Ian Bunn | Political & Popular Culture Arts

It's just so ridiculous it's almost funny (February 7th)

Leigh Van Bryan the 26 year old Irish bar manager joked on his twitter account that “I’m going to destroy America and dig up Marilyn Monroe”, was arrested along with his partner Emily Bunting 24 on their arrival to the US on terrorism suspicions and immediately forced to return back to the UK. The pair were locked in a cell for 12 hours, interviewed under oath by Homeland Security officials and accused of intending to commit crimes in the US. Van Bryan claims the tweet was taken out of context and the meaning lost in translation, as the word ‘destroy’ refers to getting trashed and partying. The tweet referred to a US comedy ‘Family Guy’ quote ‘3 weeks today, we’re totally in LA p****** people off on Hollywood Blvd and diggin’ Marilyn Monroe up!’ Van Bryan’s luggage was searched for shovels and spades, and Bunting accused of planning to act as his ‘look out’ during the tomb robbing crime. Van Bryan states “It’s just so ridiculous it’s almost funny but at the time it was really scary. The Homeland Security agents were treating me like some kind of terrorist.”

Inspired by Richard Hartley-Parkinson http://ow.ly/8Sy0o image source twitter http://ow.ly/8Syrh

First political face to support the Occupy Movement (December 17th)

James George Janos (Jesse Ventura) the 60 year old US former Governor and TV personality continues to call for increased government transparency and accountability. In an Aljazeera stream Ventura discussed issues of “government transparency, the Occupy Wall Street movement and domestic anger toward the U.S. political system.” Ventura has published recently a book titled ‘American Conspiracies: Lies, Lies, and More Dirty Lies That the Government Tells Us’. In the book Ventura discusses many alleged government conspiracies and cover ups including 9/11, the assassination of President John F Kennedy and various U.S. government programs. Ventura had filed a suit against the Homeland Security and the TSA challenging security pat-downs and full-body scans as a constitutional violation of unreasonable search and seizure, however was blocked by a federal judge citing a lack of jurisdiction. Ventura also visited the Occupy Minneapolis protesters stating he wished to be the first political face to support the Occupy Movement.

Inspired by Aljazeera http://ow.ly/7Vovt image source chuckpalahniuk http://ow.ly/7VoMG