Slog - Comments on A Billboard Too Far http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far Also serving as the reductio ad absurdum of the McCain campaign's arguments from last week, and currently on view in West Plains, Missouri: Via Ben Smith.... Copyright 2008 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:00:29 -0800 Wed, 15 Oct 2008 13:33:50 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by sogoth Classy

]]> sogoth http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171805 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171805 2008 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:12:09 -0800 Comment by JJ Fuck this

]]> JJ http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171806 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171806 2008 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:12:15 -0800 Comment by The CHZA Were it not for his middle name they might as well have given him giant red lips and stuck a watermelon in his hand.

]]> The CHZA http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171807 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171807 2008 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:12:38 -0800 Comment by elenchos "Misused" quotation marks are where I draw the line. Enough, McCain!

]]> elenchos http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171810 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171810 2008 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:13:14 -0800 Comment by Schweighsrhttp://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far.comment I'd like to follow this idiots logic on "More Abortions". Okay, we know the tax one applies only to the very rich, and that same sex "Unions" with all the rights of marriage are likely to be permitted. [and I like the whole more same sex marriage screwed up syntax] Democrats are always for more gun control, so there is a tiny bit of truth in there, too.

But how in Hell can Barack Obama cause there to me more abortions? Is he going to drag pregnant women in off the street and force them? Insist that kids have sex? [the sex they are already having and have always had?] Really, what is his rationalization for such a stupid remark?

]]> Schweighsrhttp://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far.comment http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171827 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171827 2008 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:35:07 -0800 Comment by steves I think he means that women will spontaneously abort when obama becomes president.

]]> steves http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171830 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171830 2008 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:36:56 -0800 Comment by douglas are they suggesting that hussein is a nickname? because you don't have to put quotation marks around someone's actual name. the turban on the other hand really ought to have some quotation marks around it.

]]> douglas http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171832 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171832 2008 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:39:57 -0800 Comment by Reverse Polarity I can't wait for Obama to win, if for no other reason than to watch people's heads explode in rural Missouri.

Idiots.

]]> Reverse Polarity http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171839 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171839 2008 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:45:35 -0800 Comment by douglas y'know, other than the obvious race baiting this billboard isn't so bad, it says that under obama there will be more of the following:
1) women's rights
2) equality
3) responsible government
4) sanity

this might just be a misguided pro-obama advertisement.

]]> douglas http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171840 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171840 2008 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:45:50 -0800 Comment by Westside Forever You do have to admire the clarity of the message though.

Speaking of signs--took a country drive on Sunday through rural Lewis and Thurston counties--towns like Bucoda, Ranier, and Yelm. I didn't see a single McCain sign in anyone's yard. Plenty of Rossi, surprisingly, lots of Obama, but the only McCain sign was in a big cluster by I-5.

If McCain can't get love in Hawk's Prairie, his campaign is FUCKED!

]]> Westside Forever http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171842 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171842 2008 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:48:41 -0800 Comment by Raven Over the weekend, I was hanging out with some folks, and talk turned to politics. Someone asked me whom I am voting for, and I stated "Duh, as if there is any question, Obama". However a white girl from Mill Creek immediately blurted out "We CANT have a black person as president!" AND she was serious. I was dumbfounded, and after 10 minutes of verbally destroying her statement, I shut my hole as I realized it wasn't getting through. There is a sinister kind of racism that masquerades as "pride" to be white... scary stuff.

]]> Raven http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171871 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171871 2008 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 16:08:00 -0800 Comment by Jessica @10: Did you make it far enough to see the crazy Uncle Sam billboard? That guy's like the old-school Bailo, but with snappier commentary.

]]> Jessica http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171872 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171872 2008 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 16:09:11 -0800 Comment by Scott in Chi-town Racist morons get a lot of mileage out of Obama's middle name. This election season can't end fast enough for me!

]]> Scott in Chi-town http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171873 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171873 2008 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 16:10:16 -0800 Comment by Fnarf How do you suppose these kooks rationalize the charge that Obama is a secret Muslim with this charge that he's going to impose all of these things which are deeply antithetical to radical Muslims? Osama bin Laden's positions on abortion, same-sex anything, taxes and gun regulation much more closely resembles those of right-wingers than they do those of Chicago lefties. Seems like they've got their bogeymen mixed up.

]]> Fnarf http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171888 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171888 2008 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 16:17:04 -0800 Comment by Greg You stay classy, Missouri.

]]> Greg http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171898 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171898 2008 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 16:23:26 -0800 Comment by Brent I may live in one of Missouri's liberal areas (yes, there are some) but it's shit like this that makes me embarassed to admit I'm from Missouri at all.

]]> Brent http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171923 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171923 2008 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 16:39:18 -0800 Comment by monkey Well, that just makes me want to vote for Barry that much more.

I'm all for all those things! Yes, even taxes.

]]> monkey http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171933 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171933 2008 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 16:45:56 -0800 Comment by Catalina Vel-DuRay I have an aunt that I adore. Growing up, she was the "liberal" in our very staid, FDR worshiping, Democratic family. (She had Beattles albums and watched "Maude")

Then her brilliant and charming professor husband died, leaving her all kinds of money, and she inexplicably took up with a dittohead who (really) lived with his mother and dealt in "collectible firearms" while waiting for mummy to die (Mummy was rich. He never had a real job, so he had a thing for women with money.)

