Life

'Who Would Jesus Bomb?'

That's just one button on offer from Vancouver's pin-on king and queen.

By Elaine Corden, 15 Jul 2005, TheTyee.ca

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Melva Forsberg has likely seen a lot of pricks in her life. Appearing as a vendor at her 19th consecutive Vancouver Folk Music Festival, the Button Lady, as she's known around town, has a proclivity for pins that has no doubt seen her jabbed on a number of sharp edges.

From a small studio on the edge on the edges of Strathcona, Forsberg and her company, Babylon Buttons, produce some remarkable ornery ornaments. Amongst the hundreds of slogans she's printed on pins, there's some doozies: "Kiss me, I'm a terrorist." "I *heart* Commie Dykes" "Who would Jesus bomb?" "State terrorism is still terrorism" "CanWest Global sucks." You get the picture. If you've ever even been in the right wing of a building, there's probably something in her collection that'll strike you as radical.

It's not all dour decorations though. Forsberg's buttons have been a hit at the Folk Fest, because, unlike so much leftist sloganeering, they display a wicked sense of humour, one that's not above self-effacement. Cases in point: "Ham radio operators against Bush," a cartoon picture of Steven Harper with a thought bubble that says "Bitch," and alongside the ol' gem, "Unions: Yes," an identical pin which reads, nonsensically 'Onions: Yes'

Selling the classics

A longtime women's rights and labour activist, up-to-the-minute political points are one of the biggest sellers at Folk Fest. She says topical badges, such as a Bush-Cheney-Blair collage reading "Asses of Evil," sell the best, but old classics (anything pro-peace or anti war), never go out of style. Of course, she's in the right market this weekend. The typically laid-back Folk Fest crowd is more likely to agree with her printed sentiments than say, the patrons of a Smithers Fall Fair that she went to years ago.

"They tarred and feathered me up there," says Forsberg, laughing. "I get invited to a lot of labour events, to NDP rallies and events like the Folk Fest." She adds, "Of course, I don't get invited to Liberal conventions."

Though she's still far left of 90 per cent of the populace, she seems to be mellowing in her age.

"I used to get really upset, and take it really personally if someone didn't like my buttons. Now I just think: 'Fuck 'em'"

Non-sequiturial nostalgia

Forsberg is just the latest in a long-line of political activists that has used buttons and badges as tools of the trade. Popular wisdom traces the popularity of propaganda pins back to Nixon and Vietnam days, but in truth, they've been around for centuries: enthusiasts and collectors will tell you that there's vintage buttons to be found for some surprising causes: from George Washington's presidency to the Spanish Civil War. On eBay, that great barometre of cultural fancy, there are hundred of pins to be collected, ranging from $200 for Woodrow Wilson's presidential props to $.01 for a Bush/Cheney '04 badge.

Demand and enthusiasm for politically neutral fare are also high.

Characters from TV shows (WKRP, Welcome Back,Kotter), bands (The Jam, any two-bit punk band you can think of) and non-sequiturial nostalgic bric-a-brac (Howard the Duck, anyone?) have been selling like point hotcakes for years, primarily in one-inch form. A trend that saw rise in the first wave of punk, and followed through to the new-wave craze of the eighties, one-inch-diametre buttons have long served as a fix to Generation X's fetish for iconography and identity. These tiny pins, less overt than a t-shirt or bumper sticker, serve as identity shorthand -- from across a room, a Clash button (currently selling for $3.19 CDN on eBay) says more to a stranger than a furtive glance ever will.

In fact, once more popular as a signifier of membership in a sub-culture, one-inch buttons are now a standard weapon in the arsenal of marketing (along with Forsberg's booth, check out the artists‚ merch tables at Folk Fest and try to find an act that doesn't have buttons). Perhaps recognizing this, the latest take on buttonry, (brought to you by the same hipsters that made trucker hats cool three years ago) is rampant, do-it-yourself individualism.

Pushing buttons

Chris Bentzen, a visual arts grad via Emily Carr, is Vancouver's reigning king of post-modern button making. In sharp contrast, mass-produced pins hawking everything from Cold meds to Coldplay, Bentzens buttons are wildly random and individual. Hand-drawn original art, bits of font, abstract pattern and colour - Bentzen's pin-heavy shoulder bag is a veritable gallery in its own right.

