BvBPL
Pour Decision Maker
As reported by the Post, NYC City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito is today under fire for putting the voodoo whammy on a primary opponent. Gwen Goodwin claims that Mark-Viverito, in her capacity as the head of the urban art campaign Los Muros Hablan, painted a giant voodoo hex on the side of Goodwin's residence. According to Goodwin, the giant disembodied chicken amounts to both a voodoo curse and a symbol for Puerto Ricans akin to a swastika. Goodwin is now suing Mark-Viverito alleging that the chicken caused Goodwin's blood clot in her foot and her close friend to go crazy.
The alleged voodoo hex Goodwin (top) says Mark-Viverito (lower) put on her.
Do you think there should be any legal barrier to bar politicians running from office from painting five-story voodoo hexes on the buildings of their political opponents? What about a more general social barrier, that is even if it is legally permitted should it be allowed within the confines of good taste? Furthermore, do you think it that using public funds to paint a hex on the building of a political rival should be barred even when the hex is quite beautiful and striking?
Broadening the topic a bit, how permissible do you think magic and hexes are within politics? Does magic and politics run afoul of the separation of church and state? What if the magic is not a part of a religion, but recalls a religious basis, such as in Goetic and Enochian magic? What if the magic system is distinctly nonreligious, as in the case of Chaos Magic?
Spoiler :
The alleged voodoo hex Goodwin (top) says Mark-Viverito (lower) put on her.
Do you think there should be any legal barrier to bar politicians running from office from painting five-story voodoo hexes on the buildings of their political opponents? What about a more general social barrier, that is even if it is legally permitted should it be allowed within the confines of good taste? Furthermore, do you think it that using public funds to paint a hex on the building of a political rival should be barred even when the hex is quite beautiful and striking?
Broadening the topic a bit, how permissible do you think magic and hexes are within politics? Does magic and politics run afoul of the separation of church and state? What if the magic is not a part of a religion, but recalls a religious basis, such as in Goetic and Enochian magic? What if the magic system is distinctly nonreligious, as in the case of Chaos Magic?