Politics make me queasy.

[ellenmillion]

I rejected a project wonderful ad just now.



I've had to reject some in the past - just completely non-genre, spammy-looking, not the kind of ad I want on my site, and usually, I sort of wonder if I should've, afterward. Maybe I shouldn't be so strict about the genre, or let PW worry about legitimacy of the actual sites.

But this...

It was a book called Repuglicans - basically monster-ized portraits of prominent Republican part members.

The description at Amazon:

It's completely unfair and not balanced whatsoever! Pete Von Sholly, creator of CAPITOL HELL, and political commentator Steve Tatham bring you cutting edge political satire just in time for the mid-term elections. So, if you're a card-carrying Republican, stop reading now. If not, you must get this book. Von Sholly puts UGLI into the Republican party with his all-new versions of top party leaders and apparatchiks. See Sarah Palin rendered as a vampire. McCain as a three-eyed freak. Glenn Beck as a half-brained zombie. Also including Lou Dobbs, Michele Bachmann, John Boehner and many, many others. Sholly's imagery coupled with wry commentary by Steve Tatham is a perfect gift for the Republican sitting in the cubicle next to you!

I'm not Republican, by any stretch. I get embarrassed for the state when Sarah Palin is mentioned in the news (I had SUCH high hopes for her, but ugh). I'm not liberal, either, but that's not really the point.

The point is that a very gifted artist spent enough time to produce an entire book of hateful artwork. I mean... I get political humor and satire and such, I can even understand horror, though it's not to my taste. But this feels cheap, ugly and just mean. Is there really an audience for this? Would you really buy it FOR the Republican who works in the next cubical? What would that say to them about how you feel about their point of view?

I have a good mix of liberal and conservative on my friendslist, and I find it enlightening to read the things they're passionate about.

But the thing that really gets under my skin - and has caused one of the few unfriendings I've done on Livejournal - is the villianization* of the other side.

It's not really us versus them. It never has been. It's bad ideas believed passionately by flawed people that we don't have to like. But stripping them of their humanity so its easier to hate them? That's damaging - and not to them, but to ourselves. When we can stop seeing the sympathetic side in someone else, we lose our ability to see it in ourselves.




I would rather have my advertising boxes sit empty than promote things like that.




*No, spell-check, not vulcanization. That's a Star Trek rant...

Comments

[renatus.livejournal.com]

or let PW worry about legitimacy of the actual sites.

I'm glad you don't! Some ads that get through ad services end up being malware -- with flash being common anymore, it's very easy for miscreants to put tag-along trojans in with their ads. I suspect that, even if ad services are vetting their advertisers, the advertisers who push malware insert it after the vetting.

And, well, it's advertisements, which aren't particularly important when it comes down to it. No sense in letting ones run that make you feel gross. I can see why you nixed this one.

[polarbee.livejournal.com]

Actually, I think vulcanization would really refer to the process of treating rubber with sulfur to improve elasticity and strength. Which, really, our entire political system could do with more elasticity and strength. Vulcanize Congress! :)

[miintikwa.livejournal.com]

There's a huge difference between satire and meanness. This sounds like the latter. I hate the way politics has become the art of who can yell the loudest.

[uneide.livejournal.com]

Ellen, same principle I use - better to sleep well than to eat well. Never feel bad about rejecting something that doesnt' sit right with -you-.

I'm with you btw; I'm probably liberal-ish, but I just don't get an artist sitting down and making an entire book about HATE. That's what it is. Whatever happened to live and let live? Just.. bleh.

(I'm using your icon of happy, by the way. See?Cat agrees.. :p )

[laylalawlor.livejournal.com]

Ick. Yeah. I definitely lean towards the liberal end of the political spectrum, but it's not any less disgusting and nasty when "our side" pulls that kind of offensive shit.

[haikujaguar.livejournal.com]

Personally, I think the Republican vs. Democrat hate is being stirred up by the media and the government to distract us from the real divide: politicians versus the rest of us.

repuglicans

[(Anonymous)]

Many intresting comments on here. Most about what the book "seems" to be or "sounds like". I doubt anybody posting has actually seen the book, which is half pictures and half insightful biting and TRUE text. It's not just a hate-picture book. But thanks for calling me a gifted artist anyway!

[dsgood.livejournal.com]

Good for you!

repuglicans

[(Anonymous)]

Thanks for calling me a gifted artist anyway. This is not all I do- but I do believe in it.

Repuglicans

[(Anonymous)]

It's interesting that so many have opinions about a book they haven't read. It's actually kind of a brilliant book.

[celticwren.livejournal.com]

Yeah... them trying to part us from our $$... "You don't want us to cut the spending for this program, do you? Okay, but that means we have to raise taxes again, because, golly gee, *haha*, we spent all the $$!"

I try to avoid political stuff because it just frustrates me.

[haikujaguar.livejournal.com]

Me too. I worked for a government agency for a while and it did horrible things to my blood pressure, particularly shenanigans like 'we got to the end of the year without spending all of our budget, quick! Blow it all on crap so we won't get shorted any money during allocations next year!'

*facepalm*

I wish I could run my business the way the government runs theirs. But if I did they'd have no money because there would be no one responsible enough to make any. :P

repuglicans

[(Anonymous)]

I have two posts listed as anonymous but I was not trying to be anonymous- Pete Von Sholly here- and I only repeated myself about the thanks for the "gifted artist" thing cause I didn't think the first one posted. Sorry. I don't want to sign up for anything- I am just tryng to communicate. If it comes across as anonymous this note should remedy that since it has my name in it!

Re: repuglicans

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

No problem! I allow people who aren't logged in at livejournal to comment, but approve those posts personally because otherwise I end up with lots of spam posts.

And you're welcome. I wish you luck with your endeavors, even if I don't agree with them. :)

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

It would be funny if it weren't so true...

Re: repuglicans

[(Anonymous)]

Pete again- the book is not as vile as you think- it's mainly comedy- and we feel it is directed against some people who richly deserve it- and who commit worse offenses on an ongoing basis- not just is a book one time. And I mean offenses that actually harm people and our nation, not just pictures that might make somebody mad. But I appreciate the opportunity to say this. The text in the book (the pix are only half of it after all) is rich and hilarious and insightful and I hate to see people miss it just because of the imagery. Nuff said.

[celticwren.livejournal.com]

Too true!

[metasilk.livejournal.com]

i heart ellen

[metasilk.livejournal.com]

I'd've said more but a baby and a teakettle demanded my hands just then. Anyway, that's for both the choice, the post, & the comments.