There are times when graffiti can become a necessary part of civil disobedience against an occupying force. It can be as simple as a "Viva la Revolution!" scrawled on an adobe wall in Mexico to the gigantic murals of Northern Ireland, depicting masked members of the IRA. Time and purpose decide which is appropriate.
For the quintessential Confederate symbol, it is hard to beat the Southern Cross of the square Battle Flag or its rectangular cousin, the Navy Jack. Unfortunately, they take time to draw out in the neat and accurate manner that they deserve, and time is something that the guerrilla artist is often short on. By use of a stencil, however, a nice subdued image can be placed for posterity in a matter of seconds.
To make the stencil, simply lay out your flag accurately on a piece of poster board or other heavy card stock. (For the very best in concealability and longevity, use thin rubbery gasket material, which can be rolled repeatedly for hiding.) Then, leaving a neat border around the outside edge, cut out the triangular areas that would normally be red and the white stars. The best way to go about this is to lay it on a flat surface protected by several layers of cardboard, and make the cuts with the aid of a sharp utility or hobby knife and a ruler or yardstick, depending on the size of your stencil. You should be left with a thin-walled square or rectangle with a Southern Cross in the center with its stars missing.
To use, make four small loops of tape (sticky side out) on the corners of the stencil in such a way that they don't protrude from behind the stencil material. Simply stick the stencil to the surface that you think needs a flag and apply spray paint. Take the stencil off and you're left with a "subdued" flag, much like the subdued insignia worn on military fatigues. In fact, using flat black paint, it looks very official on the military-issue olive drab and cammo of the type used on military vehicles.
Just be sure and get permission first!
Note: Smaller stencils could be made to fit the lenses of flashlights, and used to flash our own Confederate "Bat Signal" on the walls of buildings. Non-destructive, it is great fun for the kids and at political rallies that take place in darkened rooms. Use your imagination! Illustrations on next page. |
