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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Anonymous on 5/1/2006 7:49 AM | Incredible!
An incredible rock! |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Anonymous on 5/1/2006 9:22 AM | | Simply beautiful. An inspiring location and message made especially profound by appearing during a time of war. Shine on Peace Rock -- may your message spread worldwide. |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By JB in LM on 5/1/2006 9:27 AM | | Excellent! Peace Rock should inspire what John Lennon strived for years ago: All we are saying is give peace a chance. |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Anonymous on 5/1/2006 9:57 AM | It's so beautiful!!! My daughter and I sat and watched it at sunset and it really does pick up and reflect all of it's peaceful and calm surroundings. It's in the perfect spot . I don't know how anyone could have gotten it up there, my daughter thought maybe a helicopter.
Being a child of the 60's and having attended many "Love-ins" during the Vietnam war, this brings back so many memories of peaceful protests. I wouldn't even call this a protest, it seems like more of a simple desire for peace for all.
We are with you... Peace!
P.S. Of course we support the troops, but still wish for peace.
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Friend on 5/1/2006 10:05 AM | | May the light of peace filter through the vicissitudes of our times. May all who come here share the feeling. May we all meet together in this place as friends. |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By enob on 5/1/2006 10:15 AM | | great art ... great location ... great idea ... what a GREAT thing to have done |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Anonymous on 5/1/2006 10:33 AM | | Bring food, have a picnic, make new friends, bathe in the glory of nature. This is THE place to gather and collect your thoughts for worldwide peace. |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By JB from OB on 5/1/2006 11:00 AM | | Exceptional! It almost makes me cry . . . not with sadness, but with hope for the possibility of balance and harmony. Peace Rock, rock on! |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By SMS on 5/1/2006 11:15 AM | | THANK YOU! |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Anonymous on 5/1/2006 2:16 PM | 92107 is where I call my home. Thank you, peace rockers, for contributing to the immense pride we feel for our beautiful community.
-Member of the OB Blues Band
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Carol on 5/1/2006 3:32 PM | | A splendid artistic rendering of a sentiment close to my heart. Sincere thanks to all whose work is represented in this communal endeavor. You've made the world a more beautiful place to be. |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Anonymous on 5/1/2006 6:41 PM | A bit of local sanity. Bless you!
"There was never a good war or a bad peace."
- Benjamin Franklin
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Anonymous on 5/1/2006 6:42 PM | Nicely Done!!!!!
- Jerry T.
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By rtwerk on 5/1/2006 6:43 PM | | That piece rawks! It is eloquent and dazzling, however too uncritical for these times. |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Anonymous on 5/1/2006 6:53 PM | | A time for fun and a time for serious reflection. This sculpture says what so many are feeling now. Thank you. And thanks to whoever has provided all the other surprises through the years. |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By surfer girl on 5/31/2006 7:16 PM | | OB Peace Rock is so beautiful. Thanks to the artists. |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Anonymous on 5/31/2006 7:16 PM | What a great gift to San Diego. Hopefully people will respect it and it will remain on the rock for years to come.
Thank you for your time, effort, and inspiration.
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Loren Nancarrow on 5/31/2006 9:14 PM | | Thank you for the wonderful addition to our coastline. When I saw it, my first thought was to share it with my kids. They are bombarded with so many violent messages, and so much fear mongering.It's essential they see the fruits of your creativity, and know that others share our desire for peace. |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Anonymous on 5/31/2006 9:33 PM | Oh wow. I just saw it tonight at sunset---had to go see it again. The way it picks up light is so gorgeous. What energy to get this up there. It is so beautiful! It is magnificently beautiful and elegant. Brought a lump to my throat and excitement to my heart.
We need more positives these days and this is THAT. It is more than about HOPE for peace, for love and for understanding. You're right this is not about politics--all people can agree these are to be desired!...By getting this done and up there for all to enjoy, it is more than about hope--it IS action toward the goal. Such a beautiful work for everyone everywhere--(and yet another cool thing about being a proud Obecian!) Thank you.
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By 7summit on 5/31/2006 11:33 PM | Great art and we need constant reminders that peace is a normal state of being!
Thanks rock climbers for the inspiration
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Anonymous on 6/1/2006 12:42 AM | | Long Live Peace Rock! |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Anonymous on 6/1/2006 8:29 AM | | i love ob. |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By diego garcia on 6/1/2006 12:06 PM | Truth and Beauty.
