QuoteA man who poured a can of gasoline on his head and set himself on fire on the National Mall in the nation's capital has been airlifted to the hospital, police and fire officials said Friday afternoon.
The man, whose name was not immediately known, suffered life-threatening injuries, said D.C. fire department spokesman Tim Wilson.
He was standing by himself at Seventh Street and Madison Drive, in the center portion of the Mall, when he emptied the contents of a red gas can on himself and set himself on fire moments later, said Katy Scheflen, who witnessed it as she walked through the Mall.
She said passing joggers took off their shirts in an effort to help douse the flames, and the man was clearly alive as the flames spread. A police department spokesman said he was conscious and breathing at the scene. MedStar Washington Hospital Center tweeted that the man was taken there but had no condition update.
"There was not a lot people could do because it was a gasoline fire," she said.
She said he may have said something before he acted "but it was nothing intelligible." She said she did not see him holding any signs.
"I'm not aware of any signage or any articulation of any causes," said Lt. Pamela Smith of the U.S. Park Police, which is investigating along with the D.C. police department.
The D.C. police department has dispatched its violent crimes branch, which responds to cases in which a person suffers serious injury.
I remember a good few year back wander around Westminster, as I got into St James Park a helicopter flew in low heading for parliament square, a man had just set fire to himself in front of parliament.
I may have passed him a few minutes earlier, if just a bit later I'd have seen his both courageous and sad protest.
I was only when I got home and saw the news item, that I realised what had happened, always remember that day, my carefree wander in contrast to his careworn final day.
I'm surprised we haven't gotten more of these.
It's gotta suck that he survived, though. That's why when were I to make a similar statement, I'm going for exsanguination. Slightly less spectacular, but a lot more margin for error. You don't wake up quadriplegic or missing your face. It'd also permit the use of a written statement.
Can you burn a Meskimo instead of yourself?
I said this had started, I bet more things already have but not made public.
Quote from: lustindarkness on October 04, 2013, 06:12:00 PM
I said this had started, I bet more things already have but not made public.
It started long ago. Society gets to a fucked up enough position that there is no out for too many people.
Quote from: Ideologue on October 04, 2013, 05:54:01 PM
I'm surprised we haven't gotten more of these.
It's gotta suck that he survived, though. That's why when were I to make a similar statement, I'm going for exsanguination. Slightly less spectacular, but a lot more margin for error. You don't wake up quadriplegic or missing your face. It'd also permit the use of a written statement.
If you want, I can help. I'll keep away the first responders till you are dead. We'd have to practice first of course. Light just parts of you on fire to see if you can stand it. You want to do Buddhist thing where the fire doesn't seem to bother you, we don't want you running around screaming. That would detract from the message and make it look like you didn't think it through.
You need a safe word. Something like "Raz, stop pouring gasoline on me, you freak!" or "What are you doing with that lighter?"
If I need help with a political suicide, I don't think getting a schizophrenic to be my second is the best choice, from a media standpoint.
Making a statement that no one around you understood, and then setting yourself on fire only to painfully critically injure yourself? Talk about an epic fail.
Quote from: DGuller on October 04, 2013, 07:11:43 PM
Making a statement that no one around you understood, and then setting yourself on fire only to painfully critically injure yourself? Talk about an epic fail.
Yeah, that was the lede I buried. My first impression was "hell yeah," but the execution was weak.
Well, the good part about surviving is that he can take a mulligan, right?
Quote from: Ideologue on October 04, 2013, 07:02:57 PM
If I need help with a political suicide, I don't think getting a schizophrenic to be my second is the best choice, from a media standpoint.
Who else would do it? You need someone who has already put a lot of thought into lighting you on fire.
I doubt you'd even show up. OMG AN AGORA
I'd bring marshmallows.
I'M NOT SETTING MYSELF ON FIRE
Quote from: Razgovory on October 04, 2013, 07:53:02 PM
Quote from: Ideologue on October 04, 2013, 07:02:57 PM
If I need help with a political suicide, I don't think getting a schizophrenic to be my second is the best choice, from a media standpoint.
