Well, look what happened to Ravi Bhalla's photo on the way to your mailbox...
The Mike DeFusco for Mayor campaign "borrowed" a proprietary photo of Bhalla from the Jersey Journal- with or without their consent- and darkened it.
See for yourself. DeFusco turned the natural shadow of Ravi's brow into menacing black circles around his eyes, his skin tone got darkened and the color saturation increased, his blue turban turned black, his green suit turned grey.
People, this is not a matter of debate. It was done. The original photo has been published several times since it was taken in 2016, your eyes are not lying to you.
In fact, DeFusco for Mayor has used this very photo in a comparative ad called "Check the Facts" but without perceptible manipulation.
Which leaves the question, why did a white candidate "darken" the skin of an ethnic Indian, turban-wearing Sikh opponent?
Was the Mike DeFusco for Mayor trying to tap subliminal fear of brown-skinned men who fly planes into buildings?
Was Mike DeFusco for Mayor trying to make Ravi Bhalla, a follower of a peaceful religion, look like what Idiot Trump calls a "bad hombre"?
Darkening of a Sikh candidate's photo is a dog-whistle to racists.
Literal exaggeration of an ethnic minority's racial characteristics is nothing new in filthy, slimey politics.
Remember what was done to presidential candidate Barack Obama in 2008?
In 2015, CBS published the findings of a study on whether "darkened Obama" images triggered negative stereotypes in how voters viewed Obama.
"A new study shows campaign ads by 2008 Republican presidential nominee John McCain noticeably darkened the skin tone of rival Barack Obama -- and that the ads affected, to some degree, voters' racial biases.Conducted by Stanford researchers and published by Public Opinion Quarterly, the study analyzed over 100 advertisements from the 2008 presidential campaign to determine the darkness of the two nominees' skin color in the edited images.It found that McCain's campaign spots used the darkest footage of then-candidate Obama in negative, "stereotype-consistent" ads. The darker images often appeared in spots tying Obama to criminal activity and aired more frequently as the November 2008 election approached.In contrast, McCain's face in the ads appeared significantly lighter.The study also examined whether seeing a darker face on Obama activated negative stereotypes of black people in the minds of voters.Forty-five percent of those who viewed a darker Obama were more likely to complete the word as a negative stereotype of black people (e.g. "LAZY" for "L A _ _"). Only 33 percent of respondents who saw a lighter-skinned Obama did so.The study concluded that "darker images of Obama can indeed activate negative stereotypes about Blacks, despite the fact that Obama is a counter-stereotypical" example."
Hoboken peeps, now you know.
In 2017, only one mayoral campaign has crossed the line, taken the lowest of low roads.
In 2017, only one mayoral campaign has crossed the line, taken the lowest of low roads.
Mike DeFusco for Mayor darkens a mans image to play to the worst instincts that he believes are inside of you.
Are we going to fall for this lowest of dirty political tactics?
Oh yeah, speaking of Obama... how cool is this?
Are we going to fall for this lowest of dirty political tactics?
Oh yeah, speaking of Obama... how cool is this?
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| Obama's Vice President Joe Biden in da house! |
It looks different because it's in print, as opposed to a backlit monitor. Have you heard of CMYK? If he wanted to manipulate the image he would have online as well. This is ridiculous and you know it. Also, please note that he didn't put horns or feces on him as some people have been known to do.
ReplyDelete"Ken Osmond,"
DeleteConversion between CMYK to RGB color does not DARKEN an image, nor add black rings around a person's eyes, nor turn their blue turban BLACK. DId you notice that you are looking at both- the photo and the flyer- on a backlit monitor? And I looked at both in photoshop. BUSTED.
Here @ Team Raviattino we overlook at nonsense .. build more parks over toxic waste .. change the face of our leader hoping to get the same results ..
ReplyDeleteOnly one screen name per person, Hobokened Out. Don't be greedy. Is this your new name?
DeleteI had heard that the race was going to get really nasty and posted that prediction previously. I also said that I was confident that I would not be disappointed.
ReplyDeleteTurns out that the prognosticators were right on point and the shit head DeFuso is certainly not disappointing. What a disgusting and vile thing to do.
I only hear negative comments and opinions about the little weasel. While I am not a fan of Stick’s, I hear that Stick took the proverbial “stick’ to feckless Mike at the candidate forum held by the DisReporter over some really rancid tidbits that Mikey and his crew have been spreading around town.
If Mike had the real courage that he was “all that”, then he would not have to stoop to such garbage and run a positive campaign, without using such malignant tactics.
Like Jen, he doesn’t really seem to be able to articulate a reason to be the Mayor, other than plain old gluttonous hunger for power and a preening sense of entitlement. The goons that support Mikey trying to scare off opponents don’t help his cause one bit. Is there no one around the dumbass that will tell him that people are muttering what an arrogant condescending entitled overly impressed with himself piece of shit he is when he walks away from them?
The disgusting lust for power that he exhibits leads to these types of tactics that have no place in Hoboken. Even Maurice would have objected.
At Team GiaFusco we just want what's best for the community. Which means Unelectable is out.
ReplyDeleteSomeone put it so eloquently in the fishwrap today.
Hoboken doesn't want to be an outlaw community. Ravi has issues with his record on transactional activities around the state and wants to move up the ladder. In the Soprano State, pay to play is how it's done.
Unelectable wants to bring drug-dealing illegal immigrants to Hoboken. I think we can all agree on that. And look at all these anonymous people who say he's involved in pay-to-play. It HAS to be true!
And before anyone says that sounds like our Team GiaFusco Reform Resistance Corporate Website administrator, let's remember that lots of people obsess about roving bands of illegal immigrant drug dealers and always call New Jersey the Soprano State. Lots, I tell ya.
By the bye, just because those identical sentiments are on the Team GiaFusco Reform Resistance Corporate Website this morning that doesn't prove anything. I bet the guy from the HR hacked Team GiaFusco Reform Resistance Corporate Website to make our administrator look bad. I bet he put our sign on the mailbox too! That's how dirty Unelectable's campaign has become!
DeleteAt least the hacker gave the usual free pass to the smut-mailer from our other candidate, Mikey "Smear Time" Defusco. Just like the way Democratic Committee Chair, Sergeant Tiffanie "I see nothing" Schultz gives a free pass to the alt right shrieking on the Team GiaFusco Reform Resistance Corporate Website when it helps our candidate.
Team GiaFusco: Reaching Across the Aisle All the Way to the Gutter
An outspoken, ardent supporter of MDF's, not known for anything but angry, incoherent ramblings, has a letter to the editor both on The Reporter and NJ.Com's websites. With perfect noun / verb agreement, and correct usage of the possessive case, it's clear they're writing letter for her. That didn't end well the last time someone put words in her mouth.
ReplyDeletethe oddest thing is penning letters "from" her doesn't even make political sense. i may be wrong, but i think i recall that person getting around 60-70 votes the last time she ran for something. she's got no constituency to bring to the table, why even bother? i'd go as far as to say that person's endorsement will likely LOSE mike some votes. where's the strategy?
Delete