Family Photos and Politics

Back in April, I saw this gem on uexpress, which uses the Disqus comment system and appeals to a distinctly more conservo set than ours.  Dear Abby got a letter from a man whose wife blurred blurred her father's politically-charged T-shirt message from a photo taken at, of all events, a child's birthday party.  I must say, "left-wing" messages like "Black Lives Matter" and the one in my picture may bring unneeded tension to a family get-together, but at least they convey a genuine public spirit -- and so, once upon a time, did less hostile conservative messaging.  Today, on the other hand, right-wing messaging is all about hurting others and hoping they fall apart, so these were my thoughts (and one of Larry's) on this touchy subject.

Wife Keeps Politics out of Family Photo

"Back in the days of long hair and Flower Power, many, maybe most, young rebels would shower, trim their beards, tie back their locks, and suit up for solemn and festive occasions. Whatever their political quarrels, they buried the hatchet long enough to show people of goodwill a tolerably good time. Dad here isn't being such a good sport; self-respecting adults used to go ahead and force cranks like this one to accept meaningful consequences."

To which larrymotuz responded: "Yes! And blurring his message so that others didn't have to see it IS a meaningful consequence. His claim to victimhood really doesn't fly."

And I thumbs-upped, writing: "It sure doesn't. I would have more sympathy for some teenager having their BLM or LGBT Pride message blurred."

To somone who claimed that DCU superheroes would get this treatment: "Iron Man isn't a political gimmick; he's an important pop-cultural character. Bring in Rambo and the concepts start to shade over, but a direct political or sexual statement is construed as offensive because its original authors were TRYING to offend. Occasions with buds & fam are occasions to tone this stuff down."

And to someone else complaining about censorious relatives: "I can sympathize, but even now, there are still people on opposite sides who can keep it civil with each other. Some staunch Repubs still refuse to pick fights with those they 'love.'"

And to the same DCU "fan": "I didn't say Rambo was *offensive;* I said he straddled a line between pop-culture hero and political symbol. And though we can (nonviolently) bop around sporting political or sort-of political symbols to our hearts' content, this doesn't mean we can escape having to deal with tiny-brained, big-mouthed buttinskys. Any political statement brings consequences.

Presented by Jennifer