Thursday, September 6, 2012

Campaign to ban lifejackets: Great concept, poor execution

Via Buzzfeed

While this poster tries a little too hard, the concept is a good one: what if right wing politicians treated every safety device the way they treat birth control?

I think where this gag petition goes wrong is when it changes mid-stream from making fun on abstinence-only education and attempted healthcare exclusions (and even bans) on birth control  to wade into the murk of Rep. Todd Akin's biologically-questionable "legitimate rape" comment:
“It seems to be, first of all, from what I understand from doctors, it’s really rare. If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut the whole thing down.”
Not that Rep. Akin doesn't deserve the full might of the snarky internet against him. It's just that every professional communicator knows that you have to focus your message. The Akin thing is about abortion, not contraception, and the life jacket metaphor isn't nearly as strong.

3 comments:

  1. I am a former Plum Island Massachusetts lifeguard and currently a certified water safety instructor for the American Red Cross and I can assure you this petition will never work. PFD’s (personal flotation devices) have saved my 3 daughters lives more than once, during the years they were learning how to swim. I have also personally witnessed PFD’s save dozens of children and adults from drowning. How dare these people try to take away my freedom to safeguard the lives of my children when we go on a simple fishing trip? Coast Guard approved PFD’s are essential on fishing boats, ferries and even on the air plains we all fly on. Water covers 70 % of the earth’s surface, and as an intelligent species we have developed ways to stay alive if we find our selves in it. You know for years I drove around with 5 life jackets in my car just incase the Salisbury 95 Bridge collapses while I’m driving over it. Life jackets are just as important as a bicycle helmet that protects you from head injury’s, the seat belts in your car that can save your life, the sun block that protects you from skin cancer, bug spray to protect from EEE, and life jackets can save you from drowning. The folks that subscribe to the idea that taking away all the safety devices will prevent people from engaging in risky behavior should be denied the use of seat belts, bike helmets, sun block, bug spray, and life jackets. Then Darwin’s theory of evolution will take its natural course. “Survival of the fittest.”

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    1. I think you are missing the message. Please re-read the post (if you actually read it in the first place, which I suspect you did not).

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  2. well its better to avoid stuff that can injured us. its like saying prevention is better than cure. In this scenario its like saying no accident if no sailing or going to the water. if you want a good explanation on that a work injury lawyers can give you advice.

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