Although not a new phenomenon, the Internet is proving to be a major factor in this year's Presidential elections. The explosion of E-Mails (many negative and vicious) is probably a result of both the rise of blogging and the polarization of the electorate. When have there ever been two more polarizing candidates than Barack Obama and SnowJobSquareGlasses? Of course, they're not even running against each other directly but that hasn't reduced the venom. Actually, the volume and intensity of E-Mails has produced both good and bad effects.
GOOD Heretofore highly respected, well known individuals have been exposed for their extreme views (no secrets or privacy on the Internet even including The Normal Blog). For example, Jackie Mason, sort of an icon among many older Jews for his benign social comments (where Jews will sit in restaurants), has a YouTube video full of disgusting anti-Obama lies and smears. Tell your friends. Send this ordained Rabbi (shameful) into oblivion.
Even worse, well known far right American/Israeli author Naomi Ragen produces a blog (www.naomiragen.blogspot.com) containing incredible trash talk depicting Obama as about the next worst person on earth to Bin Laden (he actually knows Mayor Daley's brother Bill, former Commerce Secretary!!!)and of course portraying Palin as about the most admirable woman since Esther (this from a highly educated woman--scary). Naomi doesn't brook dissent--she refused to post 2 of TNB's comments and severely criticized a negative comment she received by E-Mail as a threat and intimidation. This isn't a threat--just a suggestion that everyone stop buying her books.
BAD For the first time in TNB's memory, long standing friendships have been strained due in no small part to the compulsion to send extremely annoying (often totally false) E-Mails to your friends who you know damn well aren't going to change their positions. Why tweak somebody with an obviously doctored, totally irrelevant video purporting to show a small Israeli flag on Sarah Palin's desk (of course, in contrast to that "Muslim" whose ancestry, genealogy, etc. has
been "proven" by other E-Mails). Many people, including TNB, have called a truce until November 4. Hopefully, the relationships will survive, as well as the country, although the tone of many E-Mails suggests differently.
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3 comments:
I think the internet is a good tool if it will help get even two extra voters into the voting booths than four years ago. However, as much as I have enjoyed the humor and jingles fthat have been spread around using this media, I fear that the amount of truth found in these blogs/mass e-mails, etc. (TNB excluded) is probably equivalent to the amount of truth buried in the speeches spewed at the GOP convention!
All in all, I think that increased communication in a democracy is a good thing. When you think back on all the mudslinging that has taken place in past elections (think Jefferson, Tyler, Jackson, et al.) -- this is pretty tame. It might have taken a financial calamity on the scale of the Depression, but I'm happy that people are finally passionate about politics again.
I'm hoping (but not hopeful) that the passions cool down after the election. It's hard to imagine that all the nastiness will give way to reconciliation.
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