This commercial from tne No on 8 campaign by Equality California is fantastic. For one thing, Samuel L. Jackson narrates it. The short ad quickly recounts the history of discrimination in California--from the Japanese internment camps, to bans against interracial marriage--and ties these to Prop. 8. The ad then shows photos of loving gay and lesbian families--with their happy kids!--and the narrator reminds us that we have an obligation to leave to our children a more tolerant and more "decent" society.
This ad gets an A+ in my book. The voiceover, the choice of images, the historical context, the firm call to moral duty... This is a complete package in thirty seconds. Best political ad I've seen all year, for any issue! Pass it around!
Friday, October 31, 2008
Best Political Ad I've Seen All Year
Posted by Dr. Strangelove at 11:19 AM
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
8 comments:
Hey Californians. You guys need to get that No On 8 vote out!
This is a terrific ad. It is the correct historical narrative. And if it can persuade Latinos and Armenians and Asians to vote No, all the better.
Good news is the Field Poll says that No is leading 49-44. That's a very, very good sign, as the CA Field poll is extremely good at polling California.
I'll vote whichever way Samuel L. Jackson tells me to vote!
It's a good ad. But it does tiptoe around the whole "gay" thing. If you hadn't pointed out the gay and lesbian families at the end I wouldn't have noticed them. *sigh*
I guess we'll just have to deal with the fact that no one wants to get up and say "Hey! This is bad for gay people! That's wrong!" Instead, they're just saying it's wrong, without saying who would be negatively impacted.
By the way, Schwarzenegger says he's opposed to Prop 8. But where is he today? He's in Ohio campaigning for John McCain. Why? Schwarzenegger is the governor of California what business does he have in Ohio? There are serious issues in play in his own state and he is ducking out. He's not willing to back up his own position with actions at a time when he is not running for anything. For what? It's not as if he will ever need anyone in Ohio to vote for him. He is constitutionally prohibited from running (happily) for President. This trip to Ohio is to help John McCain and Sarah Palin win the Presidency? Californians should be outraged at Schwarzenegger's disregard for his own constituents.
I'd rather they tiptoe around "the gay" thing at this point and get down to the deep seeded issue.
When minority groups are supporting this proposition - something is clearly wrong.
I think the most powerful thing "NO on Prop 8" supporters could do is go to "Yes on 8" rallies dressed in white robes and hoods, get some media attention, and shout things things like, "Prop 8 is awesome!! Once we take this right away from the gays, we'll be one step closer to getting those blacks back off the buses, get women out of the poll booths and offices and back home where they belong, and give the god granted power of this country back to us white men!!!"
It's disappointing, but unless you make things personal, a lot of people in this country just don't get it.
This is an absolutely fantastic ad. And I think Bell Curve's almost hit the nail on the head when he said "If you hadn't pointed out the gay and lesbian families at the end I wouldn't have noticed them". And I say 'almost' because I don't think that's a bad thing, and I don't think they're "tiptoeing": the whole point here is that being gay or lesbian (or bi) is not a bad thing, or a super-noticeable thing, or a thing you should make sure people are aware of. It's just a thing, that's all - just like being straight is.
Showing an ad which will result in people coming away thinking "oh, prop 8 is bad for *people*" is exactly what's needed. Because this isn't just a gay issue. This is a people issue.
Which is where Anonymous is right - if prop 8 is passed, it sets a precedent for taking away legally granted rights from people. Rights that should be defended by all, regardless of whose they are. As Anonymous says - once the right to gay marriage is gone, what's to stop propositions designed to discriminate against non-whites, women (gay or straight), etc etc?
I am in agreement that prop 8 is not about "the gay thing." It's about discrimination and prejudice. If prop 8 were directed against intermarrying with Jews, I would not expect to see an ad showing Jewish people in yarmulkes and shawls, nor would that be necessary to make the point that it is wrong.
Post a Comment