The Snickers Affair

Since I'm on the topic of advertisement, I'm bookmarking this entry on Malcontent (a gay blog), mostly for my personal reference. It's a fantastic piece which gives a different perspective on gay advocacy groups. The entry discusses the Snickers Affair, in which Mars was accused of homophobia in a gay-themed Snickers commercial. As this post elaborates, not everyone in the gay community felt the same way about the ad, despite the stentonian voice of GLAAD and others.

Sometimes we've just got to pull back and re-evaluate the scenerio.

Who represents us?

What are we trying to achieve?

Hell, is it really that important?

When an organization gets carried away by its own rhetoric, it's no longer able to discern real threats from the abstract. Not everything is black in white.

I think Bob Dylan put it best (selected lyrics from 'My Back Pages'):

Half-wracked prejudice leaped forth
"Rip down all hate," I screamed
Lies that life is black and white
Spoke from my skull. I dreamed
Romantic facts of musketeers
Foundationed deep, somehow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I'm younger than that now.

In a soldier's stance, I aimed my hand
At the mongrel dogs who teach
Fearing not that I'd become my enemy
In the instant that I preach
My pathway led by confusion boats
Mutiny from stern to bow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I'm younger than that now.

Yes, my guard stood hard when abstract threats
Too noble to neglect
Deceived me into thinking
I had something to protect
Good and bad, I define these terms
Quite clear, no doubt, somehow.
Ah, but I was so much older then,
I'm younger than that now.