You done Good.
Peace.
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By bvb on 6/1/2006 12:38 PM | | sweet! nice job, guys. you've inspired that flagstaff posse to do something equally appropriate here in our wee burg.... |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By CAMMY AND COCO!!! on 6/1/2006 4:59 PM | | HAHA I KNOW WHO DID IT AND I AM NOT TELLING!!! but anyhoo, cammy and coco love it. we are gonna go see it the weekend. |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Anonymous on 6/1/2006 8:05 PM | | so beautiful, so real, so back in time. a symbol which is truly a wish for all of humanity, not just those we love. our hope for the world...thank you for your efforts, we wish everyone's dreams all come true when they gaze upon what you have brought to life. thank you |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Aida Mancillas on 6/1/2006 12:15 PM | | Thanks for overcoming the usual prohibitions to make work that challenges the viewer to reflect upon the large issues confronting us today. It's not about who's right (or red or blue) but the work asks us, "What is peace? Why do people yearn for it? Why do they set it aside so quickly? How do I feel about it?" The OB Peace Rock gives us an opening to talk about these things with friends, family and strangers. |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By km from co on 6/1/2006 9:01 PM | dude.
this rock is wayyyyy sick
whoever did this is totally cool.
i think its so inspirational.
let me say, total genius.
I don't live in cali,
(but i do think its my calling)
and unfortunatly i can only look at
"peace rock" from afar
but i can tell it is so rad dude.
huge props to the creator.
it totally puts the PH in PHAT
Thanks for displaying balance and harmony
in such a creative, unique way dude.
peace out.
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By just cammy this time on 6/2/2006 6:32 PM | | I still love it. it says what so many try to say, but may not get across. Thanks guys! peace rock, you rock my world! |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By still just cammy on 6/2/2006 6:33 PM | | I STILL LOVE IT!!!!!! |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Robb Bailey on 6/2/2006 10:12 PM | Surf, Eat, Sleep. Repeat.
The rock makes it a little easier.
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Anonymous on 6/2/2006 10:37 PM | | Very cool, and oh so fitting for one of the coolest places anywhere... OB, CA. I have jogged past that rock many times through the years, and actually smiled at the "big birdy bathroom" thing that was always front and center. Now though, the peace sign catches the eye of every passerby with its timeless, simple message...give PEACE a chance. Spread the word. |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Anonymous on 6/3/2006 8:28 AM | | Christo is envious! |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Anonymous on 6/3/2006 2:01 PM | | What a beautiful work of art and what a lovely message. |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Cammy on 6/3/2006 10:08 PM | | that rock has been there for so long and never really had the right thing on it. the righ thing to fit ob. now that long time of not know what was right for the rock is over. thanks to the peace rock faires!!! |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Cammy on 6/3/2006 10:10 PM | | sorry guys. i made a few mistakes in my last post. i am so tierd and i want to sleep yet i am in school. sorry. |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By katie on 6/3/2006 10:32 PM | | I heard about the peace rock and finally went to see it in person. It is spectacular. The perfect art in the perfect setting at a moment in time that is crying out for peace. Thanks for the vision. |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Beach girl on 6/4/2006 6:54 PM | | Can anyone tell us anything about the artist? One of the photographers out there said he was a famous artist but didn't know his name. |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Anonymous on 6/5/2006 1:17 PM | | Inspirational. Every time I go by it. It's NOT political. It's just a HOPE, a WISH, a DREAM! |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By surfin.in.winter on 6/6/2006 9:27 AM | Hey. i was sitting in class thinking about whats going on in the world and how putting up more peace signs might just might get our point across. count me in in you are going to do anymore! =)
thanks!
-CY
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Anonymous on 6/6/2006 7:56 PM | | Awesome...I walk by everyday and it's as striking as it was on day one! Absolutely BEAUTIFUL! |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Anonymous on 6/6/2006 8:54 PM | | I think the name is a fitting name for Ocean Beach, Thank you for your work. I've posted a photo on Trek Earth |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Anonymous on 6/7/2006 8:41 PM | Hi, Thanks you also for your guest book where everyone can express the feelings.
