08/11/2025
This is an installation that my friend and Internationally acclaimed artist constructed a few years ago. The following is her recent post…
From V.L. Cox Studio:
Considering the enormous waste of taxpayer money used to take over Washington DC, where crime is at a documented 30-year low, in a futile attempt to distract and keep Americans from releasing the disgusting 'Epstein pe*****le list of the rich and famous,' I guess now is a good a time as any to go ahead and make this announcement.
Earlier this year when I became concerned about the lightning speed dismantling of our First Amendment Rights, I realized that it has been 10-years since the End Hate Doors made their international debut after being installed on the steps of the Arkansas State Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial. (Wow a lot has happened since then.) So I thought to myself “Hmm, maybe we need to do something special this year. There is probably no chance in the world this administration (via the NPS) would EVER give me another 'Freedom of Speech' permit for a 10-year anniversary National Mall Installation…"
Or would they?
So I dotted the 'i's', crossed the 't's' filled out the logistics and data and applied for another permit, fully prepared to frame the rejection letter that would hang on my studio wall.
25 days later, I surprisingly received a response from the National Park Service from an external email server asking me what dates I wanted. I had wanted the same date as the first time but the slot was already full, so we decided to skip past the blistering hot summer heat and settle for September 13th where I would also be adding another door for the first time since 2017. So far with updated communication as recent as a few days ago, we are still on track with the permit scheduled to be sent 7-10 days before installation.
Now I have a dear friend of mine who is a whole lot smarter than I am, give us a 50/50 chance of still receiving it because of the political climate now. But after seeing the once again panicked and ridiculous level of distraction and unnecessary force as well as the blatant misuse of Americans in uniform at our Nation’s Capitol, I’m betting that there is a big possibility that we get cancelled at the last minute. Because if not? Lord it’s going to be a wild, historic time in the old National Mall with these powerful Doors.
For now, I currently have my posse on standby, my advisor and fierce friend Beth Andrews Wyatt is planning on joining me to unveil the new ‘Disabled Only’ door, and I have a healthy amount of cautious optimism that no one gets hurt if we still go. However, if not, I am lining up a backup plan to install somewhere in DC regardless. Because at this point, it's the right damn thing to do.
There is a reason that the words “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” is the #1 - ‘FIRST’ Amendment to the Constitution.
So today as we wait, I'm going to borrow the state motto of Virginia:
‘Sic Semper Tyrannis.'
Let’s see if it holds…