Most of the time she shuts him up when he talks crazy. But she recently told my mom that the blacks in Baltimore (where she lives) are "acting funny" and will either riot if Obama loses, or "take over" if he wins.

Mother Vel-DuRay, as her older sister, is appalled, and thinks the dittohead has finally gotten to her. I'm afraid to call her, as I think I'll end up telling her off, and I don't want to go there.

]]> Catalina Vel-DuRay http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171940 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171940 2008 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 16:49:28 -0800 Comment by David Wright The graphic is repulsive. Just like this one.

The text is true, though, isn't it? Doesn't Obama want to make guns harder to get? To increase the government's share of GDP? To have more same sex marriages? One could quible about the abortion statement, but there is certainly a sense -- rather important to the left -- in which Obama does support more abortion.

]]> David Wright http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171966 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171966 2008 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:04:14 -0800 Comment by Zephyr Like @17, I'm in favor of all of these things. I'll go so far as to add turbans. I love a good turban.

]]> Zephyr http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171984 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1171984 2008 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:11:47 -0800 Comment by PC @19, that'd be "quibble," M. Right.

]]> PC http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1172018 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1172018 2008 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:59:06 -0800 Comment by bubbles The "" around Hussein actually make it more offensive as it implies that Hussein is not his middle name but a nickname or given name, rather then his legal name. I think the "" are almost as bad as the picture.

]]> bubbles http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1172024 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1172024 2008 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 18:02:15 -0800 Comment by wow I certainly hope Obama hires a good staff to figure out the vote total Congressional District by Congressional District, and then proceed to anti-earmark and completely cut off from all discretionary federal funding whatsoever every district that didn't support him. We really need to send Red America back into the dust bowl they have been craving ever since the socialist New Deal.

]]> wow http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1172026 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1172026 2008 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 18:03:52 -0800 Comment by JME Swan song of the morons.

]]> JME http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1172034 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1172034 2008 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 18:15:26 -0800 Comment by hohoho green giant My first college roommate was from a town just down the road from West Plains. The only element of this billboard that I find surprising is the artistic quality of Obama's caricature.

]]> hohoho green giant http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1172036 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1172036 2008 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 18:17:30 -0800 Comment by Fnarf @19, I think you're confused. It's the Republicans who want to take more of GDP for the government. Witness Bush's unprecedented expansion of government programs (and not just in the past few weeks, either), and McCain's many promises to spend, spend, spend and cut taxes, trebling the deficit. One of the candidates in this election is advocating fiscal sanity, and it's not John McCain.

Ditto every election since 1980 -- Republicans are the deficit and free-spending party. Democrats are the moderate and responsible ones.

]]> Fnarf http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1172073 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1172073 2008 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 19:17:30 -0800 Comment by Shizawn Dumb ass hicks be fuckin shit up

]]> Shizawn http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1172110 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1172110 2008 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 20:32:26 -0800 Comment by David Wright Fnarf @ 26: I made no claim as to which candidate was more fiscally responsible. I didn't even compare the candiates. I simply asserted the same truth that the billboard does: that Obama favors the government taking a larger share of GDP than it does now.

]]> David Wright http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1172138 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1172138 2008 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 22:26:06 -0800 Comment by Blush Photo #10: I drove to Chelan last weekend and noticed the same thing you did! I was watching for which signs people had in their yards- again lots of Rossi and Obama....it was so interesting!

I was pleasantly surprised and proud that our lovely little towns of Washington were supporting Obama. :)

]]> Blush Photo http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1172156 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1172156 2008 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 23:47:22 -0800 Comment by doctiloquus At this point even I am praying for the Rapture so that all the right-wing, racist conservatives might ascend and leave the rest of us in peace.

]]> doctiloquus http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1172168 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1172168 2008 Tue, 14 Oct 2008 00:35:50 -0800 Comment by Vince Is it possible to be ignorant squared? Missouri is proof it is. Slave states are still slave states...slaves to stupidity.

]]> Vince http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1172185 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1172185 2008 Tue, 14 Oct 2008 07:06:34 -0800 Comment by Lauren I used to live on a commune outside of West Plains (we drove to the town for groceries and the like), so I can confirm that it's a gigantic shithole. Seriously, there is no good reason to go to southern Missouri.


St. Louis has free museums/zoo/botanical garden, at least. Other than that it's one of the best examples of how urban blight/white flight can destroy a once-prosperous city.

]]> Lauren http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1172605 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1172605 2008 Tue, 14 Oct 2008 13:56:36 -0800 Comment by Harold I don't see anything wrong with it...seems to speak to a lot of truths, actually.

I grew up in West Plains and have been in lots of places around the world since and there are PLENTY of reasons to live there as opposed to other areas. As for hicks..? Yeah, there are a few, but I prefer hicks to socialist intellectuals any day.

]]> Harold http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1172965 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1172965 2008 Tue, 14 Oct 2008 23:57:54 -0800 Comment by Ray I've been a southern Missouri resident all my life. I've traveled much of the world and every state except Alaska. I wouldn't trade my life in south Missouri for anywhere I've been. I love it here. The billboard with Obama is a caricature. Nothing more. The message is, however, true.

]]> Ray http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1173945 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/a_billboard_too_far#c1173945 2008 Wed, 15 Oct 2008 13:33:50 -0800