There are so many, SO MANY things I want to say about this:
from NHMarriage.org
I don’t even know where to start.
First, using a digitally created (and yes, Buzzfeed, very poorly at that) rendering of the Old Man On The Mountain collapsing isn’t the best choice of imagery under the headline, “There are some things we can fix.” I mean, if a great example exists of something that we CAN’T fix, it’s that old NH landmark.
Second, who decided to capitalize “Fix”? It does sort of look like that word was layered over the other line of text in yet another design misstep (perhaps it capitalized itself as a new text box?), but hey, we can’t all afford graphic designers (or our neighbor’s kid (or a random passerby)) to help us design and proof ignorant ads.
Third, and most obvious is the sheer aforementioned ignorance that this ad exemplifies.
It’s only about the hundred millionth ad to spew such ridiculous nonsense, but the stupidity doesn’t abate with each new ad, and so neither will my indignance. Really, NHM.o, really? Allowing a couple down the street to get married is going to erode YOUR marriage? Or, I’m sorry, MARRIAGE ITSELF? Really?
In trying to imagine a parallel where more people joining a group would threaten those already involved… uh, how about Jews? My mother and sister have converted to a Jewish tradition of sorts, and as Messianic Jews, call themselves “Jews” on a regular basis. Would other Jews take issue with this, Jews who are born into the faith and are ethnically as well as religiously Jewish? Hard to say… I don’t know of any Jewish people who are upset that non-ethnic Jews would adopt their faith—I think they’d be all for it, but then again I’m also of the opinion that all sane people would be for marriage for whoever wanted it. In either case, what does the choice of anyone else to do or call themselves anything, whether it be something you also call yourself or not, have to do with your own identity? Is a Jew in Israel going to get upset that my mother, a blonde white American, calls herself Jewish? If so, they’d be pretty ridiculous to think that someone else’s beliefs, practices or identity reflected anything on them, or would have any effect on their own faith. Similarly, if I fall in love with and choose to marry another woman, I’m having a hard time figuring out how that would effect any other married couple, let alone the very INSTITUTION of MARRIAGE! Sheesh!
Also, that ad is just silly. Seriously, I can throw together a better-looking one with GIMP in like 5 minutes, and I’d do it out of sheer irritation at rampant capitalization if it weren’t for the fact that this sort of messaging is so flawed that the flaws in the ad itself are actually… just right. (Insert this, and this, and this, and this, and this and this.)
In other news, a Pizza Hut driver was behind me at Burger King today. I found this endlessly amusing.
Sadly, you really can’t see the Pizza Hut sign on top of the car very well, but trust me, it’s there.
You’re welcome for brightening up your day!
—Crystal
