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Tagging Air Force One
Status: Fake
image A video on stillfree.com shows a guy (Mark Ecko) spraying graffiti on Air Force One. This involves him avoiding armed guards, climbing over fences, and then sprinting across the tarmac to write "Still Free" on the plane's engine. The video is well done, but fake. As a disclaimer on the site reads: "You, the viewer of the preceeding are hereby advised that the video does not depict a real event. It is intended for the sole, limited and express purpose of entertainment and to induce you, the viewer of the video, to think critically about freedom of expression and speech and the government's responses to the same."
Categories: Photos, Politics
Posted by Alex on Tue Apr 18, 2006
Comments (27)
More from the Hoax Museum Archives:
Of course free speech has had some rough times lately, but had this been real, I'd like to think there is a better way to express one's self that would not hit the tax payer for a new paint job. Respect for other people's, or in this case, the national property is probably another good thing to keep in mind. Free speech also suffers when people assume their opinion deserves status that it doesn't.
Posted by Lonewatchman  on  Tue Apr 18, 2006  at  11:38 AM
that website is so full of all this over the top freedom crap i can barely read half the stuff.
Posted by Tom  on  Tue Apr 18, 2006  at  11:49 AM
This is all viral advertising for Mark Eckos new video game: "Mark Eckos Getting up". Where you play as a graffiti artist who prowls around New York City tagging numerous objects and getting in trouble with the law.
Posted by Jerry Jackson  on  Tue Apr 18, 2006  at  03:23 PM
In fact, I'm not even aware of any "rough times" for, much less limitations on, free speech that have occurred recently in this country. There just seems to be a grand explosion of paranoia about it, so far as I can tell.
Posted by Sam  on  Tue Apr 18, 2006  at  04:12 PM
Eh ... as long as it wasn't real then no harm no foul.
Posted by Dracul  on  Tue Apr 18, 2006  at  04:37 PM
Actually, odd coincidence.. The President's helicoptor and three escorts flew overhead earlier, on their way to West Sacramento, CA. Forget what they call it when he's in a helicopter.. Think it's Marine One..

Oh, and FYI, there are three or four 'Air Force One's out there. The trick is that *ANY* plane that the President is aboard is automatically Air Force One.

Air Force Two is the Veep's ride.
Posted by Robin Bobcat  on  Tue Apr 18, 2006  at  10:25 PM
Do you think the US Government would like everyone knowing that their security was flawed?
Posted by Tony  on  Wed Apr 19, 2006  at  05:01 AM
Just because he put a disclaimer up on his website saying it was a hoax doesn't mean it acutally is a hoax.
Posted by Jason  on  Wed Apr 19, 2006  at  05:40 AM
Thats what I was thinking Jason...
Posted by davetolomy  on  Wed Apr 19, 2006  at  07:30 AM
What a bunch of shit, yeah air force one in the open for anyone to walk up to, give me a break. How come no news agencies haven't picked up the story if it isn't a hoax. This guy is a load of shit, and is doing this for exposure, which he got.
Posted by scot  on  Wed Apr 19, 2006  at  07:34 PM
I mean come on, it really does give you the impression that he did vandilize the Airforce 1. Although it is fake, what makes you think that it is not possible. Did we all say to our selves "gosh, i don't think no one can devise a plan to crash planes into the WTC and the Pentagon?"
Posted by Matt From Cali  on  Thu Apr 20, 2006  at  02:14 AM
That's a good point. Maybe he just put the disclaimer there to calm the lawyers down. Maybe there are a couple taggers out there who were ballsy enough to sell him their tape, knowing that he could throw off the trail.
Posted by Pedro  on  Thu Apr 20, 2006  at  08:57 AM
Now let me see if I got this straight... Marc Ecko, in his website video, is lying when he claims he tagged Air Force One with graffiti... and that would therefore make his graffiti video a fake... but in his disclaimer, Marc does an about-face and decides to be truthful.... Yeah... I think I got it now.
Posted by RB  on  Thu Apr 20, 2006  at  09:40 AM
Wow.
Fake or not fake.
I guess you would rather Ecko follow corporate America and produce bullshit, happy smiley annoying advertisng in the middle of your favorite TV show.
Hate his clothes, respect his balls.
Posted by pl  on  Thu Apr 20, 2006  at  12:24 PM
The engines for a 747 are 24 feet off the ground.
Unless he had his peter pan wings on its a hoax.
Posted by Bob  on  Fri Apr 21, 2006  at  02:45 PM
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=1875386

End of story...thank me later.
Posted by Tim  on  Fri Apr 21, 2006  at  09:20 PM
24 feet?? Throw away that Taiwanese tape measure, Bob. The cowlings of #2 and #3 engines on a 747 have just under 6 feet of ground clearance.
Posted by RB  on  Sat Apr 22, 2006  at  06:05 AM
If anyone thinks this is real, sorry... it isn't. Air Force One is housed INSIDE an "extremely secure" hangar INSIDE of a "restricted area" while at Andrews AFB. It's only left outside in the elements, while in use by the President.