Who else would do it? You need someone who has already put a lot of thought into lighting you on fire.
thats like, what, half of languish?
Quote from: Ideologue on October 04, 2013, 07:57:03 PM
I'M NOT SETTING MYSELF ON FIRE
see, this is a perfect example of your lack of commitment :P
Quote from: Ideologue on October 04, 2013, 07:57:03 PM
I'M NOT SETTING MYSELF ON FIRE
I'll bring chocolate and graham crackers too.
Quote from: Ideologue on October 04, 2013, 07:57:03 PM
I'M NOT SETTING MYSELF ON FIRE
:( FWIW, I think you would've burned very well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipqqEFoJPL4 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipqqEFoJPL4)
He only eats the Smores with Reese's on them :rolleyes:
My wife threatened to ban me from the internet, I've been laughing so hard.
did he get fined for smoking in a public place? Or is that still allowed there?
He died. :(
QuoteBy Associated Press, Published: October 4 | Updated: Saturday, October 5, 3:05 PM
WASHINGTON — A man who set himself on fire on the National Mall in the U.S. capital has died of his injuries, which were so severe that authorities will have to use DNA and dental records to identify him, District of Columbia police said Saturday.
The man died Friday night at a Washington hospital where he had been airlifted, Officer Araz Alali, a police spokesman, said.
The man poured the contents of a red canister of gasoline on himself in the center portion of the mall Friday afternoon. He then set himself on fire, with passing joggers taking off their shirts to help put out the flames. Police had said he was conscious and breathing at the scene, but he was airlifted to MedStar Washington Hospital Center with life-threatening injuries.
Police are investigating the man's possible motives. Lt. Pamela Smith of the U.S. Park Police said Friday she was not aware that he had carried any signs with him or had articulated a cause.
One witness, Katy Scheflen, said she did not hear the man say anything intelligible before he set himself on fire. But she said she did notice that another man with a tripod was standing nearby and had disappeared by the time the police had arrived. It was not immediately clear whether a recording exists.
"He appeared to be waiting for something to happen. After it happened, he was gone," Scheflen, a Justice Department lawyer, said Saturday of the man with the tripod.
"I can't say what the connection was between them or whether there was a connection," she added.
It's not a pretty win, but he'll take it.
At least he died for a good cause.
Quote from: The Brain on October 05, 2013, 05:41:00 PM
At least he died for a good cause.
He was nothing more than a flash in the pan.
Do they issue burn permits at the national mall?
He had so much more to give.
Quote from: derspiess on October 05, 2013, 07:17:49 PM
He had so much more to give.
His light burned brightly, if not for a breif moment.
Are they planning a candle light vigil in his honor?
His anger brought him to the boiling point.
One should not get too hot over the issues of the day.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fassets.nydailynews.com%2Fpolopoly_fs%2F1.1476777.1380921519%21%2Fimg%2FhttpImage%2Fimage.jpg_gen%2Fderivatives%2Flandscape_635%2Fburn-1004.jpg&hash=510e81be7bb3528bf5f5df681834fdab57954b1b)
Quote from: 11B4V on October 05, 2013, 07:36:07 PM
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fassets.nydailynews.com%2Fpolopoly_fs%2F1.1476928.1380935023%21%2Fimg%2FhttpImage%2Fimage.jpg_gen%2Fderivatives&hash=d3d7f95f7e6fe9e5751515610db4286599bd53c5)
+1
What was the name of the gentleman who set himself on fire outside the Pentagon in 65/66 and which so disturbed MacNamara ?
iirc I've seen a film based on the build up to the incident.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/man-sets-fire-national-mall-report-article-1.1476755
Quote from: mongers on October 05, 2013, 07:37:38 PM
What was the name of the gentleman who set himself on fire outside the Pentagon in 65/66 and which so disturbed MacNamara ?
iirc I've seen a film based on the build up to the incident.
Norman Morrison. Quaker dude.