When brands get political
July 20, 2020
Good Monday Morning.
Brands can cause controversy when they make political statements, but do those statements matter to you? In a world of boycotts and “buycotts”, we want to know how, if at all, your personal views and values impact your decisions.
We’ve also got a user suggested follow-up to Friday’s question about legalizing marijuana, and we end with a user suggested question about your alcohol consumption during the pandemic. Click on the Let’s Talk button to get started!
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A few weeks back, we had some difficult conversations about sexual trauma. Like many of you, we were dismayed at how pervasive this issue was in our community. With some help from some members of our community, we’ve put together a list of resources that may be helpful to those still struggling.
Herd runs a weekly support group for women who have been impacted by sexual trauma.
A Voice for the innocent offers a digital platform for reading/sharing stories, a therapeutic tool for trauma.
RAINN offers a free and confidential hotline for survivors and their loved ones.
Results from July 17, 2020
Question 1: Is legalizing marijuana for recreational purposes a good idea or bad idea for your state?
Marijuana should be legal and anyone in jail for a non violent marijuana offense should be pardoned. The state shouldn’t decide what you can put in your body. As a conservative I’m glad that marijuana legalization is becoming more popular on the right.
Marijuana - if this is what it takes to FINALLY make it legal, then so be it. But, they better let the people who are currently in prison for marijuana out and wipe that off their record. Seriously, weed has never hurt anybody, but criminalizing weed certainly has.
Colorado promised the teachers the sale and legalization would help the public schools with money made off of sale of marijuana and it was proven to not be the case. The teachers were extremely disappointed and were duped into voting for legalization. They have seen more issues with addiction instead.
Question 2: When disagreements arise between state and local governments regarding mask mandates or other coronavirus-related restrictions, which level of government should have the final say?
States hold all the power (they create, amend, and abolish local governments), so there’s not much to debate here. N.b. Oxford comma.
For question 2, I think the final ruling should go to whichever government is using the most reliable and factual statistics to inform their decision. This should not be a political debate, it should a scientific equation: increasing infection=more restrictions; decreasing=relaxing restrictions. Not a matter of opinions, just a matter of facts.
Having witnessed government in action on the local, state, and federal level, I can say with 100% certainty that the state government should have authority over local governments with regard to public health and safety. Some local elected officials are barely qualified to tie their own shoes, let alone make decisions that can impact whether people are vulnerable to a potentially deadly virus.
ReQ2: Local municipalities should have the ability to decide, subject to state approval. That way we're able to adjust to unique community needs without having a hodgepodge of regulations across the state. Of course that would require governors and mayors to work together...so forget it.
Question 3: The City Council of Asheville, North Carolina, a city of about 93,000 people, unanimously approved municipal funding for programs aimed at increasing homeownership and business & career opportunities for Black residents. Would you support a similar piece of legislation in your community?
The Asheville resolution was full of good intentions but without any of the really hard stuff: Who qualifies? What do they get? How is it funded? And in order for any program to get through the courts I suspect it will need to be economically based, not race based.
Asheville approves funding programs to benefit only people of a particular skin color? Maybe there is systematic racism now. Do they not see the hypocrisy?
Equity in opportunity would go a long way to improve our social problems. POC have a long history of the system working against them, and I support intentional efforts to correct this. I would also support programs for women and others of all races from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Re: reparations - their plan is smart and I think it is a good step in the right direction. We are far past the time that cash reparations would be widely viewed as favorable, so investing in underrepresented communities is a strong option that can garner widespread support. (I'm curious how many people answered the question without actually knowing the reparations plan does not include cash payments - I'll bet that impacts the poll.)
Question 4: Where do you stand on the Oxford comma?
Those who are not in favor of the Oxford comma are heathens.
If I had to die on a hill, it would be in defense of the oxford comma.
I have had relationship changing arguments about the use of the Oxford Comma. It is important, has consequences, and shouldn’t be forgotten.
OXFORD COMMA OR BUST
I have a lot to say about masks, reparations, and Oxford commas (see what I did there?)...but I’ll refrain from pontificating for today.
Never felt more strongly about a response than I do for the Oxford comma question. Please, yes, and thank you.
[ meekly peeks out from behind a wall ]
Personally, I find the Oxford comma to be redundant, unnecessary and aesthetically unpleasing.
Question 5: On a scale of 0 (the worst) to 10 (the best), how are you doing overall?
That’s an average of 7.1, a slight increase (+0.1) from last week.
To the last question, mentally I’m a 9, physically I’m a 6 as I have an a raging case of poison ivy.
Make it all the way through but forget to answer today’s questions?
Click on the Let’s Talk button below to get started.