I was putzing around a moment ago with some new Adobe software, and in the background CNN was on, and this ad came on:
There is just something about that ad that seemed to me to be very effective. I’m not sure what it is, and need to think about it, but rarely does an ad stick out like that for me. It just grabbed me.
cmorenc
Yes, that contextual adaptation of "Amazing Grace" is both completely appropriate and extremely effective and moving. If it wasn’t a public-service ad in support of a worthy altruistic mission, it not only wouldn’t work, but it would be offensive. But in this context, it’s extremely moving and wonderfully spot-on appropriate.
minstrel hussain boy
very nice.
Laura W
How about: brutal honesty, self-awareness, self-disclosure, humility, vulnerability, transparency, transformation, redemption.
Just wild guesses.
(But is it bound to whip up the "SA hates gays" theme again?)
Ash Can
It’s sincere and uplifting, and literally puts a human face on issues that usually get discussed in just statistical terms. It’s nicely done.
Jennifer
Nice ad, but I still won’t be giving to them.
It’s been a hard and fast personal rule for me ever since they blew over $200,000 lobbying to get "faith based initiative" funding that would allow them to continue to discriminate against teh evul gheys in their hiring practices. I just figured that any organization with a quarter million to blow on protecting bigotry wasn’t one that really needed my help.
Gus
Can’t be too effective. I’ve seen it numerous times and I can’t even remember what it’s for.
dan robinson
Grace: the free and unmerited forgiveness from God.
At least once a day, you should be able to look at the world and realize one’s one insignificance and reach out that which lies beyond the human consciousness in thanks for having the opportunity to experience all that life has to offer, to ask forgiveness for the harms we have done and ask forbearance for the mistakes we will make in the future.
Watching my father praying on his knees, praying that song, knowing that he saw himself as that wretch, has colored my view of it.
I miss him.
renegademom
To me, it is NOT an ad for the Salvation Army, but one for those hitting bottom, and afraid that there is no "other side".
Nikki
What Jennifer said. I don’t think I will ever forgive them for the stance they took.
John Cole
I can’t be the only one amused by the fact that a thread about a commercial centered around grace, forgiveness, and redemption, has devolved into people bitching that they can never forgive a charity.
Something to think about in relation to your opinion about the intransigence of the Republicans in California in the thread below.
Bill H
As a recovering alcoholic of 27 years, those faces speak very powerfully to me. The calm peacefulness is awesome. Yeah, it grabs me too. I love that ad.
Jennifer, sometimes you have to look past the flaws in what someone is, and look at the overall scope of who they are and effect of what they do. I know it can be hard to do that.
cosanostradamus
.
SA, isn’t that the Brownshirts? What happened to the Horst Wessel Song?
How many jobs did your State’s Republicans oppose, exactly?
.
Third Eye Open
I can understand hurt feelings and a distaste for a company that takes a personal affront to you.
Don’t patronize them.
But if I may equivocate, My country does a lot of bad stuff in my name, IMHO advocating for the collateralizing of entire populations in mis-guided attacks. When I put it into perspective I will still pay my taxes.
Here is your straw-man, go play with it. Stop whinin’ and buck up. This economic BS might get hairy, we gotta stick together.
Jim
@John Cole: Irony abounds.
Cris
I thought it was Something Awful.
Cris
By the way, when did "putzing" come into common parlance as a synonym for "playing around?"
Is it because it sounds like "puttering?" I’m guessing that because I hear people say "I was putzing around the house." But every time I hear it in that context, I think of Inigo Montoya’s immortal line.
AhabTRuler
First of all, two people out of 9 does not a devolution make. And I don’t recall the SA spending a lot of money to tell me how wrong they were to advocate for discrimination. I’m a forgiving guy, but you have to ASK (i.e. acknowledge your sin) to receive it.
False dichotomy. There are other charities that I can give to. Being reticent about the SA does not mean I won’t "stick together" with others.
Furthermore, since when has the SA been responsible for 37 million citizens?
Anton Sirius
That one’s good, but the ALS Society of Canada has an ad running up here that is just devastating.
Seriously, don’t watch it if you’re at work and easily messed up. This thing doesn’t press your buttons, it stomps on them.
