OBEY CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE
"WE CREATED THE CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE SERIES TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST INJUSTICE - BECAUSE IT MATTERS! I KNOW THAT IT MATTERS BECAUSE MUSICIANS LIKE THE CLASH, DEAD KENNEDYS, PUBLIC ENEMY, AND BOB MARLEY SPOKE THEIR MINDS AND INSPIRED ME TO LOOK AT POLITICS AND SOCIAL ISSUES WITH A CRITICAL EYE ON HOW TO MAKE THINGS MORE JUST. I ALSO FOUND ROLE MODELS IN VISUAL ARTISTS LIKE ROBBIE CONAL, BARBARA KRUGER, KEITH HARING, AND WINSTON SMITH, WHO DID THE MAJORITY OF ART FOR THE DEAD KENNEDYS AND IS PART OF THIS CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE SERIES. I’VE ALWAYS SEEN ART ON A WALL OR A T-SHIRT AS A WAY OF DEMONSTRATING A POINT OF VIEW AND CREATING A CONVERSATION THAT MIGHT NOT HAPPEN OTHERWISE. SCAPEGOATING, BIGOTRY, AND RACISM ARE LAZY AND UNENLIGHTENED, BUT THEY PERSIST IF WE STAY SILENT WHEN WE FACE THEM. APATHY CREATES AN ENVIRONMENT MORE PERMISSIVE OF HATE. IF WE DON’T LIKE RACISTS AND BIGOTS THINKING THEY CAN THRIVE IN OPEN SUNLIGHT, THEN WE NEED TO STAND UP FOR THE VALUES OF DIVERSITY, RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, EQUALITY, AND HUMAN DIGNITY. THE FUTURE IS OURS TO SHAPE IF WE HAVE THE COURAGE TO USE OUR VOICES AND TAKE ACTION.
THANKS FOR CARING."
- SHEPARD FAIREY
