Propaganda Placards

What kind of monster would pen an article that objects to things like empathy and kindness?

Me. Well, sort of.

It is my belief that those wholesome bedrock qualities are being manipulated for nefarious purposes... via a variety of subtle propaganda campaigns meant to sway public opinion that have been allowed to take root in communities across the nation.

Signs: Sealed and Delivered

Specifically, I'm referring to the seemingly good-natured signs that have popped up since 2020. These planks now swarm utility poles, lampposts, and open space from Washington's Nebraska Avenue to the state of Nebraska. Each blitz is a little bit different, but they all share a common thread: harboring symbolism inside Trojan Horses of text-driven positivity.

Let's start with the most egregious case I have encountered: the mysterious EMPATHY crusade. As far as I can tell, these wooden boards began emerging around the same time vaccine passport enforcement became a reality in this country. But they really took hold once the war in Ukraine commenced. Not long after, I recall seeing the first of numerous blue and yellow designs. It was at this point that I put two and two together.

Everything that followed served to confirm my hunch. DC's NBC affiliate did a puff piece, as did a former WaPo apparatchik whose bio screams spy kid. Even hyperlocal blogs provided glowing PR short on accuracy. [Such as bogus palette claims about the color white being a constant, when there is ample evidence of its absence in what I refer to as the Kyiv collection.] Without exception, the identity of the man responsible for the effort was protected, though select info was offered. He is a former teacher around the age of sixty who has battled cancer, supposedly. While all of that may be true, it could be equally likely (especially given where I live) that he is a deep-stater intent on brainwashing Americans who otherwise might tire of drafting blank checks to Zelensky.

One detail that sets the EMPATHY guy apart is his insistence on indoctrinating his region for free. Typically, these 'do-gooders' prefer the moneymaking route. Take, for instance, the Infinite Love Project. Their "Be Kind" wooden signs have coated large swaths of the Mid-Atlantic and beyond. In many ways, this small business should be celebrated as a success for selling thousands of handmade pieces. Still, it's important to remember the era where the LLC hit its stride. It stands to reason that sales were highly correlated with the world of masks and social distancing. Additionally, a fraction of their work could be categorized as agenda marketing.

Over in the Siouxland, a similar movement linked to the term kindness arose during the early stages of the pandemic. Unlike their East Coast counterparts, these activists crafted sculptures and engaged in profit-sharing with area nonprofits. They also came the closest to letting the quarantined cat out of the bag. Of all the words the South Dakota artist could've used to define his agitprop, he chose to compare it to a vaccine! Nuff said.

[One more thought: it's hard to dismiss the overlap between the press publication dates related to the initiative and the chaos surrounding Election Week 2020.]

Apathy or Accessory?

Of course, every one of my assumptions could be wrong. Perhaps these folks truly are focused exclusively on tamping down incivility in the United States. That doesn't mean we should give them carte blanche to do whatever they want with our shared spaces...

I find it particularly troubling that their evangelism is concentrated near schools. Whether we're talking about honest-to-goodness appeals for geniality or iconography clearly constructed to evoke sympathy for a foreign flag, parents should always be wary of randoms trying to influence our kids. No matter how you slice it, it's still proselytism. Don't agree? Imagine the uproar if an unidentified woman started sticking pretty posters that merely said "life" in the exact same spots.

Which brings us to the next problem. Why are governments allowing these items to stay up indefinitely? Yes, certain compositions have received formal authorization; but the rest violate codes whenever they are placed in the public sphere without approval. Yet, no one in charge of enforcing these rules lifts a finger. It's exceedingly strange.

In Maryland's largest county, the official position of the Department of Permitting Services has been that "there are no plans to take (the EMPATHY) signs down." Just to be sure, I reached out to all four of the customer support reps listed on the agency's website to ask what the procedure is. Not one of them responded in the ten days before publication.

Across the Potomac, Arlington's spokesperson doesn't appear alarmed with the virtually unfettered power spin doctors wield within her borders. [In fairness, the zoning regulations are extremely lax in this regard.] That's concerning, but not nearly as vexing as the hometown news outlet basically casting those who dared to remove propaganda as villains.

Thanks to the reporting on both situations, we now have proof of two maxims:

1. Citizens who detest the subtext must either beg for removal, become vigilantes, or roll over

   
   

2. Those who choose to get involved risk being shamed on a worldwide scale

Meanwhile, the instigators get to sit back and smear anyone with the courage to challenge them. Look no further than EMPATHY man saying how "perplexed" he was "by the amount of effort (his opponents) seem to have invested," per a journalist's characterization. This coming from the allegedly ailing dude who spent countless hours hammering in thousands of trinkets.

Reaching an Accord

For people who found something off-putting about these 'unifying' messages, I hope my column sheds a little light on the subject. Even if the consensus reading of the tea leaves doesn't match mine, I would be shocked if a single soul argued against the macro issues registered above.

To avoid confusion, I feel it necessary to verbalize how precisely zero percent of what I've said applies to posting on private property. If these individuals/organizations and their customers had kept the ballyhoo in the proper domain, I'd be writing about something else this month.

Unfortunately, that's not how the progressive mind works. Letting you know what they think is only half the story... they demand your conversion as well. Therein, lies the irony with this whole scenario: the side pleading for compassion is known for being the quickest to sever ties.

Note: the post above may contain commentary reflecting the author's opinion.

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