Message To Fundies Decrying The Supreme Court Decision As An Infringement On Their Religious Freedom

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50. See, there's another good one. We need as many of these as possible.

And not just for the marriage equality issue, either.

The neat thing about a graphic like this is it really kills with the vast chunk of humanity that processes information visually. Nice bright colors and the whole beautiful rainbow thing from nature and all that. BUT ALSO the message. It's short and clever. Which means it's easier to burn into the brain. You'll be able to remember it next time the conversation steers toward this topic. I came up with one bit of blah-blah-blah a few days back while yakking with a neighbor and he cited it as being clever and something he'll have to remember cuz he liked it! "That's very good!" - he said. Well, that's very good because it's MEMORABLE. And when stuff sticks in the memory it's easier to haul out and share - and get extra points for cleverness. People like that. Makes 'em feel smart and and clever and with it, when they can repeat something they heard that was clever. And it must have been good because they REMEMBERED it. It stuck in their mind. Makes 'em feel smart and slick and cool and on-top-of-it-all. People like to feel smart.

People like to be amused. They like someone who makes them laugh. I can't tell you how many comedians I interviewed when I was still working and covering Hollywood - who told me they were led toward comedy because it was a great way to avoid getting beaten up on the playground. The neighborhood bullies would tell the wimp or nerd who'd wisecracked well - "y'know - you're okay!" And then you don't get beaten up anymore! People will be favorably predisposed when something is catchy and clever.

People like gimmicks. Pet rocks. Pop Rocks! Rubik's Cubes. Sudoku. Smilies. Cool or unusual band merch. Special Ben & Jerry's flavors. The Rolling Stones' "Sticky Fingers" album because the album cover close-up of the crotch of a guy in blue jeans had a workable zipper! Gimmicks. We've got a few of 'em ourselves for my kid's band, and the fans LOVE 'em! Catchy - like riffs in music that you just cannot get outta your head. The chorus everybody can still remember and they go home singing after they saw the new hit musical.

People don't like being wrong. There's the pride thing. Nobody wants to admit it - it's the rare physical or mental or emotional adult who will. Most people are too chicken to admit it. But heck, I can remember back after Watergate - you couldn't pay anyone to admit they'd voted for Nixon. But you know damn well enough people swallowed his shit and voted for him to put him in the White House instead of A) Hubert Humphrey, or four years after that, George McGovern. Hell, look how relentlessly and to what ridiculous extent are the attempts to rewrite the recent history of bush/cheney before our very eyes!

This kinda thing plays well to all those human weaknesses and inclinations, seems to me. And the more of these we have, that are applicable to every and any issue, the better. Because you never know which one is gonna resonate with somebody and just CLINCH that issue for them, or clarify it so perfectly that it's easy to remember and talk about in conversation. That makes it easier to persuade others if the occasion arises, and makes you feel (and look) smart at the same time.

Mind games! Recognize them. Play 'em well. That'll be another little wall of resistance that you may very well finally cut through. That'll be another vote you may well gain for the good guys.