Man Sets Self Aflame in Calif. Protest

CBS ^

[madprof98]

Man sets himself aflame to protest religious names for California school district's breaks

AP) A man used flammable liquid to light himself on fire, apparently to protest a San Joaquin Valley school district's decision to change the names of winter and spring breaks to Christmas and Easter vacation.

The man, who was not immediately identified, on Friday also set fire to a Christmas tree, an American flag and a revolutionary flag replica, said Fire Captain Garth Milam.

Seeing the flames, Sheriff's Deputy Lance Ferguson grabbed a fire extinguisher and ran to the man.

Flames were devouring a Christmas tree next to the Liberty Bell, where public events and demonstrations are common.

Beside the tree the man stood with an American flag draped around his shoulders and a red gas can over his head.

Seeing the deputy, the man poured the liquid over his head. He quickly burst into flames when the fumes from the gas met the flames from the tree.

The deputy ordered the man to drop to the ground as he and a parole agent sprayed him with fire extinguishers.

"The man stood there like this," the deputy said with his arms across his chest and his head bent down, "Saying no, no, no."

The man suffered first degree burns on his shoulders and arms, Milam said.

Kern County Sheriff's Deputy John Leyendecker said the man had a sign that read: "(expletive) the religious establishment and KHSD."

On Thursday, the Kern High School Board of Trustees voted to use the names Christmas and Easter instead of winter and spring breaks.

[madprof98]

It would not be in the Christmas spirit to end with HO, HO, HO.

[Tax-chick]

The man suffered first degree burns on his shoulders and arms

I hate when that happens. Obviously there's more to self-immolation than the anti-religious dingbat realized.

[Dallas59]

Another one?

[NewCenturions]

"dumb@ss alert"

[cripplecreek]

Taking it a little hard aren't ya sparky?

[kinoxi]

He's not living a carbon neutral lifestyle anymore. It should be fined.

[Solamente]

I would have put out the tree first.

[GAGOP]

Well, he obviously had a burning passion.

[God luvs America]

if there were mor men like him there would be less men like him!

[Cementjungle]

It would not be in the Christmas spirit to end with HO, HO, HO.

No, but "HE, HE, HE" is acceptable.

[CAWats]

Lance Ferguson needs to slow down.

[GoldCountryRedneck]

Global Warming and Second-Hand Smoke Alert!!!

[Doohickey]

Note to lurking liberals: This is a very effective form of protest. I urge you all to set fire to yourselves to show your outrage! FReepmail me for gas money.

[padre35]

Poor soul, he should have soaked his clothes THEN poured the rest on himself then lit himself afire...

Geez, you gotta explain everything to this nut jobs...

I hope God has mercy on him.

[umgud]

Build a man a fire, and he will be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he will be warm for the rest of his life.

[newnhdad]

Someone forgot to tell him that the Dems won and all will be well because the moonbats will be in control soon..

[SmithL]

So, he made an ash of himself.

[marron]

I wonder what he'll do when he finds out who the San Joaquin Valley is named after.

[Doctor Raoul]

There one less drip in the shallow end of the gene pool...

He really took that "I'm offended" stuff too seriously.

At some party school, the liberal chick who was quoted as bitching about Coulter speaking on campus was the coordinator of a 500 signature petition against changing the ketchup packets in the hall from Heinz to Hunts. Called here self, "a representative of the dining community".

[ARealMothersSonForever]

Obviously a flaming liberal atheist.

[Kimmers]

I heard there were a lot of flamers in CA particularly in San Francisco.... Is this what they are referring too? I ask innocently

[Zeon Cowboy]

Too bad he failed.

[kellynla]

imagine how this nut cake will feel when someone enlightens him as to whom the school district "San Joaquin" is named after...and for those who don't already know it, St. Joaquin was the father of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

[444Flyer]

Being he is from California he might just be a "flamer"...

[444Flyer]

Oh man!!! Beat me by a thread!

[SouthernBoyupNorth]

damn shame the stupid SOB didn't die

[WestVirginiaRebel]

He decided not to wait for Santa and turned himself into a lump of coal.

[jimbo123]

[jimbo123]

Video Here!

http://www.kget.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoId=13790

[Kimmers]

LOL....I read all of the threads before me because I thought surely another FReeper has come up with this but not.....so I claim this one TA-DA !!!!!

[Redbob]

Pity the deputy didn't use the fire extinguisher - on the American flag!

[444Flyer]

Having lived for 5 years within an hour of San Fran (but, proudly never visited) it was all I could think of.

[Kimmers]

To honor this festive event The Platters were temporarily reunited to sing the old favorite "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" (ba da bump)

[Defender2]

Sounds like this fool might be another jihadanazi.

[RichInOC]

Oh, good. He tried to preheat himself.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

I guess you could say he burnt out on the issue.

[DCPatriot]

Way to go moron!

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

"Build a man a fire, and he will be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he will be warm for the rest of his life."

---

Classic. But I think he was auditioning for next year's Burning Man event--or that new TV show, Pimp My Blaze.

[tioga]

Darwin Runner-up.

[tob2]

What an idiot!

[roostercashews]

Yule log?????

[King of Florida]

The man suffered first degree burns on his shoulders and arms

Obviously an amateur self-immolator. Probably used Zippo lighter fluid, too. Gasoline is the only way to go -- if you want to go. I guess he really didn't feel that strongly about his cause.

[KarlInOhio]

The man suffered first degree burns on his shoulders and arms, Milam said.

He didn't even get blisters (the symptom of second degreen burns)? What a waste of perfectly good gasoline.

[Albion Wilde]

...he made an ash of himself.LOL!!

Was it Michael Newdow?

[Criminal Number 18F]

You gotta pick your hill to die on... some people pick a Matterhorn, and some go for a tussock....

First degree burns are like a medium sunburn, so this morongoloid was not really injured. He needs some pointers on how to commit effective suicide -- the loser.

Ho, ho, ho.

d.o.l.

Criminal Number 18F

[Senormechanico]

You beat me to that answer.

[Dov in Houston]

I read somewhere a couple month's back where a looney in California did this to protest and nobody noticed. That one died.

[Gene Eric]

Does 'Burning Bush' and 'Don't Tread on Me' have any relevance?

[rbmillerjr]

Note to burning guy: Nobody cares any more. You missed the sixties.

[DustyMoment]

The chief should have done more to save the tree.

The Sierra Club is gonna send him a nastygram for this one!!