Along with local artist Jim Hoehnle, Bentzen stages an annual event, Hot One Inch Action, a button sale featuring original works by 50 local artists. This year's‚ event, held at the Butchershop Gallery in May, reached capacity near instantly, with hundreds of delighted patrons snapping up randomly bagged packs of five, flittering around the room to trade with friends for the badges they coveted most.

Bentzen reckons buttons are the ultimate fashion accessory for those to whom individuality is everything. As with all underground fashion trends, however, the hooves of commercial interest can be heard stampeding behind the innovation.

"Somebody told me that [women's fashion hotspot] Aritzia was selling them for a while at three for $25. It's ridiculous that they could take that. It's the same with any cultural identifier. It's ridiculous that they could take it from one culture to the other," says Bentzen. "I've had people some up to me on the street and tell me they've just paid $2, or $5 for a button that I'm selling for $1."

While Bentzen may be scornful of imitators, he‚s no fool. "Sometimes I'll have people come up and ask for something, and I won't have it, but I'll make it at home, so I have it for next time." He says. "Usually it's girls who want 'Sexy' or 'Birthday Boy' or something like that. Have I had a request for 'Porn Star'? Yes, but I refuse to do that one. I have my limits."

Behold the freedom of self-employment.

Join the club

The young artist is aware that there are those for whom even his locally made buttons are too mass-produced, and so he's partnered up with the parking spot Gallery (8 Cordova) where he will offer a (hopefully) monthly session for aspiring buttoners to practice their craft. Providing tools and instruction, Bentzen and his partner Hoehnle will facilitate small groups of button-makers looking to put their own handiwork on the tiny, wearable canvases. Already, this month's session, happening July 20th, is completely sold-out. There has also been substantial interest in the pair's Tupperware party-inspired sessions for hire, wherein the duo will come to your home or business for a night of button-making madness.

Leaving Bentzen, a gracious offer of "any button on my bag" yields a hand-drawn button featuring a cartoonish bug, equal parts strange and lovely. Next to the classic peace sign Forsberg proffered at the end of a visit to her studio, it's a (quite literally) sharp contrast: universal themes, tempered with unlimited self-expression.

"You don't have to wear the same one every day. You can't tell now, because I have so many buttons on my bag -- I'm the crazy button guy," says Bentzen, inadvertently borrowing Forsberg's crown. "But when you look at the buttons, two or three of them, you start to get an idea of a person's personality. You can kind of change them, depending on your mood"

And if your mood is, succinctly, "I *heart* Commie Dykes," then perhaps Forsberg's booth at Folk Fest is the way to go.

Elaine Corden is a Vancouver freelance writer, currently working as Interim Arts Editor at The WestEnder.

Have a favorite button saying? Share with Tyee readers below.

Other Tyee articles on the Vancouver Folk Music Festival:

Folk Fest Maestro Dugg Simpson

K'naan's Politically Charged Hip Hop

Placing Sarah Harmer

Utah Phillips, Godfather of the Folk Fest [Tyee]

Elaine Corden writes about pop culture for the Tyee. Her work has appeared on CBC Radio, and in The Georgia Straight, The Vancouver Sun, The Globe and Mail, Vancouver Magazine, Time Out, Victoria Times-Colonist, Monday Magazine, FFWD, The Hour, North Shore News, Shared Vision and some papers in Florida, Texas and Oregon she forgets the names of. Until recently, she authored the music column "Band Geek" for WestEnder, where she also acted as Arts Editor. She maintains the pop-culture obsessed blog Trifective, and is currently working on her first novel.

33 Comments:

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  • skeptikool

    6 years ago

    Comments on "'Who Would Jesus Bomb?'"

    Once had some great fun with a button I made. At the time I was a steward with BC Ferries (when they had decent restaurants) We were involved in a dispute with management and were working to rule.

    I had a large button from a past election campaign. This button I covered with masking tape and added the message:

    - MASTICATION IS GOOD FOR YOU -

    Many did a double-take on reading it, often followed by a sly giggle.

  • Bytesmiths

    6 years ago

    I want a "Who Would Jesus Bomb?" button! How can I contact these people? Do they have a URL? I suppose I could google them, but I'm sooooo lazy...

    Here's something for a button from my personal collection of over 6,000 quotes and witticisms: "Jesus Saves!... Passes to Gretsky; Gretsky SCORES!"

