Laughing Squid - Latest Comments in Paul Addis Arrested, Planned To Set Fire To Grace Cathedral

Re: Paul Addis Arrested, Planned To Set Fire To Grace Cathedral

Time Warp Cafe / Joseph Dunphy — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 05:51:02 -0000

Addis clearly needs to be put away. The criminal code hands us two obvious charges:

The premature burning of the man - reckless endangerment. What if somebody had been in the base of the man when it was set on fire?

The rifle incident - assault (a man in the clerk's position could be put in reasonable fear of imminent bodily harm)

I'm sure that there are more, but given that he has threatened to put bullets in the backs of the heads of the students at that school, I would think that one has the basis for a psychiatric commitment: "poses a threat to himself or others". Of course, the local authorities can always wait until he actually shoots up a school, and then try to explain to the national media why they ignored the danger signs.

Yes, that would do wonderful things for San Francisco's reputation.

Re: Paul Addis Arrested, Planned To Set Fire To Grace Cathedral

Mike Tattoo — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 17:11:41 -0000

Looks like he also has a restraining order against him for making threats to shoot students in the head.

Charming.

http://sfweekly.com/2007-11...

Last month, San Francisco's Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory sought a restraining order against Addis after the 37-year-old allegedly threatened to murder students at the school. Nick Barsetti, the security coordinator for the school, claimed Addis told students on Sept. 8 he would "shoot them in the head with a Mac-10" submachine gun, and "pick them off one by one," according to court documents. An emergency protection order was promptly granted on Sept. 10. But, one day later, Addis was back and making "threatening gestures" to school staff.

Re: Paul Addis Arrested, Planned To Set Fire To Grace Cathedral

Peter — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 22:42:07 -0000

"so I donâ€™t think itâ€™s just some firecrackers, as some of his diehard fans might like to believe."

cops lie all the time. they shoot a black guy in the back and then say they saw him reaching into his pocket for a gun, and a gun is never found, of course. and then they find bullet holes in the bottom of the victim's feet. or the victim ends up with his intestines shredded by police batons.

cops will kick your ass and then charge you with resisting or assaulting. they're gods walking the streets. they are rarely if ever punished for their various crimes - rapes, murders, sexual assaults of various kinds, you name it. there is no effective oversight.

i.e., to suggest that cops/the DA/the government would not levy outrageous charges against someone just because they can has no basis in fact.

any google news search will find countless examples - from the duke prosecutor (who was only caught b/c he tried to prosecute rich people) to the u.s. government's trumped up case against the muslim charity that was just declared a mistrial because the 'evidence' was laughable.

it's time for some perspective:
http://www3.sympatico.ca/ro...

just take a listen to anyone of these and you'll start to get a feel for how widespread police terrorism is:
http://tinyurl.com/2zzyld

take a look at the innocence project to see how cops, da's, and judges work together to throw innocent people in jail, and keep them there even after they're proven innocent:
http://www.innocenceproject...

in fact, you don't have to go any further than this blog to see what could be just another example of police criminality:
http://laughingsquid.com/dn...

Re: Paul Addis Arrested, Planned To Set Fire To Grace Cathedral

Mike Tattoo — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 11:55:19 -0000

"Iâ€™m not saying Paul Addis is a misunderstood saint, but how about put away our torches and pitchforks, step back a little bit and get a little perpective?"

No thanks. Iâ€™m perfectly OK with mob mentality and the law of the jungle right now.

I really donâ€™t have a sense of humor about arson these days. Bad timing. I donâ€™t care about the amount of explosives the guy had on him or his mental health. Sorry. Donâ€™t care.

And Paul should sure as hell consider himself lucky. If he had pulled this stunt in Southern California thereâ€™s a strong chance he would not be in one piece right now.

Re: Paul Addis Arrested, Planned To Set Fire To Grace Cathedral

Michael — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 01:49:38 -0000

Don't you just love how the same people who call him an impulsive fanatic are so quick to hang him solely on the evidence of an article from a second rate newspaper?

I'm sure glad I live in a country where we are all presumed innocent until proven guilty, that there are trials by jury, (and that none of the previous commenters will be on said jury). I am also thankful that I am part of a society that cares for and treats those who are ill and recognizes that sometimes the best solution for those who can't get along in society is not just to lock them in a cell and throw away the key.

I'm not saying Paul Addis is a misunderstood saint, but how about put away our torches and pitchforks, step back a little bit and get a little perpective?

