Comments on: WATCH: Latest TV ad by the campaign fighting to defeat North Carolina’s anti-gay Amendment 1

By: Steve

Steve — Tue, 01 May 2012 05:33:36 +0000

I also have a question, and I mean this in all sincerity. At the blog linked above:

'[Jeremy Kennedy, campaign manager for the Coalition to Protect NC Families,] said the campaign has emphasized that gay marriage — already illegal under North Carolina law — will be unaffected by either outcome.'

So why fight it? Why not let it pass, and then use it as a hard-core example of the hatred, bigotry and misogyny of the radical right wing? Let people SEE and EXPERIENCE the effects of that hatred, the consequences of electing far-right-wing religious bigots to office, the impact of hate groups…THEN the next time a more tightly worded anti-SSM amendment comes up, point to what happened in NC once the real damage is done?

It sounds cruel and cold-hearted, but chances are this will pass anyway.. Let them have a Pyrrhic victory, and then go win the war using it against them.

Sorry to be so negative…it's just disheartening to see Prop 8 repeated over and over.

By: Steve

Steve — Tue, 01 May 2012 05:25:10 +0000

I'm sorry if this sounds defeatist, but I agree with the comments criticizing this ad. It's not pushing back against the *fundamental* principle which the proposition is about; this is the sort of thing that failed miserably here in CA with Prop 8.

It just doesn't feel, from the outside and a long way away, granted, that there's any FIGHT against the lies and hatred and misrepresentations and bigotry of the anti-SSM groups like NOM.

Even if you win this fight, they'll be back in short order with a tightly worded amendment which addresses only LGBT partnerships and SSM. And the same lies and religious bigotry as before. It doesn't seem like you're doing anything to get at the *core issues*.

Where are the ads calling out the lies? Where are the ads that make the case *for* SSM?

I said it before…I'm an outsider, really, but a long-time straight ally…and I see "our" side getting out-politicked again, by lies and hatred, and no real *fight*. C;mon, folks…get MAD and put together some hard-hitting, effective ads.

Time is running out on this election. And even if you win, you'll just have the same battle again because they won't give up unless and until they are thoroughly, resoundingly, absolutely hammered in the polls.

By: Reformed

Reformed — Tue, 01 May 2012 01:39:19 +0000

Maybe this ad is focused on the less severe types of abuse and the myriad cases. Less severe cases are most likely to benefit from protective orders as the abuser is in less trouble and more likely to avoid more by violating a protective order. I think no one really expects protective orders to be effective in the worst cases. If this is true, the ad might be better if it illustrated that this benefit of protective orders would be undermined by admendment 1.

By: Reformed

Reformed — Tue, 01 May 2012 01:28:33 +0000

Somehow less lame and more interesting than chronic defeatism. I like the authenticity. Maybe you would like an ad with a parade in it. Something tells me you would just rain it.

It's hard to be positive sometimes, but positive thinking can actually help. All of the people heading to nc to gotv certaing will be needing it. Let me give it a try. . . As dreary and demotivating as you comments are, they can actually serve a purpose. They let the rest of us know that this is a straight up blog and that we arn't being censored. So there you have it. Thanks for that contribution!

By: Fluffskunk

Fluffskunk — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:57:09 +0000

Oh god, again with the sad piano music.

By: johan

johan — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 20:22:31 +0000

Hi Jamie, it would help if you explained why you think this. Just making this statement, doesn't enlighten anything.

By: johan

johan — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 20:16:00 +0000

Andrew Sullivan has a blog post up about the ad:
http://andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com/2012/04/n…

By: Adam Bink

Adam Bink — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 18:47:51 +0000

I was wondering when the daily compulsory "this will never work, you're wasting your time" comment would come from Jamie.

In other news, the sun also came out today!

By: Mike Bernard

Mike Bernard — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 16:40:17 +0000

Kyle, I agree, the light of us LGBT People need to be discussed. A lot.

But we also need to meet people "where they are." Sadly, there are way too many people who don't give a rat's you-know-what about LBGT people and will continue to fight against our well-being. But they might be able to connect to the domestic violence issue and think twice about voting for it. If they vote against the amendment, then mission accomplished! We sometimes have to do an "end run" to meet our goals.

The conversation about LGBT rights will still continue, no matter what. Keep talking!

By: Petrockmi

Petrockmi — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 16:35:25 +0000

Does anyone ever have these ads previewed by an objective test audience? With a mild
hearing loss like I have, it is very hard to hear her dialog over the piano.
I actually had to listen to it 4 times to make out all the words that Amily
had said, when I was able to put it all together, I was had to sit and
analyze what the exact message was supposed to be and how it related to all
NC residents. Granted, I was able to in the end but what I was at a loss as
to why they chose this example. What they should be trying to do is address
issues that will have an impact on ALL NC residents in a way that everyone
can easily relate to, not just the GLBT population. While this is an
important topic, why not address it differently and use something that will
make the viewer stop and think about it. The pictures that Amily was using
as an example barely showed any discernable signs of abuse. Instead try to
use a picture that is more graphic and will capture the audience's
attention. From the video that was available on this site, it looked like
there was barely a mark on the victim of the abuse. By no means am I asking
for blood and gore, just something that is easily recognizable as abuse, not
just a minor bruise that could have been received in a soccer match.
From my point of view, this advertisement was way too soft on the issue and
will be forgotten by a majority of viewers. The only ones that will
sympathize with this commercial will be past victims of domestic violence
and perhaps people that knew them.
Please don't think of me as a cold hearted SOB, I am not, just someone who
wants to see in impact from the video.