Man arrested on charges he broke windows bearing image of Mary

[Kadie]

Man arrested on charges he broke windows bearing image of Mary

Monday, May 10, 2004

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(05-10) 14:17 PDT CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) --

A high school senior was arrested Monday on charges he used a slingshot to shatter office windows that thousands believed bore the image of the Virgin Mary.

A police spokesman said 18-year-old Kyle Maskell was upset about being in foster homes. The spokesman, Wayne Shelor, said the teen had been in at least two foster homes, but declined to elaborate.

"He's not a bad kid," Shelor said. "He had a bad moment and hurt a lot of people."

Maskell was charged with criminal mischief and jailed on $10,000 bail.

more... http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2004/05/10/national1627EDT0670.DTL


OK, so was he arrested for breaking a window, or because he broke a window bearing the "image" of Mary.

Does $10,000 bail sound fair for breaking a window?

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

1. If it really was a miracle, why didn't Mary fix the window?

[Warpy]

2. For his own protection

Can you imagine what Jesus freaks would do to him if they let him out on reasonable bail?

[DrWeird]

3. Well, the mona lisa is just some canvas with pigment splashed on.

You got to take things like sentimental value into consideration.

[WillParkinson]

5. Millions of people can SEE the Mona Lisa...

I'm betting a lot more WON'T see Mary.

[rinsd]

You'd likely be wrong then

From the article:

"It drew almost a half-million visitors within weeks."

That was when it first "appeared" in 1996.

[WillParkinson]

13. Yes, and how many of them 'saw' Mary?

I'm not saying it won't draw the curious. I'm wondering how many people actually 'saw' Mary on the window.

[rinsd]

14. Didn't mean to sound gruff......

I understand what you are saying now.

[7th_Sephiroth]

4. how much did the window cost?

if it was an office window or a church window, those things can get expensive ($10,000+)

[Kadie]

7. Office Window I believe

Good point, that is probably why they set bail so high.

[7th_Sephiroth]

11. i dont think theres much of a criminal action

the dude's screwed in civil court, this prolly goes past small claims

[rinsd]

15. Destruction of property is still a crime.

I doubt he will be "sued" though if he loses the criminal case, he may be ordered to pay restitution.

[Eye and Monkey]

6. Once, I ate a tortilla that had an image of the Virgin Mary on it.

I was hungry.

What's the statute of limitations say - and do they apply in the afterlife?

[theivoryqueen]

8. I think you are okay as long as you didn't

wrap it around menudo

[Eye and Monkey]

10. I drew a Cheez-Whiz Jesus on it.

And shared it with my host.

[PfcHammer]

17. Ah yes. The blessed tortilla story. Pops up ever so often in TX.

[SpiralHawk]

9. In this manner are the old Gods destroyed

shattered
obliterated
fallen to pieces on the ground.

Holy believers writhe in pain,
as if their hearts had been washed
in bleach.

Then
faces wide in awe
believers raise new glass on high

the new God appears
reflected
in so many eyes of wonder

shimmering, waving with light
ready for new interpretation
aglow with promise

peace shall reign forever and ever, and ever, and ever, amen.

- Spiral Hawk 5/10/04

[Stuckinthebush]

12. Isn't it funny how its always Mary or Jesus on things

like windows and pomegranates.

You never hear someone say, "An image of The Buddha has miraculously appeared on the sidewalk at the corner of 20th and 2nd!"

[GinaMaria]

16. Elvis too

Jesus, Mary and Elvis :shrug:

Don't have an answer for you. It is curious

[Bozita]

19. An oil storage tank at a refinery had a stain caused by a leak

It was at a Marathon Oil facility in Findlay, Ohio, IIRC. I can't remember which holy person was seen in the drip.

Local cops had a helluva time with traffic for some time.

[patcox2]

20. There are far more ridiculous Buddhist superstitions

In Buddhist countries, where they make pilgrimages to worship eyeteeth and toenails and other relics and beleive that chanting and spinning "prayer wheels" can get you into a heaven of sensual delight. Buddhism is fully as bizarre a set of superstitious beleifs as christianity.

Of course, underneath the accreted pantheistic superstitous garbage is a nice decent spiritual philosophy. Just like with Christianity.

[bobthedrummer]

18. Look, a lot of tech loosely in the non-lethal arsenal is designed to

create illusions, for instance look up "prophet hologram" in the following USAF reference. Wise up. Sheesh.
http://www.adacomp.net/~mcherney/nonlethal.html

[DemBones DemBones]

21. I'd think that he was arrested for destruction of private property, but

when he goes to trial, appears before a judge, whatever, I'd think the significance of his choice of windows would be considered as well. It's not as bad as trashing a church or synagogue but it is an attempt to hurt people who never did anything to him, apparently just because they have a faith he doesn't. It's a definite "Fuck Society" statement.

As for the truth of the images. . . unusual apparitions on windows may not be the sort of thing to which I or most DUers can relate, but if they helped some people with life, what's wrong with that? If people's faith helps them cope -- and doesn't tell them to start wars or persecute someone else -- I say it's a good thing.