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April 20, 2009

In the age of Facebook, campaigns need to grow up already

Posted by Graham F. Scott at 11:40 AM ET

Yesterday Ray Lam stepped down as the NDP candidate for Vancouver-False Creek because one of his opponents objected to photos appearing on Lam's Facebook account. In one, a person "believed to be Lam" has his hand on an unidentified woman's breast (the picture appears at right). It seems safe to assume neither of the people depicted in the photo is sober. In another of the offending photos, the person "believed to be Lam" has his underwear showing and people are tugging on it. Boy, what the youths of today get up to.

I'm not saying the provincial Liberal party in B.C. can't pounce on a political hot-potato and exploit it if it's there for the taking, but honestly, it's time to step back and rethink this type of politicking in the age of Facebook.

It's a cheap, prudish attack, and we know the script well by now. A candidate broadly pantomimes that they are shocked, simply shocked, to find that his or her opponent isn't a saintly asexual teetotaler, and finds him- or herself duty bound to express that shock to the nearest reactionary media outlet. Usually, the attacking party, or sometimes a bored reporter, casts around for some ancient photo or blog post or mp3 of their opponent saying something embarrassing or irrelevant or offensive; the attacker then publicizes this piece of (usually) digital detritus and declares themselves offended; the defendant usually resigns in order to avoid "being a distraction" to the campaign, which is code for "everyone knows this is bullshit but a handful of loudmouth cretins won't stop talking about it."

The Lam photos are embarrassing, sure — even, gosh, inappropriate. But we've got to get over this idea that once-upon-a-time impropriety automatically and forever disqualifies you from public service or political candidacy. It's simply not realistic, and it's getting less so. In 10 years time, what political candidate will not have a backlog of evidence of their vaguely indelicate youth waiting to surface? She's flashing her hip tattoo! He's ironically throwing a gang sign! Quick, call the radio station, the public has to know! It's been used by candidates on both the right and the left — there are officious busybodies of every political stripe. Enough.

I don't write this post to defend Lam; I write it to condemn this asinine, priggish brand of political campaigning. You're running an election for the Province of B.C., not class president on Gossip Girl. Grow up.

More entries on: Provincial Politricks

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Reader comments:

Amen!

Posted by: Mark Greenan at April 20, 2009 01:38 PM

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I agree 150 per cent. The first thing that crossed my mind was it was a shame that a young person who got involved in politics was forced out because of some pranks on FB. And how many other people his age will simply not vote now because of the flap leaving it to the old fogies tsk tsk tsking. It is time for a new generation to get involved in politics and once again both major parties show why so many are disenfranchised from voting and why the number of eligible voters who do vote keeps declining. In this dreary campaign Lam was one of the bright spots. Unfortunately he lives and was running in the "no fun" city in what is rapidly becoming a no fun province!!!

Posted by: Phil Menger at April 20, 2009 02:48 PM

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Ridiculous to think of how many sorely-needed good people have and will be pushed out of politics because of social media gotchas like this. Unless some kind of new covenant is established, we'll get to the point where total abstention from any kind of fun is the price of being elected or even getting a job.

Posted by: Matt at April 20, 2009 04:53 PM

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Couldn't agree more Graham. Also on a side note, if this actually were a race for class president on Gossip Girl Lam would win by a landslide with that campaign poster.

Posted by: lisa at April 20, 2009 06:28 PM

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I agree, but not 150% like Phil.

I think that people have always attacked personal traits of their opponents, ever since "opponents" existed. Hamilton/Burr is a famous example, among many, of a battle over honor and trying to slander for political gain.

Facebook and social networking in general has made it easier to dig this stuff up: just run a search on Ray Lam, and crap (whatever's out there) will be found.

I think that you're right, in that this is silly and that "once-upon-a-time impropriety" should not bar you from a position, however, this climate isn't new. Pictures like this, posted on your own facebook profile (which is apparently open to the public) is silly.

Posting picture-proof of you drunkenly copping a feel of an equally intoxicated female's anatomy isn't the savviest political move.

A bit more discretion (maybe making his profile only viewable to friends?) could have saved him the hassle.

Posted by: J at April 22, 2009 03:16 PM

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