Fresno Famous

Peter Reynosa has done a painting called The Ten Rules of Terrorism that definitely tests the limits of the First Amendment. It is a graffiti  painting done in a style similar to Jean-Michel Basquiat that states ten rules of terrorism. He is hoping to bring it to Fresno State and display it there. The painting is red and white and looks like  a badly written sign, but it is definitely readable and most definitely controversial.

The painting looks like a manual on how to do terrorism, even though Reynosa insists that it is not. "It is not a manual on how to do terrorism, nor am I advocating anyone to go and do terrorism," he said. "It is my observations on terrorism and I put them all down in rules." He makes no apologies for doing this painting. "I studied terrorism exhaustively to come up with these rules. And I believe they tell the truth about how terrorism is done. Actually, if I were to have written this painting down as an essay it would have been called 'The Facts of Terrorism'."

When you see the painting and pay attention to the rules he states they can be a bit shocking. One of the rules he writes is "Attack Western civilization (Third World, no one cares)" and another rule he states is "Murder in freaky style (beheading Wows---bullets are boredom)", and his last rule even dares to say "God was our first terrorist." Asked if he thought some people might find this offensive he said: "I am not sure. Well, obviously, some will."

Yet, Reynosa is sure his painting does not break the law. "I am confident it is protected by the First Amendment. And I am a great believer in the First Amendment." Asked if he has had any trouble with the authorities yet, he said: "Not yet, but then it has only been put over the Internet since October 27th."