Blamblog - Brett Lamb's Blog

Thursday, May 31, 2007

Smear Job!

Witness the right-wing blog smear machine in action. The woman from that airbrush blog "exposed" me as someone who makes a living from generous government arts grants. Her readers -- including Kathy and our old friend, Rick -- chimed in with enthusiasm.

Except ... it's not true.

Like most people, I work in the private sector (here, buy some stuff!!!). Here are some of the juicier comments from the blog, condemning me for how I don't make my living. I'm sure none of these good people were surfing at work:

Which makes Brett just a... _regular_ welfare bum.
All in all, I prefer being "a pig in a fright wig" -- with a well paying private sector job and groovy benefits. Brett's jealousy of those more successful than he is is quite startling.
- Kathy Shaidle wrote that one

Graphic designer? The guy's a hack. That's why he's parked at the government nipple. He'd otherwise starve.

Just another wannbe failed liberal artist sucking at the government teat and believing he is entitled to suck at the government teat.

more bellyaching from another trough-wallower.....I would imagine the twit worships at the altar of dr fruit fly as well......when they cannot win the argument, the personal insults and attacks start flying....this is just the start, mark my word....

I can understand if the government wants to commission a respected artist to design a new museum or other large community project -- they are in the public eye enough that their work is properly vetted -- but the thousands of art grants approved by bureaucrats are really ridiculous, and people like Brett should think twice before they draw attention to themselves.

Curiosity got the better of me and I checked out a link or two from this Brett charactor's blog. I'll give the lad credit. He certainly knows where to find taxpayer's dollars.

You win Kate...priciples,hard work, capitalism, art that doesn't need 'tax grants' to survive(somebody tell Atwood it is possible)and the real winning point a zinger punch to the left totally unexpected.

And my favourite:

Anyone who does a job well and isn't a parasite living off his/her neighbours, meaning they're making an honest living and aren't hanging off the tit of the Nanny State, shouldn't be the butt of anyone's condescension or judgment.Obviously, Brett Lamb needs to grow up--but what are the chances? Coddled, entitled, arrogant, swaddled in government cash for life, and used to getting his jollies by putting other people down, this guy sounds like the eternal adolescent. Is he gay, too, I wonder?

Swaddled in government cash FOR LIFE! I'm so LUCKY! Or I would be, if it were true. Which it isn't. Damn! I pointed this out in the comments thread. I wonder if she'll offer a retraction?

But the post is really about defending her cheesy airbrush work. I was held up as an "elitist" (yet Conrad Black is a swell guy?) who dishonestly sucks money from the public purse while Kate presents herself as an honest working-class person (one not afraid of making fat jokes), running a small business. Is she? Look at her work. Did she create Darth Maul? Or Darth Vader? Or Spiderman? Or some of the other characters she reproduced?

Do you think she paid a royalty to use those characters? Maybe she did. Like her, I can only make assumptions. I know that when I do work, it has to be original and I'm very careful not to rip off sources or violate copyrights. I certainly wouldn't reproduce and sell someone else's work without compensating them.

Receiving an arts grant is not a crime, but stealing is. Right?

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