  • jesterjogger

    6 years ago

    I "heart" the button people!
    I'll see you at the next peace rally or environmental/ anti-gordo demonstration.(not that either seems to affect the silent majority that much unfortuneatly)
    A guy on the tyee had a cool slogan when he referred to canwest global as "Canwest Goebell" by the way. Maybe you can paste Joseph's head on tony parson's body and put that caption underneath. Maybe put "fair and balanced" under that aswell(someone told me that fox news, canwest south if you like, has copyrighted that phrase so watch out for sleazy lawyers!)

  • skeptikool

    6 years ago

    Lawyers going after you for using, FAIR AND BALANCED ?????

    That would be absolutely delicious.

    They wouldn't dare. The public would have too much of a ball.

  • Colin

    6 years ago

    Well they did try to charge the activist lawyer who was carrying a pie near a politician. I would have loved to sit in on that courtroom.

    “Your honour, the accused was found carrying a concealed pie, with the intent to use”

    Judge: “Hmm Cherry or lemon meringue?”

    :-)

  • Charles Campbell

    6 years ago

    I have a couple of personal favourites. One from the past, which has an ironic complexity I appreciate, is "Bennett Made Me Eat My Dog." I also have a two-year-old daughter, who wears a Forsberg button that declares simply: "Eats Sand." And she does.

  • fenced

    6 years ago

    forsburg is at

    , should you want a button.

  • dslim

    6 years ago

    when i am feeling especially irreverent i wear a button that says 'don't pull my leg' - cute in its own right but makes people smile when they know that my leg was amputated...

  • sleepswithangels

    6 years ago

    Canwest Goebel

    I'm going to piss myself laughing..again

  • skeptikool

    6 years ago

    Where are all those clever one-liners?

    I would have thought posters would have jumped at this one. I've got a dozen off the top of my head but I'm not going to hog it all.

    Are we so bereft?

  • tommymoore

    6 years ago

    Don't leave your gloves in the dope box..

  • sirjohna

    6 years ago

    how about: 'if you're not liberal when you're 20 you have no heart; if you're not conservative when you're 40 you have no brains.'

  • skeptikool

    6 years ago

    sirjohna,
    Talking about the brain department, it's supposed to be legible on a button - not a pie plate. ;-)

  • anarcho

    6 years ago

    Loved it! Brought me back to my button making days in the early 1980's. My favorite was on a brown paper backing that said "Generic Button" Also did one that said "General Strike" and "More say, more pay, shorter day!"

  • anarcho

    6 years ago

    sirjohn wrote "how about: 'if you're not liberal when you're 20 you have no heart; if you're not conservative when you're 40 you have no brains."

    Typically he (she) has it wrong. It was supposedly said by Benjamin Disreali, "If you are not a SOCIALIST when you are 20, you have no heart, if you are not a conservative when you are 50, you have no brains."

    Of course, no matter who said it, it is cynical crap. On the contrary, most people keep the same attitudes more or less throut their lives.

  • skeptikool

    6 years ago

    Well, here goes. It's assumed, where necessary, the logos will be accompanied with suitable graphics. If anything seems familiar, I've probably used it in my postings.

    Button Ladies, Any commission may be paid through The Tyee. ;-)

    1) 9/11 - IT DIDN'T JUST HAPPEN OUT OF THE BLUE

    2) THE U.S. NEEDS A REGIME CHANGE

    3) The World Court exists for Saddam Hussein and ALL war criminals

    4) GAS-GOUGED? STILL THINK IRAQ WAS ABOUT DEMOCRACY?

    5) A BIKER - AND PROUD OF IT

    6) DOING MY BIT - ON TWO WHEELS

    7) FIGHT BACK - RIDE A BIKE

    8) DISSENT MAY MAKE YOUR COMPUTER ACT UP

    9) WEB PRIVACY IS ILLUSORY

    10) NOT SOLD ON THE WORK ETHIC

    11) FIGHTING FAT WITH ONE LESS CAR

    12) MAY BE MORE OF IT, BUT OUR TERRORISM IS KINDER GENTLER

    13) MEDIA CAUTION: YOU ARE WHAT YOU INGEST

    14) Biking today 'coz I'm all SHELLed out

    15) GAMBLING - IS YOUR MAYOR AND COUNCIL ADDICTED?

    16) SLOTS - IF THEY CAN LOOSEN 'EM THEY CAN TIGHTEN 'EM

    17) SLOTS TAUGHT ME ABOUT CONSTIPATION

  • BLONDE PITBULL

    6 years ago

    Totally of the political spin but my favorite from years ago was "In Vancouver you don't tan you rust"

  • BLONDE PITBULL

    6 years ago

    OOPS that's...Totally off the political spin but my favorite from years ago was "In Vancouver you don't tan you rust"

  • skeptikool

    6 years ago

    BLONDE PITBULL,
    Love it! Have a second favourite?

