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Originally Posted by Sean
I agree that "judgement-tampering through deceptive or misleading ad campaigns" will play a significant role in this election as it has in every election, but I don't agree that the primary issues will be "white guilt" and "racism"....or at least not in the way you seem to be saying.
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I think some of the issues such as terrorism and patriotism base on what is different between John McCain. Maybe... John McCain is harder to paint as a terrorist because he is white and we all know white people can't be terrorists! Similary, Obama is African American and several African nations have significant muslim populations. And, of course, all muslims are terrorists! I think it is a matter of associating what is atypical about Obama with fear. Misunderstanding and fear go hand and hand, and that is the type of deception I see from that camp....
How can Obama utilize white guilt? His "Change" campaign could, possibly, maybe (sub-consciously & deceptively) signify changing the white-dominated political landscape once and for all in America and this could grab hold in the minds of "guilty" persons.
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Originally Posted by Strangelet
just to add with what Sean said, I happen to believe the "most glaring and exploitable difference" between the two candidates would be age/generation. There's more that separates the two candidates' world view by generation than by race.
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Originally Posted by Sean
Fair enough. I can stomach a lot more unsupported theories if they're presented as personal opinion rather than stated as objective fact.
C'mon now.....you support your assertions with various articles that you claim you "can't publish here", but then say that we can't rely on a linked gallup poll that runs counter to your claims? That's awfully convenient, wouldn't you say?
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But the difference in race is new territory for the political theorist, the american voter, and the aid campaigner... so its a little more interesting to me. successful race-based campaigns, slogans, and policy points could be more successful because we have no developed immunity to them over past election seasons
Perhaps we will never be immune to exploiting our fear of what is different, with respect to negative prejudice campaigns...
Perhaps this is why I threw out a relatively unprovable hypothesis, just to see what others feel about the possibility. Given the nature of the poll, as I stated, the otherwise best possible evidence to disprove me, effectively, cannot. Neither you or I can say that racist or white guilt exploiting campaigns will affect the election, or which will be more successful. Extremely detailed polling after the election in addition to the results is the only way to see...
That's the point...its not a fact, or a piece of knowledge. Just a model for what might or might not happen, and you have expressed that you believe it won't happen. It's a model that might or might not apply, and if it did apply there are three possible outcomes of the model so it is slightly useless in present-day. It ain't profound, or necessarily important, but it I think it is relevant at least. I just wanted you all to entertain the idea and see if there was anything that made the model impossible to explain the election such as...
"Obama's campaign can't utilize white guilt in ads" ==> Then Obama may just be negatively affected by racism, which means there is no battle between two conflicting prejudices but rather one prejudice that must be endured.
1. Model does not apply.
2. Model applies (loosely or seriously race-based campaigns can have an impact): a. Racist campaigns win more vote to the Republican side than white guilt wins votes for Democrats b. Negate each other c. opposite of (a.)
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Originally Posted by Strangelet
The only concrete manifestation of white guilt we've been able to reference is Affirmative Action, which is admittedly a liberal principle. But the confusion between what the liberals have wanted to do for ghetto black kids and who they want to elect as their leader, is what confused Gerraldine Ferraro, another old fuddy duddy, to cry "affirmative action" with respect to Obama's cometting success.
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I have not deliberately thought of the obvious parallels between supporting Obama because of his race alone and affirmative action before, but I suppose appealing to white guilt by toning into voter's affirmative action-like sympathies is the most efficient way for Obama to take advantage of white guilt. If that makes sense...I think it may self-evident to you all. Maybe I'm just tripping
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Originally Posted by Strangelet
I know we aren't accepting any similarities between her thinking and yours, but for the lack of other evidence to support the white guilt hypothesis I'm afraid I have not choice. You're a ferarro lover.  |
I hate joooo.
Can we talk about something else now? We have concluded our thoughts quite nicely about my little model. I feel as though I understand you all and you understand me.