Re: Paul Addis Arrested, Planned To Set Fire To Grace Cathedral

nina — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 01:13:50 -0000

Isn't CBS-5 the local news agency who had aviation expert Todd Lappin from Telstar Logistics on, to comment about airplane technology in light of some accident (or something), in the past year?

Re: Paul Addis Arrested, Planned To Set Fire To Grace Cathedral

CBS5 — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 21:52:31 -0000

Hi, my name is Joe Vazquez , a reporter from CBS5 TV in San Francisco.

Scott suggested I leave a comment here, as I am looking for help on a story for tonight's newscast.

Does anybody who knows Paul Addis want to talk about him - or on his behalf - on TV tonight?

So far we only have the police department's side of the story.

Please write me at joe@kpix.cbs.com.

Re: Paul Addis Arrested, Planned To Set Fire To Grace Cathedral

Mike Tattoo — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 21:04:04 -0000

And with bail just shy of half a million dollars I really donâ€™t see that many of your buddies rushing to get you out of jail anytime soon. So much for your upcoming play. Bummer, dude.

Seriously though, how does this guy make rent?

Re: Paul Addis Arrested, Planned To Set Fire To Grace Cathedral

Steve Rhodes — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 20:22:29 -0000

And Grace Cathedral is a progressive political and cultural institution as well, not just a religious one.

http://www.gracecathedral.org

they've been webcasting and archiving many of their events since 1995

http://www.gracecathedral.o...

they even interviewed Larry Harvey

http://www.gracecathedral.o...

Re: Paul Addis Arrested, Planned To Set Fire To Grace Cathedral

Ned — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 19:22:13 -0000

I thought the man burning early was amusing, until he opened his mouth about why he did it. Then I realized he had no real motive except to be an attention whore.

I would have liked to witness the frustration at trying to set stone on fire.

Re: Paul Addis Arrested, Planned To Set Fire To Grace Cathedral

Kelly — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 19:16:18 -0000

Saw this on another source:

'Deputy Chief Morris Tabak said Addis had only a small amount of explosives.

"Did he have the capability to do substantial damage? Absolutely not," Tabak said.'

So no, he probably couldn't have hurt the cathedral too much. On the other hand, found this on cbs5.com:

'Police were tipped off to the plot in the city's Nob Hill neighborhood after Addis' neighbor reportedly heard him say that "the cathedral wasn't going to be there anymore," McGrath added.'

Maybe Addis is so gone that he had the intent to do more damage but grossly overestimated his own ability to do damage. Whatever - I think he's probably really gone off the deep end.

I think his comment about it being "his religious right" to attack the church speaks volumes about the morality of his first act of arson.

Re: Paul Addis Arrested, Planned To Set Fire To Grace Cathedral

Kelly — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 18:59:48 -0000

According to the news stories I've read, Addis was arrested with a "belt of explosives" and fireworks in his backpack. He's being charged with "He was booked on suspicion of attempted arson, possession of an incendiary substance, possession of explosives and possession of explosives with intent to terrorize a church", so I don't think it's just some firecrackers, as some of his diehard fans might like to believe.

"I don't think burning churches is productive"...well, there's an understatement. I just hope this does make some of Addis's cheerleaders do some rethinking, though there will probably be stubborn folkjs like Jacob who will continue top insist that because they personally thought a bit of arson enlived their trip, nothing else matters.

Re: Paul Addis Arrested, Planned To Set Fire To Grace Cathedral

nina alter — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 18:55:45 -0000

While the exterior structure of Grace Cathederal is all reinforced concrete (yep!), the interior contains some positively astounding tapestries, stained-glass, very old lithographs and printed books, and who knows how much carefully hand-carved and hand-polished woodwork. Not to mention an amaaaaazing organ.

The exterior of Grace Cathederal is stronger than any of our local freeways. If CalTrans gave a shit as much as the church did, I'd feel an awful lot safer driving 'round here.

Burning the Man early ruined the timing of an over-produced event, and 2 months worth of heave-ho labor; though it made a priceless statement.

The human labor and passion vested in all the handicrafts within the gothic rebar of Grace Cathederal is unfathomable. Sure, it's also a monetary asset to the church. Respect for craft and trade-labor superceeds any religious or political statement that could be made tho, by destroying these treasures.