http://www.austinshakespeare.org/Season/
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By g-girl in ob on 4/9/2007 5:07 PM | | This project should inspire us to remember how to treat each other, and the world. |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By San Diego Native on 4/9/2007 10:51 PM | | Watched the Sunset the other night with my daughter, cousin and aunt and we enjoyed the Peace sign and wondered about it, now we know! Good job! |
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slide in Sunset Cliffs | By JB on 4/25/2007 10:12 PM | | Caught the Channel 10 news in SD last night http://www.10news.com/news/13033938/detail.html. So glad the Sunset Cliffs cliff slide didn't affect the OB rock. It was cool to see it on the news again. |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By islelng on 4/29/2007 2:31 AM | | We appreciate your actions and share your enthusiasm. Thanks |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By BeachCruzers on 5/13/2007 11:13 PM | | This shows the true heart of OB, and what a special place it is, as well as the people in it. If only the rest of the world lived like OB :) |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Granny up the hill on 7/10/2007 11:40 PM | | My grand daughters who have come to visit every Tuesday and Thursday for two years won't let me go home first. First we visit the rock. The pterydachtel was their favorite but they love the peace sign too. Thanks for doing it. |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Anonymous on 7/20/2007 1:12 AM | | What a phenomenal idea!!! The peace sign is so beautiful, and I'm sure that it uplifts people daily. Thank you peace rockers! |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Ras Duster on 12/12/2007 8:49 AM | Its magnificent, I saw it for the first time today. absolutely Amazing,
Mad props on All who made this come to life. It looks soo sturdy. I hope It sees many many more days on that rock.Keep rockin the coast with these signs. They are awesome.
Peace |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By obcean on 1/4/2008 9:36 PM | | I heard the peace sign came down! Is this because of the storm coming or did someone steal it? eeek! |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By OB Rag Frank on 1/5/2008 12:40 AM | | What happened to the peace sign? The surf is up, but the sign is down, as of today at least (Jan 4, 08). I see obcean saw the same vacancy.... what gives? We miss it, and do we need peace! |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By OB Rag Frank on 1/5/2008 12:46 AM | Does anyone know whether the peace rock is actually what remains of a larger rock, called "Needle's Eye" which existed around in that area until the sixties and I believe an earthquake brought a lot of it down, including the Needle's Eye. I surfed the cliffs in the 60s and remember the Eye very well. If you could send me a response if you know, I'm at frankgormlie@yahoo.com
Thanks |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Peace Rocker I on 1/5/2008 3:34 PM | Sadly, two nights ago, the Peace Sign was removed (stolen?) by persons unknown. We are still processing this very sad development, and have no idea what motivated the interlopers.
Was it an ordinary vandal who simply took delight in destroying something beautiful? Was it some punk who just wanted to hang it in their own living room? Was it some conservative who mistook the sign as a political statement? Was it someone from the military who misunderstood the symbol as disrespectful to our brave troops? Was it maybe some environmentalist who simply believed that NO ONE should appropriate that rock for public art, for any purpose? Or was it maybe some other group of locals who simply wanted to put up their OWN new installation? We may never know the answer.
We who erected this sign intended it to be politically neutral, and simply a reflection of what we hoped was a UNIVERSAL prayer for peace. We also knew, of course, that our effort would not please EVERYONE, and that it might evoke a strong negative reaction from some percentage of the community (for all the possible reasons suggested above). In any event, it is with great sadness that we accept this development as just part of the natural progression of things, regrettable to us, but probably inevitable.
We believe that the Peace Rock had become a place of substantial civic pride for MOST locals, a place for reflection and a source of great inspiration. We are proud of our contribution to the community, and thankful that it touched so many people as positively as it did for the 18-19 months that it graced that spectacular rock.
And a final note to those who stole the sign: this was a very expensive piece of stained-glass art, intended as a gift to the community. We had always thought that someday we would remove it ourselves -- to permit the tradition of random installations on that rock to continue -- but that we would then donate the sign for permanent installation to some business in Ocean Beach (perhaps to Rock, Paper, Scissors, the wonderful Artists' Coop on Newport Avenue). Accordingly, we would ask, respectfully, that you somehow transport the sign -- even if broken in the process of removal -- to the alley behind that store, hide it appropriately, and then phone the store anonymously the next day to alert them to retrieve it for public display inside. You would have the "clean" rock you apparently wanted, and the community would have a lasting symbol of something many thought was uniquely beautiful.
