Saturday, December 17, 2005
Look, No Purple
Inspired by the "purple fingers" of Iraq, Hamas makes its own post-election play for attention:
The clean fingers campaign looks poised to make a big impression on pro-democracy advocates in the west, although perhaps not the same impression as the purple fingers campaign:
Purple declares: "I voted!" The clean finger says, at least symbolically: "I voted, early and often."
Which goes along well with images of party rallies bristling with armed masked men and rocket launchers. Kind of like the Iowa caucuses. Savvy imagery indeed.
** NOTE: AP wants us to know that the last two pictures are only showing rallies with plastic rifles, which gives me a much stronger democracy high than if I believed Hamas members were actually running around with real rifles.
If you really, really liked this -- or even really, really hated it -- there's lots more:
Veiled female members of the Islamic movement Hamas march during a rally in the West Bank city of Tulkarm, December 16, 2005. (Mustafa Abu Dayeh/Reuters)
Purple declares: "I voted!" The clean finger says, at least symbolically: "I voted, early and often."
Which goes along well with images of party rallies bristling with armed masked men and rocket launchers. Kind of like the Iowa caucuses. Savvy imagery indeed.
** NOTE: AP wants us to know that the last two pictures are only showing rallies with plastic rifles, which gives me a much stronger democracy high than if I believed Hamas members were actually running around with real rifles.
