themes of
Burning Man is a history of repeated arguments and
flame wars, all having in direct object the lameness
or awesomeness of these themes. To prove this, let
Facts be submitted to a candid world.

Theme discussions have forbidden Burners to disucuss
issues of more immediate and pressing importance,
unless suspended in their operation till theme
discussion should be temporararily exhausted; and when
so suspended, utterly neglected to attend to them.

Theme discussions have made Judges out of every
burner, regardless of Willingless alone to attend next
year's event.

Theme discussions have erected a multitude of threads,
and sent hither swarms of Burners to harass our
discussion lists and eat out their substance.

Theme discussions have combined with other threads to
subject us to a discussion foreign to our
conversation.

For suspending our own discussions, and declaring
themes invested with power to hold our attention for
us in all cases whatsoever.

We, therefore, the Burners of Burning Man, in General
Congress, Assembledon our discussion list, appealing
to ourselves and our communities, do, in the name of
Larry, and by Authority of the good People of these
Regions, solemnly publish and declare, That these
communities, and of Right, ought to be Free of further
theme discussions, that they are Absolved from all
presence on our discussion lists and message boards, and that all
connection between theme discussion and our discussion lists and message boards, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that
as Free and Independent Burners, we shall each have
full Power to discuss something else, make our own
conclusions, talk about it somewhere else, and to do
all other Acts and Things which not arguing about
themes may of right do. — And for the support of this
Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of
saniity and course of discussion, we mutually pledge
to each other our Plur Fur, our glowsticks, and our
sacred Art Cars.

Signed,
Jackass

[Ugly Dougly]

You're weird, sir.

[diane o'thirst]

[Standing up and applauding]

Bravissimo, Poppet!!

[Lassen Forge]

Wow...

[Bin Noddin]

[Stagger]

Fantastic. Now write it on parchment and nail it up in Center Camp... oh.. wait.. That would be Martin Luther.. never mind.

[gaminwench]

love it....

[mattconlon]

thanks folks, I work tirelessly for your continued amusement

[goathead]

thanks folks, I work tirelessly for your continued amusement

And a fine job you have done.

Thank you.[/quote]

[Stagger]

Well.. not as good, but short and sweet....

One score and One years ago Larry Harvey brought forth on this continent, a new event, conceived in Chaos, and dedicated to the proposition that all people should be radically self-expressive.

Now we are engaged in a great email flame-war, testing whether that event, or any event so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure.

We are met on a great cyber battle-field of that email flame-war. We have come to argue in this portion of cyber space, thus making it the final resting place for our opinions and ideas about how the event might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not decide -- we can not reckon -- we can not control – the future of this event. The brave burners, those in the future, who will struggle to attend will control the destiny of Burning Man, far above our poor power to add or detract.

The world will little note, nor sys-admins backup, what we say here, but it can never forget what burners have done in the Black Rock Desert. It is for us the community, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which remains to be done. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these dusty participants we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of suntan lotion -- that we here highly resolve that these shall not have burned in vain -- that this event, under BLM, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that community of the burners, by the burners, for the burners, shall not perish from the earth

[goathead]

And so, my fellow Burners: ask not what your Black Rock City can do for you—ask what you can do for your Black Rock City.

My fellow Burners of the world: ask not what Black Rock City will do for you, but what together we can do for the Burning of the Man.

Finally, whether you are cretins of the PLAYA, or minions of the DPW, ask of each other the same low standards of drugs and booze which we ask of newbies. With a good prank or insult our only sure reward, with jaded Burners the final judge of our offerings, let us go forth to BURN the MAN we love, asking The Hat's blessing and DPW's help, but knowing that here in Black Rock City, art work must truly be our own.