    Talking of rust reminded me of a line in the movie Flashback, in which Dennis Hopper remarks, "Rust never sleeps." - a fact that the auto industry has really exploited - a smidgen less so today, perhaps.

  • rebel

    6 years ago

    How about "THE AXIS OF EGO" and if you google it you get a story about the guy that invented the term "Axis of Evil" for Dubya's speech.

  • Stuart

    6 years ago

    I Love it, anything that's gets the dissenting message out is awesome, a message the MSM is suppressing at every step

    Some of my favorites I have seen on bumper stickers.

    One that has the face of Bush and Reads " American Psycho "

    One that says " Jesus loves you , everyone else thinks your an *******"

    "Don't Steal the government hates competition"

  • Stuart

    6 years ago

    Sorry everyone else thinks your an Assho**

  • lynn

    6 years ago

    Saw a guy wearing this one once: " I hate badges...and hypocrites."

    My personal favourite: "Child of a Looser God".

  • skeptikool

    6 years ago

    Stuart,

    You're right. I wondered when bumper stickers would be mentioned. Both, buttons and bumper stickers, can be powerful political tools. I have bought, made and used both.

    There's one problem with the bumper sticker that I sadly discovered. The more effective the message, the more likely your car will end up with unexplainable scratches and dents. Another good reason for the mouthy political activist to drive a clunker.

    There are book-burning fascists out there who would throttle all dissent.

  • Stuart

    6 years ago

    Thanks skeptikool, I guess your right about the scratches and dents but that's the risk you take anytime you
    have the courage to say things that are unpopular with the MSM, many folks aka Sirjohna get very upset when they
    are exposed to new ideas for the first time. Like a glaring sun hitting your eyes for the first time makes them squint but once you adjust your focus the view is beautiful. Anytime anyone stands up and utters the truth , the message no
    matter how small is powerful and scary to the ruling class elites.

    Where can you buy bumper stickers and badges that are anti establishment these days.

    I love this one It has a picture of a whale and says "Save the Humans"

  • chris_planb

    6 years ago

    hi, it's chris, i'm in the above article. good story but i just want to clear up a couple of details:

    i'm actually a visual communication design grad from emily carr.

    i'm not that young but i appreciate being referred to as young in the article.

    while i produce the button show with jim hoehnle (of local bike arts fame -- pedalplay), if you want to host a button workshop, you only get me. same if you come to the workshop at Parking Spot Gallery.

    i do make "i heart" type buttons because they can be funny.

    my clever button says "quip quip" in response to clever buttons. look in the dictionary for a definition of quip if you don't know why that's funny.

    info about button making, button workshops and Hot One Inch Action: The Button Show is available through my website www.thisisplanb.net

    ps. i make no claim on the name "the button guy" it seems people who don't remember my name will inevitably say "oh ya, you're the button guy" i apologize to Forsberg... i didn't realize the title has already been claimed. i'll be sure to make a "not the button guy" button ;)

  • chris_planb

    6 years ago

    oh ya, thanks for including me in the article elaine!

  • pender paul

    6 years ago

    My favourite comes from the time I lived in Manitoba and Lyon was King: "Happiness is never having to say you're Tory"

  • cookie cutter

    6 years ago

    It's not a button, but since bumper stickers made it in, I thought I'd throw in one of my favourite T-shirts, seen on the #22 bus: "Ask me about my vow of silence."

  • Hughes

    6 years ago

    A button I saw in a small shop in Kits on W.4th many years ago and regret not buying it to this day: WHAT IF THE HOKEY POKEY IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT?

  • Yammer

    6 years ago

    I've always been partial to the smiley face with one centrally mounted eye, and also the smiley face that is not smiling, it just says, "Have A Day."

    I used to have a button of Betty and Veronica kissing, but sadly have lost it.

  • Stuart

    6 years ago

    How about the bumper sticker,,

    Stop Inbreeding, Ban Country Music

  • skeptikool

    6 years ago

    Re: The two pot-growing women who had their homes "stolen" from them by the court.(approx. value $1million)

    A POLICE STATE HAPPENED 'COZ NO ONE WAS WATCHING

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