October 29, 2004

Scare tactics

Fear Itself - peterb’s post and photo of a 1949 billboard is a sharp reminder of how far we’ve come, but also how far we haven’t. Sure, nobody would create an ad so blunt in its racism today (right?). But racism and fear imparted subtly are still racism and fear, whether it’s Willie Horton or some shadowy, swarthy character seen for a brief moment. (Related: I understand it’s good for people to express themselves how they like, but if you have to declare that “Of course, I’m not saying that Muslims are terrorists” in reaction to an expression of joy, then maybe you should be looking for answers inside.)

On a lighter note, this billboard reminded me of a fantastic ~ten year-old SNL spoof commercial where an insurance company sells robot insurance to old people. I found this transcript online -- "Robots are everywhere, and they eat old people's medicine for fuel." A video would be nice though...

Also, if you're not reading peterb's site Tea Leaves you're really missing out. Whether he's writing about food, video games, technology, the Carnegie library, or some other random stuff, it's always sharply written, thoughtful and entertaining.

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