Peace! |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Nancy Law on 1/6/2008 2:24 AM | | I am HEARTBROKEN that this beautiful symbol is GONE!!!! I do a 4 mile walking loop every day, and the peace sign was such a special part of my walk!!!! Who would even WANT to destroy such a precious site in O.B.?? |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Local Resident on 1/6/2008 9:21 AM | | Sunset Cliffs is not the same without the peace sign. I too have walked by it daily, and have never heard a single person express anything except admiration for the message and awe for the placement. I hope whoever stole it returns it to you for some future installation. |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Chrisman Brown on 1/6/2008 4:48 PM | I just learned of this tragedy from the OB Rag website. (http://obrag.org/?p=240)
I don't know how securely the sign was fixed to the rock. Is it possible that the wind and the rain over the past days helped work it loose? I find it hard to imagine that anybody would, firstly, want to desecrate such a great and much loved piece of "people's art," and, secondly, that they would choose to wait and do it during such nasty (and dangerous!) weather.
In any case. I'm hoping for its recovery and return, if not to the rock, then to the artists and to the people of OB. |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Local for life on 1/6/2008 5:49 PM | | Only someone who doesn't understand what it means to be an OBcian could destroy part of our unique lifestyle, but shows how stupid people can find a universal symbol of peace something that needs to be destroyed. Our country has been being destroyed for six years by stupidity, please don't let it happen to us in OB... |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By taansend on 1/6/2008 11:49 PM | | I can't believe the symbol has gone! I'm devastated. I hope its just vandals and not some idiot with political issues. |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Peace Rocker I on 1/7/2008 3:41 AM | It surely was not the weather. It was installed by engineers for eternity (or thereabouts), and had already easily withstood fierce storms over its tenure.
Sigh.
I've said my piece about who may have stolen it and why. Now I only hope for its return to the Good People of Ocean Beach as suggested in the longer post, above. |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By OB Rag Frank on 1/7/2008 8:27 PM | It's been suggested that the people of OB do a fund raiser for a new sign. Peace Rocker, what do you think about that? The OB Rag could help; let us know either here, or directly - our gmail is obragblog@gmail.com
Frank |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Peace Rocker on 1/8/2008 1:43 AM | I'm touched by your commitment and your passion for the project, but money is not really thie issue. I and my two principal collaborators would gladly fund another sign, but I fear that, at this point, it would just seem like "taunting" to whomever stole the first one, and he (or she or they) would simply steal the next one.
Indeed, know that we already have another incredible 5 foot stained-glass siign essentially already ready to go, and are just awaiting inspiration for WHERE to put it (accepting that it, too, could be, vandalized (or lost to the ocean, as our installation in Santa Cruz was).
I'm ready to go, to Seattle, to Boston, to New Hampshire, whereever we can find another appropriate place (in a community that would likely, in majority, accept it; where it plays to the public (not to just some private beach homes); where th esite is similarly SPECTACULAR and INSPIRATIONAL to our rock here; where it is close enough to the shore to be visible, but hard enough to access that it won't likely be vandalized (arrrgghhh!). Ideas from ANYONE are welcome. We're ready to GO.
i'm disappointed by our recent loss, but not daunted. Peace is a PROCESS, and this setback will not stop us, even if the project is offensive to some percentage of this or that community. |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By SDNative on 1/8/2008 5:11 PM | | Nice piece of artwork... if you find it, maybe you can keep it on private property and not ruin a beautiful, natural seascape untarnished by any special interest or belief or politic. |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Sunset Cliffs resident on 1/8/2008 6:39 PM | Thank goodness the "artwork" is gone. The OB rock is part of the Sunset Cliffs Natural Park and as such should not in anyway or for any purpose be defaced.
