NAACP: "Minorities Are Really Stupid"
Clear Channel broadcasting has been posting billboards reading "Don't Vote" around the Twin Cities, including in or near some largely-minority neighborhoods (and, I should add, in my own polyglot neighborhood).
Naturally, according to the NAACP (and various wackjobs), it's a conspiracy!
A series of billboards around the Twin Cities that brazenly declare "DON'T VOTE" have angered civil rights activists.
Fifteen of the billboards have sprung up in Minneapolis, St. Paul and its suburbs in the last few days. Several are in areas with large minority populations, including the Phillips neighborhood in Minneapolis, leading the NAACP and other groups to criticize even the suggestion that citizens shouldn't exercise the right to vote.
"This is a highly sensitive election season, and to put it in areas like the Phillips neighborhood, that's a minority community that's been disenfranchised enough," Brett Buckner, NAACP branch president in Minneapolis, said Friday. "I don't care what kind of campaign this is, that community's been through enough."
Note to Mr. Buckner: Stop eating. Quit breathing. Discontinue basic hygiene.
(Note to those of you in contact with Mr Buckner: bring some deodorant, a Snickers Bar and your CPR book).
I have to wonder - if someone skips voting because they see a billboard labelled "Don't Vote", do we want them voting?
"I understand teaser ad campaigns, but the timing is terrible," said Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, whose office has received questions and complaints from constituents who've seen the billboards. "This is the wrong time to play with people's emotions over voting.
What emotion besides "humor" applies here?
To a regular person, anyway?
(Via Flash)
Posted by Mitch at
October 5, 2004 06:36 AM
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A comment on the thread at Kos (I read him so you don't have to *laughing*)
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I just spoke with the Clear Channel person
Lee Ann Muller, who OK'd the billboards. We had a good conversation. After expressing my concerns, she said that "no political group" sponsored the ads. She also said that when discussing the impact, the persons involved focussed only on the fact that there is same-day registration in MN... the issue of potential intimidation of minority voters never came up. She also said that she had not realized that the date for the "reveal" was the same date as the deadline for voter registration.
She expressed sincere concern about the potential intimidation of minority voters by the ID requirement, and said that she would be speaking with the sponsors of the ad about this and other issues with the billboards tomorrow.
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So they claim "no political group" sponsored the ad, and I still think it will be a 'Don't VOTE" . . . . for these guys" and it will have a picture of a couple of KDWB DJ's or some other local Clear Channel station.
We'll know soon enough.
Flash
Posted by: Flash at October 5, 2004 11:58 AMGeez. In these hyper-sensitive times it will soon be required to add a "This Message Is Intended For Humorous Purposes Only" disclaimer... or maybe an internationally recognized icon (tongue in cheek?) declaring the contents to be an attempt at humor.
Posted by: chris at October 5, 2004 01:48 PMI also find it interesting that the people who like to view themselves as protecting the rights or minorities are always the quickest to assume that minorities aren't as smart. Talk about the soft bigotry of low expectations!
I'm thinking that if Brett Buckner believes that the minority community will be inclined not to vote because of a message on a billboard, I'm going to sponsor a billboard that reads:
Buy Jim's stuff that he doesn't want anymore. Now!!
Maybe I could make some extra cash for Christmas.
Posted by: Jim at October 5, 2004 04:12 PMThere is no conspiracy involving Clear Channel, Bush, political groups or humor honest. There are just a lot of coincidences, really. Take this song for instance, what does that have to do with Don't Vote, the Billboard, and this discussion?
Don't Vote
http://billionairesforbush.com/music/dontvote.mp3
This song, Clear Channel, is full of conspiracy theory, sheesh!
Posted by: Robin Eublind at October 8, 2004 05:06 PMhttp://www.billionairesforbush.com/music/Clear%20Channel.pdf
http://www.billionairesforbush.com/music/11%20Clear%20Channel%20kara.mp3