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13 Jan 04 - 03:00 PM (#1092067) Subject: BS: The Backbone Campaign From: Don Firth On Sunday, January 11th, Washington State Congressional Representative Jim McDermott (D) spoke to an overflow crowd at Seattle's Central Lutheran Church on Capitol Hill. I attended, and posted a couple of comments about the event on THIS thread. At the end of the Q & A period following Rep. Jim McDermott's speech, the MC from the SNOW Coalition (who organized the gathering) introduced Bill Moyers. No, it wasn't the Bill Moyers most people are familiar with, but by bizarre coincidence, that just happened to be the young man's name. When he began to speak, he quipped that one of the advantages of bearing the same name as a well-known person is that "people always return my phone calls . . . at least the first time." He was there representing a newly formed group called "The Backbone Campaign." And he was presenting the organization's first "Backbone Award" to Jim McDermott. As I understand it, the organization is just starting out, they're laying out a platform, and they intend to be an obvious presence at the Democratic Convention in Boston in July. I also understand that they are open to input from progressive people such as themselves. I feel that what they are doing is important. And I heartily recommend that you check out their web site. "The Backbone Campaign." "The Backbone Award" Don Firth |
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13 Jan 04 - 03:07 PM (#1092073) Subject: RE: BS: The Backbone Campaign From: CarolC Great idea. Unfortunate visual ;-) |
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13 Jan 04 - 03:10 PM (#1092077) Subject: RE: BS: The Backbone Campaign From: Cluin It'd make a good percussion rasp. |
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13 Jan 04 - 03:13 PM (#1092078) Subject: RE: BS: The Backbone Campaign From: Don Firth Here is more about The Backbone Campaign:— The BACKBONE CAMPAIGN is an effort designed to reward and embolden progressive action within the Democratic Party. We are a growing confluence of artists, activists and concerned citizens, headquartered on Vashon Island, who are outraged at the current state of political discourse and the inadequacies of the Democratic Party's response to Bush's foreign and domestic policies.Let me correct a small error. The young man's name was Bill Moyer, not Bill Moyers. No "s" at the end. Nevertheless, it does work make peoples' ears perk up. Don Firth |
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13 Jan 04 - 07:58 PM (#1092291) Subject: RE: BS: The Backbone Campaign From: The Fooles Troupe a "Backbone Puppet" ROFL... |
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13 Jan 04 - 08:19 PM (#1092314) Subject: RE: BS: The Backbone Campaign From: Don Firth Somehow, I think we're missing the point here. Don Firth |
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13 Jan 04 - 08:43 PM (#1092329) Subject: RE: BS: The Backbone Campaign From: CarolC That's the fly in the ointment, Don Firth. That spine thingie is so distracting, they're going to have some diffictuly getting people to take them seriously. They need a new logo or symbol or whatever. |
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13 Jan 04 - 08:56 PM (#1092335) Subject: RE: BS: The Backbone Campaign From: Bobert Well, danged... More power to 'em... That's waht I love about the Bush administration. They have been so blatently lame, greedy and dishonest that lots of folks are mobilizing to get 'em out of office before it's too late (think martial law here...). So, welcome aboard backboners!!!.... Bush and his cronies must go! Bobert |
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13 Jan 04 - 09:19 PM (#1092357) Subject: RE: BS: The Backbone Campaign From: Don Firth Okay. And how would you depict the idea of "backbone?" They're open to suggestion. Don Firth |
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13 Jan 04 - 10:14 PM (#1092379) Subject: RE: BS: The Backbone Campaign From: Walking Eagle Thanks for the info. Definately an organization to learn more about. W.E. |
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13 Jan 04 - 10:27 PM (#1092383) Subject: RE: BS: The Backbone Campaign From: Cluin Well, there was no need to do it so literally, Don. I've designed several logos professionally over the years and one of the first things you have to do is wean the client off the idea that every element of the thing absolutely HAS to be symbolic of the organization/company/thingy it represents. Artistic design should be just that, not symbolism (or literalism). It's the aesthetic that should take precedence. One I did for a health care organization centred around Diabetic Education. A committee member wanted one that was more literally representative of Diabetes. I asked what she wanted exactly, an insulin syringe and blood test kit? She was outvoted and told me later she actually liked the logo once she'd seen it used on the letterhead, ink stamp and other things. |
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13 Jan 04 - 11:09 PM (#1092393) Subject: RE: BS: The Backbone Campaign From: CarolC I think the bare backs, maybe from just below the waist up (including the back of the head, of a man and a women. Strong, straight, and proud backs. I think that woud communicate a lot. |
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13 Jan 04 - 11:18 PM (#1092397) Subject: RE: BS: The Backbone Campaign From: Peace Cluin, you do really good work. Wow! |
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14 Jan 04 - 11:21 AM (#1092712) Subject: RE: BS: The Backbone Campaign From: katlaughing Thank you, Don. I hope they get lots of support, but I also agree about the visual. It seems kind of eviscerating (I think that's what I mean!:-) I like the idea of bare backs, too or even the old evolution of humans image with the bent over apelike figure gradually becoming a stand up kinda guy/gal. I'll send them some input and would encourage others to, too. Thanks, again, kat |