Regardless of the intent or purpose, the OB rock cannot be use as a pedestal for the display of any objects. |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By azurevistaraised on 1/8/2008 10:43 PM | | Thank god that is gone. What is beautiful about the cliffs is just that, the cliffs and sunset and the surf and kelep beds. Not some piece of metal and glass put up by some "environmentalists" who want "piece and harmony"!! Some other moron tried to put up "art" at no surf beach made of concrete, metal, and glass. Some real environmentalists. Leave the cliffs how you found them, just like everyone else has for the last 150 years. I have lived in the area for 30 years and have done numerous beach clean ups at the cliffs, picked up other people's dog crap, etc. Placing "art" on natural landscapes is a very selfish thing to do. Might want to your all this effort in sending our troops some gifts or something more worth while than ruining a perfect good bare rock. Put it in an art gallery, or on your wall cause that is where art belongs. Might want ask the community before you put something up if it really belongs there, too. I would have opposed it. |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Ruff on 1/9/2008 12:38 AM | | Its a sign of traitors. Thank God its gone! |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Ben Murphey on 1/9/2008 12:53 AM | I have a great painting of the rock in my house. It doesn't have a glass peace sign on it has some pelicans and other sea birds on it. First time in a while today I saw something natural on the rock. Bird Shit. Maybe that is why it’s called “Bird Shit” not “Dinosaur Rock” or “Giant Hideous Pink Crab Rock” or “Used broken Toilet Rock”. It sure is nice not having to see Toilets, Giant Pink Crabs, Pterodactyls, or Stained Glass Peace Signs, whenever I check the surf.
Imagine the guys that really wanted that thing so much to actually climb up bird shit in the middle of the night during the worst storm of the year disassemble the thing and carefully carry it back down to put it in their own house. It’s sad they didn’t do it years ago. I just hope when my kids are playing in the tide pools in the summer they don’t get a piece of broken stained glass or whatever that thing was made off stuck in their foot.
I’ve got a lead for you on who took it….Spaceman (a real artist)…he was sick of it too.
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Obecian with a conscience on 1/9/2008 2:15 AM | | It's so sad to see the sign gone. I had to read about it in the paper. Seems strange the "peace rockers" as they're called are insisting it was stolen and not dislodged by the storms we had Saturday night. I would hope they'd give the people more credit than that. At least the benefit of doubt. These negative views stand against what the sign represented. To have such a crass view of humanity when there's a natural explanation readily at hand is really sad. Nature rules all. |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Obecian with a conscience on 1/9/2008 2:23 AM | | Apologies peace rockers for my previous post - I had no idea until I read some of the comments - the degree of nastiness in SD. I'm surprised and ashamed. I guess this is my official welcome to the hard end of US national defense spending. |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By intheknow on 1/9/2008 7:55 AM | | The Peace Sign was removed prior to the storms saturday night. It was stolen, plain and simple. A real tragedy. |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By OBChick on 1/9/2008 2:10 PM | I live on Sunset Cliffs, and the sight of the sun setting over the peace rock was one of my favorite.
I'm saddened by all the negitive comments, I'm really shocked by it. I thought at last I lived somewhere really special. But I guess you can never really escape the assholes.
I can only hope whatever is put up on that spot next time will be as special. |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Barb on 1/10/2008 3:33 AM | | OBchick (comments right before mine) expressed my thoughts exactly. I thought the peace sign was lovely. I appreciate a natural landscape too, but art by human hands can be just as divine. I hope that only a handful of people opt for the negative. In my experience, most people loved the peace sign. |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By dhwhi@earthlink.net on 1/10/2008 9:26 AM | Too bad about the negative comments. We only saw the rock w/sign one time and it was BEAUTIFUL and inspiring. The next installation will surely bring similar feelings to those who will view it.
Love & Peace, TW & DW in VC |
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Peace Sign on the Rock | By Hippy on the Beach :) on 1/11/2008 12:08 AM | Is there anywhere you can go these days without seeing a sign or advertisement? To me this is someone's idea of receiving "FREE" advertisement for a movement or cause of unknown origin.
Would you like to drive on Highway One and see Peace Signs all over the rocks and cliffs near the ocean, would this Peace Sign idea be less palatable?
If it's in front of your home or business that's your business but when it encroaches on my right to look at ocean scenery and have it masked by an "Ugly Old Peace Sign" leftover from the '60s then I'm happy to say that it's Gone and I hope it *Never* returns to ruin my - our view again!
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Hoping for return of O.B.'s peace sign | By Haiku on 1/13/2008 3:48 AM | Regarding “Activists plead for return of peace; sign taken from rock over weekend” (Our Region, Jan. 8):
Knowing the history of the peace symbol, it is hard to imagine why anyone would be offended by its presence. It was designed in 1958 by Gerald Holtom, a British professional artist and became identified with the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. The symbol is a mix of the military semaphore signals N, representing nuclear, and D, representing disarmament. The sign was not copyrighted and is a symbol of freedom, and is free for anyone to use.
According to its Web site, “the CND campaigns nonviolently to rid the world of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction and to create genuine security for future generations.”
