The whole point of free speech is not to make ideas exempt from criticism but to expose them to it.

Friday, February 17, 2012

I'm prayin' for ya.

Les's comment on the previous post prompted some reflection.

I've conducted something like ten electoral campaigns. In six of them I was a candidate. A pattern had established itself by then. I could garner about 5% of the statewide vote; roughly half the size of the idiot factor in any election. Of course, the idiots had voted for the other guys.

In the hemp and cannabis issues that appeared on ballots, we got a 38%, a 48% and a 36%. Weed has more electability than Newland. Oh! The irony!

Countless people (okay, somewhat fewer than countless) told me during these campaigns, "We support you." I can't remember a single instance where the words, "We support you," were accompanied by any actual support. If someone really supported either me as a candidate or the issue on which I was working, they gave me money or beer or a sandwich, or, in one case, a nice Walther pistol.

They may as well have been saying, "We're prayin' for ya." The power of "support" is about as effective as the power of "prayer."

3 comments:

D.E. Bishop said...

Yeah, that whole "support" thing kind of bugs me too. I've been supported by many people in my lifetime. Sometimes that translated into actual action, but usually not. I'm certain that sometimes it was simply insincere lip service.

Sometimes the speaker was sincere, but took no action. What does that mean? I've asked, and been told that it was moral support meant to encourage and strengthen my resolve. Well, yeah.

It is good to know that others agree with me or understand that whatever it is I'm doing is a good thing. Really I know of many people who do the moral/no action thing and feel that they are making a real contribution.

So I guess the meaning of sincere support is in the mind of the speaker. I don't think I really like that. I'd rather see actions following the words.

Les said...

Better yet Newland, is when you later see their support, in the SOS campaign finance reports........for your opponent..lol....what part of stupid don't they understand???

Bob Newland said...

Les, you just ripped off a scab. I had forgotten about that very scenario in my run for gubberner in 1998. A guy I had thought was a best friend gave me his "support" and gave Janklow $250. Funny thing was that he told people like me that he hated Janklow. I was just idly browsing the campaign finance reports a few years later and ran across that donation.