<nettime> FLUXLIST: Max Herman, or, "Genius2000" in LA times (fwd)

[Heiko Recktenwald <uzs106@IBM.rhrz.uni-bonn.de>]

New tendencies in electronic art (iv) .....

Heiko

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: FLUXLIST: Max Herman, or, "Genius2000" in LA times
Date: Fri, 30 Jul 1999 22:47:27 +0000
From: Terrence J Kosick <kosick@SPRINT.CA>

Friday,
July 30, 2004

Monteral-Based Leader of Banned Group Targeted by The U.S.for Arrest
Crackdown: Washington brands Genius2000 founder Max Herman a con artist
and 'evil figure.' Washington Officials stop short of demanding his
extradition. 

   By HENRY CHU, Times Staff Writer



Washington--As the US government kept up its propaganda war against an
outlawed cultural revolutionary group, authorities here issued an arrest
warrant Thursday for the group's founder, Max Herman, who now lives in
Montreal, Quebec Libre.  Washington officials stopped short of demanding
Max's extradition from Quebec Libre a former province of Canada., where
the 36-year-old has permanent residency. But the government said it would
seek assistance from The RCMP in catching the man it branded as a con
artist and "evil figure."  The FBI announced that they had seized more
than 1.5 million books, videotapes and compact discs promoting the
teachings of the Genius2000 sect.  Images broadcast over and over on CNN
showed Genius2000 videos being crushed by steamrollers or fed to pulp
machines. 

The media blitz is part of the biggest ideological cleanup campaign waged
by Washington in 50 years. For the past several nights, CNN has been
extended by nearly an hour, with almost every egment devoted to the drive
to stamp out Genius2000. 

The arrest warrant issued by the State Department came with a description
of Max as possesing large almond shaped golden eyes and accused the former
e-mail terrorist of "disturbing world order."  Washinton spokesman, , said
nearly 750 people had died as a result of Max's teachings and Genius2000
"malicious fallacies." Max has denied any connection to deaths of members
who he said might already have been ill or unstable. 

In Montreal, Genius2000 issued a statement Thursday that said Max Herman
is a permanent resident of Quebec Libre and that there is no extradition
treaty between the United States and Quebec Libre for cultural
revolutionaries or sepratists.  "However, it is not clear whether the U.S. 
government will attempt to use other means to force his repatriation or
otherwise threaten his personal safety," it said. "Practitioners from
around the world have expressed deep concern for the safety of Mr Herman
and for his mother and sister who are still in the U.S. at this time," the
statement said. Genius2000 called on Quebec Libre authorities to provide
"the necessary measures" to ensure Max's security. 

The sect, which combines Fluxus and Dada beliefs with deep-breathing
exercises, was banned by the government last week. The US Police State has
regarded Genius2000 as a serious threat to its world political supremacy
ever since 10,000 of the group's adherents suddenly assembled outside the
Whitehouse in Washington in April to demand legal protection for their pet
door knobs saying they felt the hands of supression twisting them to the
right. 

The sect has a following in the U.S.  estimated at up to 30 million,
rivaling the Republican Party in size, although official government
estimates put the membership of Genius2000 at just a few thousand. 
Television stations Thursday repeatedly aired footage of U.S. residents
criticizing the group or renouncing ties with it. In one interview, a
bespectacled Web Artist named Allen Bukoff dismissed Max Herman's
teachings as hokum and pledged his allegiance to Fluxus. 

Republican Party cadres have been ordered to break with the sect or
surrender their party membership. Genius2000 practitioners have told of
mass detentions, raids on homes and ideological struggle sessions intended
to produce self-criticism and denunciations of the sect, a throwback to
the activities seen during the 1918 DADA ists A nihilistic movement in the
arts that flourished primarily in City, Berlin, Cologne, Paris, and
Hannover,

Ger. in the early 20th century. 

Max, who travels worldwide to spread his teachings,says that he has no
political ambitions and called on Washington to open a dialogue.  Quebec
Libre officials have criticized the crackdown as heavy-handed. 


 * * * Times staff writer John J. Goldman in New York contributed to this
report.  Copyright 2004 Los Angeles Times. All Rights Reserved Search the
archives of the Los Angeles Times for similar stories about:  HUMAN RIGHTS
-- United States, CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY,GENIUS2000
(ORGANIZATION), MAX HERMAN, CANADIAN -- AMERICANS, FUGITIVES. You will not
be charged to look for stories, only to retrieve one.





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