I do not know anyone who would disagree with such intentions. I congratulate the peace rockers for their efforts, and I hope their peace sign finds its way home.
(San Diego Union Tribune - letter to the editor January 10, 2008)
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Allison H. on 1/16/2008 5:21 AM | I just wanted to lament my sadness over the disappearance of the peace rock. One of my favorite photos is of me standing with in the background—it's the essence of O.B. to me. Now that I've moved away, I look at photos of it often, and when I visit home in Point Loma I make a point to drive by the cliffs to admire it.
It saddens me to think of how the rock looks without it.
I don't understand why someone would remove something that has become such an O.B. icon, something that represents it so well.
Sad.
I know you peace rockers will find a new way to keep the peace alive.
Thanks for your ingenious art installations over the years.
Allison
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By OB Rag Frank on 1/17/2008 11:19 PM | We at the OB Rag - the new blog - have been particularly distressed by the theft. We answered some of the negative comments:
"Now to the hypocritical, ignorant and crass comments. One commenter thought, even though it was a nice piece of artwork, that it should be on private property and “not ruin a beautiful, natural seascape untarnished by any special interest or belief or politic.”
Another stated, “Thank goodness the ‘artwork’ is gone. The OB rock is part of the Sunset Cliffs Natural Park and as such should not in anyway or for any purpose be defaced. Regardless of the intent or purpose, the OB rock cannot be use as a pedestal for the display of any objects.” Hey, I want to ask this person, how about the years of defacement by the City of San Diego and private developers who have destroyed much of the cliffs in order to save them by dropping boulders over the side and by pouring cement over the face of the cliffs?
Another caustic comment stated: “Thank god that is gone. What is beautiful about the cliffs is just that, the cliffs and sunset and the surf and kelep (sic) beds. Not some piece of metal and glass put up by some “environmentalists” who want “piece and harmony”!! Some other moron tried to put up “art” at no surf beach made of concrete, metal, and glass. Some real environmentalists. Leave the cliffs how you found them, just like everyone else has for the last 150 years.”
This person, I suppose, has not bothered to look down from the cliffs themselves to see all the concrete, asphalt, rip rap, and boulders dropped over the edge over the years. They continue: ” I have lived in the area for 30 years and have done numerous beach clean ups at the cliffs, picked up other people’s dog crap, etc. Placing “art” on natural landscapes is a very selfish thing to do.” And then their real motive comes out...” Might want to your (sic) all this effort in sending our troops some gifts or something more worth while than ruining a perfect good bare rock. Put it in an art gallery, or on your wall cause that is where art belongs.” That’s right - art only belongs in galleries. They finish, “Might want ask the community before you put something up if it really belongs there, too. I would have opposed it.” Yeah, right, like the community is asked about anything.
The low point of all the negative comments was this declaration of unbelievable Bush-type of patriotism: “ Its a sign of traitors. Thank God its gone!”
Yes, it is a sad commentary of our local community. But we can be buoyed by the last comment made by peace rocker." and then we quoted the beautiful words of the originators. Also I might add that whomever "Hippy at the beach" is, besides misspelling "hippie" , is or was never a true hippie, judging by their words above.
See our posts at OBRag.org |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By OB Rag Frank on 1/22/2008 2:38 AM | | Peace Rocker and all who rock here: we at OBRag.org are considering sponsoring a silent vigil for the peace sign one month after its theft. Please let me know what you think, if you'd attend, etc. |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Peace Rocker on 1/24/2008 10:09 AM | It has taken me several weeks to digest my own feelings about this project, and I have come, finally, to a point of acceptance -- a point of peace, if you will -- concerning the fate of our installation.
I, and my friends who conceived the idea, who cleaned off the once-majestic-but-then-defunct Pterodactyal, and who then installed the Peace sign on Memorial Day weekend in 2006, believed we were making a wonderful gift to the community, a universal expression of something we thought -- perhaps naiively -- EVERYONE could support, all in a magnficent setting that already had a long-accepted tradition of displaying eclectic public art.
MANY, MANY people, we believe, shared our vision, and found great inspiration from its spectacular placement in a community that prides itself on tolerance and good will towards all. It was, above all, to us at least, a beautiful piece of art.
We were surprised and somewhat saddened by the number of people who posted negative comments here and in response to the article in the Union Tribune, but I do not believe those voices were a true representaton of the general reaction to the Peace sign, at least not among locals.