The Other Steve
I’ve seen the ad.
I can’t remember who it was advertising for. I think it was a government anti-drug program or something.
Tsulagi
Pretty sophisticated ad for Salvation Army.
Not big on faith-based orgs, but I like those guys. They quietly provide some good social services in our area without pushing a political agenda. We always donate our used furniture and clothes to them.
AFA and Focus on the Family could learn a lot about Christian charity and values from these guys.
bago
Am I the only one that thought somethingawful when seeing SA?
sgwhiteinfla
The reason why it was moving, for those of us who can still be moved, is that it put a face on problems that are normally faceless. Homeless people, crack heads, people who have been broken, are many times just words to most of us unless there are persons close to us going through those things. It is so easy to not really care about "those kinds of people" until you see them looking otherwise normal in an ad. Otherwise we are able to dismiss them as somehow morally lacking and therefore thats why they end up in a sorry state. I mean surely in America if you get strung out or find yourself homeless it must be all YOUR fault and there is nothing about "those people" that we should feel bad about right? Now I don’t know about the Salvation Army’s hiring practices but I do know they do good work in the community and I for one will still give to them but if they are discriminating try to put pressure on them to change their policies. I can’t see completely shunning people who are thanklessly helping the lowest of our society just to make a poltiical statement. But thats just me and everyone is welcome to their own beliefs on the matter.
Krista
Yeah, that is a really powerful ad. When you first hear the song and watch them all playing together, you think it’s something wholesome like a soap commercial. And then it just all flies to hell from there. My great-uncle had ALS, and I would not wish it upon my worst enemy.
With regards to the SA commercial, also very powerful — putting faces to real problems is always a good approach. I always give to our local Christmas Kettle campaign. I’m guessing that the local branches aren’t really involved of (or even possibly aware of) the higher-level lobbying, especially in a different country, so I’m not going to withhold money from them on that particular principle.
MH
QFT, and better-said than I could’ve.
Third Eye Open
Ahab,
Look-here, my friend. If you wait around for the church to apologize, the chow line is gonna get mighty backed up.
If I might make another false dichotomy. When doing planning in areas where people have few resources. You have to accept help outside of a political boundry, while still noting it and dealing with the social negotiations in a different forum, or iteration, if you will.
But what do I know, amirite?
passerby
@Jennifer:
When I watched the ad, all I could think was that the makers of the ad were trying to manipulate me via my heartstrings. I thought the ad lacked sincerity and then, at the end it’s revealed that it’s for The Salvation Army and I realize they’re soliciting for money. Exploiting the suffering of others in order to get money.
I had forgotten about this:
It was because of this that I stopped dropping money into their Xmas kettles.
And John,
these are noble qualities selected by the SA in order to have the strongest emotional response and hopefully to effectively garner donations.
I’m jaded and at times it serves me and at times it blinds me. But, I’m not so sentimental when someone’s trying to separate me from my money.
I do shine prayers on my fellow man in hopes that they find strength for their journey. All that glitters is not gold.
forked tongue
I am happy for anyone who gets a broken life back together, but I despise "Amazing Grace" and thus cannot admire this ad even if it’s a less obnoxious use of a noxious song than usual.
hamletta
…get money so they…can help suffering people. What, exactly, is the problem? The Red Cross advertises, the United Way advertises; why should the Salvation Army be any different?
Oh, for God’s sake!
AhabTRuler
You may not. The entire point of the false dichotomy fallacy is that it is illogical, and therefore false.
The choice is not between giving money to the salvation army or "I’m all right Jack, fuck you," the choice is between giving money to the salvation army or to some other organization.
It’s not even a choice between a religious and secular organization either. It is a choice between an organization that used funds to promote discrimination or one that doesn’t.
cosanostradamus
@Cris:
.
It is.
.
Krista
That’s a new one to me too. I’ve heard of "futzing" around being used, but never "putzing" around.
Third Eye Open
Ahab,
Put it however you want, but in some areas the salvation army is what is available, so cut em some slack, or don’t, your opinion is just as valid as mine.