Pining to find-out what the back-story is on this- as I also think it does seem fishy, that anyone would be attempting anything to a concrete building that sustained minimal Loma-Prieta damage, or to the labor-intensive handicrafts inside.

Re: Paul Addis Arrested, Planned To Set Fire To Grace Cathedral

Paul — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 17:59:38 -0000

Look, the lord is going to come back and send the entire worl to hell to burn anyway, so is it really arson if Paul is just burning what god is going to burn anyway.

Re: Paul Addis Arrested, Planned To Set Fire To Grace Cathedral

Jenn — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 17:52:44 -0000

Is there now any doubt to anyone that all his actions are screaming "INSTITUTIONALIZE ME?"

Sorry, Paul - you gotta hold it together better.

I don't think his friends are going to be able to raise that amount of bail (perfectly warranted considering the multiple arrests after his release from jail in Nevada).

Re: Paul Addis Arrested, Planned To Set Fire To Grace Cathedral

vinnie — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 17:51:47 -0000

Isn't that considered a "Hate crime"?

Attacking a persons belief and lifestyle?

Or an act of terrorism?

hoo boy he's gonna do some time.

And if he doesn't, I don't think he'll be invited to many more parties.

And all the people that backed him won't want to admit to knowing him.

Re: Paul Addis Arrested, Planned To Set Fire To Grace Cathedral

Peter — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 17:24:08 -0000

i'm not a big fan of one-sided stories based on next to nothing. we know he was arrested, but everything else is complete conjecture. what's the point?

i didn't know that 'small explosives' (aka, 'firecrackers') were a good way to burn a stone church down. silly me.

if i didn't know any better, i'd think this press-release-as-news-story was written by Donald Rumsfeld himself. Only the Pentagon could be this incompetent.

Re: Paul Addis Arrested, Planned To Set Fire To Grace Cathedral

Jacob Appelbaum — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 17:15:51 -0000

Dear Daniel,

I think it's great that he probably burned the man early. That certainly made "my burn" more enjoyable. That doesn't mean that I support all of his actions going forward. I'm sure that other people who thought the early burn was not a net negative feel similarly.

I don't think burning churches is productive but I find it suspect that he was apparently going to attempt to burn a stone building. I suspect someone is jumping the shark.

Re: Paul Addis Arrested, Planned To Set Fire To Grace Cathedral

Mike Tattoo — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 17:11:27 -0000

Great sense of timing.

Arsonists have just done well over a billion dollars worth of damage in Southern California. People I went to high school with are now homeless, everyoneâ€™s health is compromised by breathing in all of that crap, misery is everywhere.

And now you choose to come back with another arson stunt to teach us all again how bad ass you are.

I hope they crucify you in court on this one.

Re: Paul Addis Arrested, Planned To Set Fire To Grace Cathedral

Thomas Terashima — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 16:50:08 -0000

5iver!

I'm waiting to see what sort of story Mr. Addis can spin; plus, who would rat him out to the police? Was it an inside job? A member of the "Black Rock Intelligence Service"?

What sort of explosives? Were they just firecrackers?

-=TT=-

Re: Paul Addis Arrested, Planned To Set Fire To Grace Cathedral

Daniel — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 16:45:36 -0000

I wonder how people who were praising this idiot feel now? He's a jerk and a danger to society. His religious right? What a dick

Re: Paul Addis Arrested, Planned To Set Fire To Grace Cathedral

El Tango — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 16:35:30 -0000

I want to send a box of chocolates to whoever tipped the cops off. Paul was probably bragging about his next "job" to people who he thought were his friends.

Death to all fanatics.

Re: Paul Addis Arrested, Planned To Set Fire To Grace Cathedral

Lord Kook — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 16:31:27 -0000

I was willing to let the early burning of the Man go as a decent prank that helped provoke discussion about the nature of the Burning Man event. It didn't mean I had to like Addis, especially in the whirlwind of publicity that followed him around for a while. This, however, is the icing on the shit-cake that hopefully will prove once and for all how much of a douche Addis really is.

Seriously, f@ck this guy.

Re: Paul Addis Arrested, Planned To Set Fire To Grace Cathedral

John Hell — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 16:12:44 -0000

I saw it on the news this morning, and they didn't disclose the name. I knew it though. I think we all knew it.

Re: Paul Addis Arrested, Planned To Set Fire To Grace Cathedral

Adam Jackson — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 15:49:30 -0000

Seriously? He was already on a lot of people's lists and now this?

Sigh.