Also, this 747's cowlings are those of older engine types (GE CF6-50E's) which are about 20-30 years older than those used by Air Force One. (But, they really ARE that low to the ground!) Also missing are the SatCom antenna's of Air Force One.

PRETTY GOOD JOB FOR A HOAX THOUGH!
Posted by Major Tom  on  Sat Apr 22, 2006  at  04:29 PM
all you people are just friggin haters. graffiti is the most recognized form of art. if this is fake its a damn good job. its for entertainment and t expalin the importance of free speech. if this is real ive give mr ecko mad props. bombing af1! hell yeah!!! f tha h8ers!!! still free!! graffiti is art!!! art is graffiti!!!
Posted by nick  on  Sat Apr 22, 2006  at  09:11 PM
Would have been shot...they don't mess around with AF1
Posted by The Great Gonzo  on  Sat Apr 22, 2006  at  09:26 PM
Regardless if it's a hoax or not it had officials' panties in a bunch when the story first broke. And Marc Ecko's game " Getting up : Contents Under Pressure " was not correctly described by a poster previously... that's just theyre view depicting the game in a bad light, and the game isn't even about what they described. Get a life. Graffiti will live forever, it's been here since Cave Men .. Mark your territory, state your name.... SHOW YOU HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE WORLD THAT SURROUNDS YOU

FAME GAME VANDAL
NOFACE ONERS HOLLA
Posted by NOFACE ONERS  on  Sun Apr 23, 2006  at  03:31 AM
Regardless of if it was a hoax or not it got official's panties in a bunch when the story first broke. The person who describe Marc Ecko's game above does not have the correct information. Open up your blind eyes. Play the game and -THEN- you have the right to comment on it, or the culture it reveals to the mainstream public. Graffiti will never die.. It's been here since cave dwellers ...... even the army does graffiti..

sincerely yours
TIRED OF THE MENTALLY SURPRESSING BLANK WALLs AND LOVE MAKING THE WALLS MORE COLORFUL FOR YOU ON THE RIDE TO YOUR STRESSFUL JOB.....

NOFACE ONERS


..:graffiti is art:..
Posted by NO FACE ONE  on  Sun Apr 23, 2006  at  03:40 AM
this isn't a forum for your pro graffiti shit, take it else where. nobody cares.
Posted by Tom  on  Wed Apr 26, 2006  at  04:04 AM
how did they make the footage though ?
Posted by pras til  on  Mon May 01, 2006  at  03:43 PM
Its clearly fake, one he would get arrested for destruction of government property (and how much would it cost to re-spray Air Force One), second they could also do him for treason if they pushed hard enough, never mind the fact he could be arrested, even shot for trespassing on government property and probably on a restricted area, I mean it was Air Force One. Also with the whole terrorist situation do you think the government would allow this tape/image to be released? Imagine the mass panic if it was true, if that guy can spray paint onto Air Force One, who
Posted by Kaysell  on  Tue May 02, 2006  at  09:23 AM
Being in the AF, I happen to know that security sucks- though no fault of the SF personnel- it's a matter of budgeting. I can almost see it being real... it's scary and it's sad. The AF is downsizing by 40,000 + in the near future. Oh, by the way, we're still at war and things are getting worse in the middle east. It's only a matter of time before something worse than spray paint gets pulled off (even if it's not real, it's a little too close to real)- if people don't stop playing politics and start paying attention. We're headed for real people jumping installation fences, but instead of spraypaint they'll have guns, and their backpacks will have bombs, and they won't care if they make it out alive.
Posted by Falcon  on  Wed May 03, 2006  at  02:55 PM
You guys are fucking morons. Ecko fooled me at first - I was like, shit yeah, that guy has fucking balls. But as son as I read it was fake I was amazed at how low that was. He lies right to your face in his statement.

If you're gonna be a free speech advocate, don't bullshit. That's the very definition of free speech.
Posted by Eddy  on  Sun Oct 08, 2006  at  04:03 AM
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