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14 Jan 04 - 07:06 PM (#1092899) Subject: RE: BS: The Backbone Campaign From: McGrath of Harlow There've been some nice variations on the fanous evolution drawing, for example the one on this Alexander Technique site, showing how the story didn't end with that handsome upright Cro-Magnon... Agreed about the drawing of the naked backbone. They'll have to lose it...The aims are too important to be undermined by giving a hostage to fortune like that. |
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14 Jan 04 - 07:19 PM (#1092915) Subject: RE: BS: The Backbone Campaign From: The Fooles Troupe Cluin - great work. I don't doubt that you are too busy for this, but I am looking for an artist to do drawings for The Fooles Troupe - to be put in comic format similar to the Aspirin Myth Adventure stories.... as someone afflicted with MMD, I can't draw to save my life... Anyone who is interested can contact me. A genuine Commercial Arrangement. Robin |
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15 Jan 04 - 11:33 AM (#1093397) Subject: RE: BS: The Backbone Campaign From: katlaughing Kevin, thanks for the link, that's a great comment on evolution! |
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15 Jan 04 - 11:56 AM (#1093417) Subject: RE: BS: The Backbone Campaign From: Cluin Bruce and Robin, Thanks. I'm not very good at cartooning, Robin. And I've got a lot of other projects on the go at the moment. My back burner is piling up. I should get back to them right now in fact. Good luck. |
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15 Jan 04 - 01:34 PM (#1093483) Subject: RE: BS: The Backbone Campaign From: Don Firth Folks, you're hung up on image rather than substance, a pandemic problem in politics these days. This surprises me. The picture in the center of the home page of the Backbone Campaign's web site is not a logo. It's the actual award. Jim McDermott and the other people at the church didn't necessarily regard the anatomical statuette as a glorious objet d'art, but it conveyed what the organization is all about and did so with a bit of graphic shock. That was intentional. McDermott (looking, perhaps, like a chiropractor on his way to a seminar) walked out of the church carrying the award proudly, not, as I say, because it was a great work of art, but for what it represented—the esteem of his constituents for his consistently taking firm stands for what he considers to be right, even when he knows he's going to get a lot of flak for it. My alternative idea was that perhaps the award should be given, not to Democrats who have demonstrated that they have backbone, like McDermott, but to Democrats who are acting like invertebrates, such as those who voted to give Bush war powers, or who feel they need to act and sound like Republicans for fear of being regarded as "too liberal." Using the Backbone Award this would be rather like former Senator Proxmire's "Golden Fleece" award for government spending he regarded as frivolous, or the Darwin Awards for those who manage to kill themselves in an extraordinarily stupid manner, thereby removing themselves from the gene pool. These people are serious about urging the Democratic Party to have a "Platform with a Backbone," not the puddle of "me too" silly-putty that seems to have characterized Democratic Party platforms of late. When some members of the Democratic Leadership Council regard Howard Dean as "too liberal" (Howard Dean, for God's Sake!!), and Dennis Kuchinch as downright frightening, this is the kind of thing that makes the two major American political parties little more than Tweedledum and Tweedledumber. I think this grassroots "Backbone Campaign" says something of utmost importance. And chances are that backbone statuette is going to be around quite a bit for the next several months, perhaps longer, so you'd better get used to it. More power to them!! Don Firth |
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15 Jan 04 - 07:56 PM (#1093722) Subject: RE: BS: The Backbone Campaign From: CarolC The problem for me with that image is that I find it unnecessarily disturbing. I think using a symbol that people find disturbing, if there's no particular reason or need to do so, is a mistake if what you want a sympathetic response from people. |
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15 Jan 04 - 08:00 PM (#1093728) Subject: RE: BS: The Backbone Campaign From: Cluin We haven't missed the point, Don. It's just that there isn't much else to say about it other than "it's good". So we talk about how distracting the trophy is. |
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15 Jan 04 - 09:46 PM (#1093789) Subject: RE: BS: The Backbone Campaign From: McGrath of Harlow Members of the Backbone Campaign should surely be called vertebrae. The campaign might like to revive a fine old insult "He is simply a shiver looking for a spine to run up." This has been re-used a number of times in various forms, and various countries, but it seems to have first been chucked by an Australian Labour MP, Paul Keating in 1944, about the then Liberal leader. And Paul Keating came up with some beaut insults. Here is a page with some of his best.. For example: "What we have got is a dead carcass, swinging in the breeze, but nobody will cut it down to replace him." "I am not like the Leader of the Opposition. I did not slither out of the Cabinet room like a mangy maggot..." "I was implying that the Honorable Member for Wentworth was like a lizard on a rock - alive, but looking dead." There are times when rapier-like wit and subtlety is called for. However sometimes a sledgehammer is what you need. |
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16 Jan 04 - 01:11 AM (#1093872) Subject: RE: BS: The Backbone Campaign From: LadyJean Among the Dean posters being circulated is one with a picture of a spine and the legend, "At Last a Democrat With A Backbone". It's a little too chiropractic for me, but I appreciate the sentiment. GO DEAN! |
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16 Jan 04 - 07:59 AM (#1094045) Subject: RE: BS: The Backbone Campaign From: McGrath of Harlow One danger is that opponents might respond by pointing out that the central nervous system illustrated might have a fine backbone and spine, but it doesn't have a head or a brain. That's what I meant by saying that using that image is giving a hostage to fortune. |