Some people, of course, posted valid thoughts: that they didn't think ANYONE should be appropriating public property for private art of ANY sort; or that the peace sign is, in today's world, inescapably political, and therefore divisive, and therefore offensive. To those people, I say: "Fair enough." But we believed that the Peace Sign brought more positive energy than negative energy into the Universe, and was therefore well advised in the balance.
Other comments struck me as simply intolerant or ignorant, but even those people, in fairness, are as entitled to their opinions as I and my friends are to ours.
(By the way, we now know, both from credible reports reaching our ears, and from a private post from someone identified only as "Intheknow", that the sign was just plain "stolen," and almost certainly, we have been told, just plain destroyed, sledge-hammered, in fact, rather than returned to the community as requested in the press. So I leave to any readers to decide for yourselves whose efforts served the more valiant purpose . . . and I know now that the vote on that question will be fairly "split").
In the end, I would like to think the Peace Sign had a "good run." Those of us who cherished it will always have its memory, and when people speak of it in the future (as with the toilet bowl, the Christmas Tree, the Crab, the Tiki Man, and, again, the Pterodactyl), we will always know that "we were there."
And think of the THOUSANDS of pictures, taken by all of the tourists, from all over the world, now displayed in scores of countries, of groups and of couples and of individuals standing in front of Peace Rock in Ocean Beach, usually with the people smiling and flashing the peace sign. That thought alone makes me, for one, proud to be a Peace Rocker, and proud to be a life-time Ocean Becian.
And to those who disliked the sign, you are no longer confronted by it and need no longer be offended. And to those who might be planning some next installation, you now have your opportunity. In a way, we are ALL winners here.
The Peace Rockers are done with this rock. We had our day; indeed we had our 18 months. But we are not done with Peace Rocking. More will be built; more will be installed, wherever in the country, wherever in the WORLD, we can find suitable locations (and ideas are hereby solicited).
We know now that our project will be certain to offend some people. But , good art, we think, is SUPPOSED to inspire, and to provoke, and yes, sometimes even to offend. And that, we now know, we accomplished, and can, and MUST, accomplish again.
Thank you to our supporters. Sincere apologies to our detractors. And peace to ALL. |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Old Hermit Dave on 1/25/2008 5:39 AM | | As our freedom to have a cold beer on the beach as we posed in front of Peace Rock is gone, it is fitting that the symbol of Peace and freedom is also just a memory. |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By TW on 1/27/2008 7:40 AM | Peace Rocker:
Loved your recent Post summarizing all aspects of the project; pros, cons, thoughtful responses to reactions from every arena.
Peace On! |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Local Yokel on 1/29/2008 4:23 AM | | If it is true that someone simply stole and then destroyed such a wonderful piece of peace art . . . then that someone has a Bad Cloud of Karma over their head. |
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Let's put up another one! | By Bruce on 1/30/2008 2:15 AM | | I have just now come to this site and have only skimmed through some of the comments so forgive me if I am not seeing everything but I keep reading about people being "at peace with it being stolen", and "it's fitting that it is gone",...I'm sorry but I came to the site thinking I would find a positive movement to resurect another sign of love and peace. Maybe the sign is gone to make room for the new and improved version?! An even grander display of Love and Harmony. formed by many people collaborating, many hearts, minds and creative inputs. Perhaps the sign being removed is the universe's way of snapping us awake out of our mundane lackluster awareness, presenting us with an opportunity to bring more focus to how important it is for us to have constant reminders of Peace and Love in our daily lives. Maybe someone on this site knows where there is a movement to create a new symbol, and if not, lets start one! |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By OB Rag Frank on 2/3/2008 1:15 AM | | Bruce - the good folks who put up the original Peace Sign are done with us, and they plan to put up another one somewhere else apparently. But I am all for trying to figure out a way to place another one up on the Rock. If you or others get it together we can advertise the effort on our new blog, obrag.org. |
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Re: the ocean beach rock | By Rico on 2/20/2008 8:42 PM | i loved the beautiful peace sign....Is this a sign of whats happening in ocean beach and around the city? With the high cost of living the demographics are changing..Intollerance is order of the day....peace minded folks are considered unamerican, pinko, tree huggers....
Screw them "rednecks", their idiology , running on fear, intolerance, ignorance....."there is no sin but an ignorance, no salvation but enlightment" RWE or maybe they just need a hug? |
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