Real / New / Fathers 4 Justice (or someone with unexplained access to one of their banners) have been messing with an ancient chalk horse monument in the name of open justice. I know that some F4J related chaps have a penchant for painting things purple but I’m at a loss to understand the symbolic significance of a big white horse in the context of an open justice / equality agenda. But then I’m also still secretly amused at the apparent naivety with which oh-so-macho superheroes gaily daub public monuments with a colour strongly associated with the gay pride movement. Juvenile I know – perhaps this qualifies me for honorary membership?
Image by PentaxFanatiK on flickr
Anyway, I was particularly tickled by the suggestion (in the BBC report of this – link above) by the Real F4J spokesman that they “should’ve picked a legitimate target like a court house“. A positively watertight defence to a criminal damage charge, that one.
Having become obsessed myself with the apparent purple fetish at large in the father’s rights movement, I am rather hoping that Cadbury’s Dairy Milk agree to sponsor New / Real / Popular People’s F4J and that they are able to borrow the Dairy Milk gorilla’s costume for use in scaling up the Statue of Justice at the RCJ. They could unfurl a glorious purple banner sporting the logos of both Cadbury’s and “[Insert prefix of choice here]F4J”, and could broadcast ‘Something in the Air Tonight’ from a large ghetto blaster hung off one of the scales of Justice. But on the other hand perhaps XF4J are not the ‘glass and a half full’ kind of guys that Cadbury’s are looking for to represent their brand. And perhaps that would in fact just be a stupid stunt that would rather tend to play into the hands of those who would argue that opening up the family courts would expose children to the risks that some individuals would publish information in ways that were detrimental to their welfare. Perhaps.
PS In case anyone has a sense of humour failure over this post I am in no way intending to suggest that Cadbury’s are associated with F4J (or any other Father’s Rights Group with similar name) or vice versa, nor that any Father’s Rights Group or member thereof resemble gorillas, have any particular sexual preference or fondness for the music of Phil Collins and I categorically do not express any view as to the existence of any superpower which any such individual may or may not be in possession of. And I do not condone vandalism, criminal damage, trespass or dressing up as a comic book or cartoon character when over the age of 18 on the grounds that they are, well, criminal. I have however eaten a whole giant bar of Dairy Milk whilst writing this post.
I was unaware until you pointed it out, Lucy, that dressing up as a comic book or cartoon character when over the age of 18 was a criminal offence. But since Labour created a new criminal offence every day it has been hard to keep up. It seems it is also an offence in the US (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/7803523/Hollywood-police-arrest-Batman-for-begging.html).
I would never condone the mindless vandalism of a national monument, though it shouldn’t be too difficult for the police to identify the culprit; it isn’t the first time something like this has happened (http://www.metro.co.uk/news/64166-vandals-paint-giant-penis-purple) and I imagine the ‘banner’ was a painted bed sheet. This behaviour does nothing to promote the cause, and the endless silly splinter groups have forced the original organisation to rename itself the Official Fathers 4 Justice (http://www.facebook.com/Fathers4Justice).
Purple is, of course, the colour of equality, rather than the colour of the gay rights movement, which is more often pink – and a splendid colour too. Purple is also a pretty cool colour, and one which wasn’t – at the time – associated with a political party.
As something of a Genesis fan, I like your proposal, and thanks for posting the excellent video again. Humour was a large component of the original campaign, and it is sadly lacking from the splinter groups.
I’m surprised that you aren’t aware already of the Cadburys/F4J link: Matt O’Connor, founder of F4J, is a marketing consultant who regularly works for Cadburys; his latest confection is here: http://www.cadburyicecreamland.com/ (did you spot the purple-clad superhero?).
Now don’t go and make yourself sick.
Nick, have you SEEN those costumes with the padded man boobs (sorry pecs)? They have to be a crime. The Aesthetic Crime Act 1998 or something…
Of course purple has lots of meanings, I’m just amused when people employ symbols that resonate in ways that they don’t anticipate, and I think in many ways the symbolic act of superhero dads don’t have the same meaning for the observer as perhaps is intended by the super hero. Of course it’s the lot of superheroes to be misunderstood and from time to time to be perceived as villains – Batman and Spiderman spring to mind.
As for the existing Cadbury’s / F4J link – that is fantastic (or are you pulling my leg? or on commission from Cadbury?). At any rate the purple superhero was a hit with my 2 year old. He rocked and moshed to the slap bass of the Cadbury Donkey until the grown ups finally had to switch it off. My husband rather cruelly observed that said superhero was a jackass (he’s a yank), which rather led me to the question: is there a subliminal / covert message behind the donkey, and if so what is the donkey trying to convey?? And is there some kind of da-Vinci-code-esque equine link between the icecream donkey and the Uffington horse? Or am I having chocolate induced hallucinations again?
Incidentally, it seems that Matt O’Connor is indeed in the business of icecream, but I’m not sure it’s Cadbury’s (See: http://father4justice.wordpress.com/about/ ). There is an icecream theme emerging now: http://pinktape.co.uk/2010/05/28/splitting-headache/ evidence of conspiracy or coincidence? 😉
[…] 5, 2010 by familoo Pootling around on the internet in the light of this weeks horse painting shennanigans I came across Matt O’Connor’s new blog Father4Justice, the new F4J website (be warned, […]
Nick Langford Says
“Humour was a large component of the original campaign, and it is sadly lacking from the splinter groups.”
Is Nick Langford living on the same planet?????
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article393501.ece
[You pasted the whole – lengthy – times article into your comment, which I’ve removed as it can be read (for the time being at least) by clicking through to the link you provided. Familoo]
No.