Just got this text message a few minutes ago:
(Vote Steve Benjamin for Mayor) Don’t let anyone stop you from voting. Make sure
your voice is heard.
Nice use of technology, but I was struck by the slightly paranoid edge to the message — the built-in sense of agrievement, with its indirect allusion to the lyrics of “Don’t you let nobody turn you ’round…”
Pictures pop into one’s mind of The Man standing in front of the voting place with dogs, an ax handle in his hand. Or am I being overly imaginative?
I hadn’t really seen Steve using those sort of rhetorical flourishes until the last couple of days. I guess it makes sense, though, in terms of trying to turn out people who would be somewhat less likely to turn out without such an appeal. If it’s not condescending for me to think that…
I think you’re being a little paranoid. Actually it’s astute use of modern technology.
Well, it sort of goes without saying that everybody’s out to get ME…
Sometimes paranoids have enemies. The history of disenfranchising blacks in this state didn’t end in 1964. Challenges, many unfair, to voting qualifications happen all too often in certain precincts.
Of course they are. THEY are scheming to take over the world for the sole purpose of crushing you. There, now, don’t you feel validated?
Are we going to be able to read the election results be simply seeing what ads are left?
Actually, I have TWO advertisers still in it. Which is pretty good. The most I could have had would have been three.
And in the 4th District, it could be argued that an ad on bradwarthen.com made the difference. My two earliest advertisers made the runoff, while the third among the most likely candidates, who did NOT take out an ad, is out.
But perhaps I’m thinking like an ad salesman and not a political writer there, eh?