I give to the ASPCA, mostly because my cat pisses on things if I don’t.
forked tongue
Hmmm, not sure what I’m being oh-for-God’s-saked for. Is it beyond the pale to hate "Amazing Grace," or to be unmoved by the power of an advertisement based on a song one finds pernicious?
J Royce
Cole: "I can’t be the only one amused by the fact that a thread about a commercial centered around grace, forgiveness, and redemption, has devolved into people bitching that they can never forgive a charity."
Before redemption and forgiveness must come repentance and reformation.
That is what is missing from the Salvation Army. It is missing from the Conservative Republicans too, and frankly you, Mr. Cole. You changed affiliations and it may have saved you, but for some reason you’ve chosen to remain unchanged in your basic views, making you susceptible to every stale wind blowing from the Right. You and the others who brought us to this pass seem to think that time passing changes something. No, a CHANGE changes something. You are still culpable until that reform.
Change or be changed. This nation will suffer until it repents and reforms, then, THEN there will be redemption. It may not happen. Look at all the societies through history that chose not to change. Gone.
Yes, we have a whole lot of pain coming. I hope we reform and come back in short order, but that may not be in the cards. All this is God’s Law, however, and while saying this didn’t seem appropriate on a political blog, you opened that Pandora’s Box. So, fine.
Do not think you can ever transform back into a Rightwing tool no matter how much you wish to identify with the Right. It may be your karma is to twist and resist, damaging yourself until you drop completely and transform. Did I piss you off? GOOD. You pissed me off as well.
In fact, you’ve been doing that a lot lately. You have your online gig and it ain’t pitching foul balls on behalf of the under-dwellers anymore. Show some respect for what saved you.
Laura W
@Krista:
putz
n.
1. Slang: A fool; an idiot.
2. Vulgar Slang: A pen*s.
intr.v. putzed, putz·ing, putz·es Slang
To behave in an idle manner; putter.
[Yiddish pots, pen*s, fool.]
I was familiar with it in terms of puttering, but not the "vulgar" application. The learning never stops here at BJ.
(I’m sure John meant he was puttering with his software. Definitely.)
Michael Carpet
When we bought our new car, I asked about what we might get for trading in our old vehicle. The salesman told me we could get about $200 — but if we chose to donate it, to give it to the Salvation Army, because "they were there for me when I needed it." His comment has stuck with me. No organization is perfect, but on a personal basis this ad resonates.
John Cole
Nope, I meant putzing around. I don’t need the software right now, but it might be useful for future projects, so I was just tinkering with it and seeing what all it could do and making mental notes. Putzing.
Krista
This is true. Before coming here, I knew nothing of trolling, wetsuits ‘n’ dildos, the entire electoral system of the United States, why Neti Pots are so awesome, and that Nate Silver is the prophet for our times.
My eyes have been opened, and there’s no going back.
passerby
@hamletta:
For me, hamletta, it’s the percentage of the money they collect that goes toward actually helping the down-trodden. I think the SA, with it’s scripture-based mission, would better serve real people if revenues were kept in the community that donated them.
And in my view, the United Way, that has a history of coercing employees to donate via direct with holding from paychecks, has become a giant slush fund the size of a national bank. Not impressed with the "good" they do for society.
I like the American Red Cross for their ability to mobilize workers to disaster areas and funnel money there but they, too, are the size of a bank.
Do what ever you want with your money. I’m for freedom to choose. But I think that keeping it at a local level builds a better community. Outside of that I’ll bet the folks who run these institutions drive very nice cars and live high off the hog.
As I said, I’m jaded so take it with a grain of salt. I’ve gotten to where I only donate to my local food banks.
Jasper
We generally give our money to other groups doing similar work, but I do appreciate the work the SA does. An organization I volunteer for takes in mostly homeless alcoholics and addicts, and before they came to us, a great many had been helped over and over by the SA.
What they do is necessary and fills a void that other organizations haven’t addressed in many communities. If gay-friendly non-religious organizations emerge as a viable "competitor" to the SA in providing basic services like a place to stay and food to homeless people who otherwise cannot get those services, then I’ll support them but in the meantime, I gladly provide a few dollars every holiday season and thank them for the good they do.
FWIW I despise the hateful anti-gay position of the evangelical community, but the SA walks the tolerance walk when it comes to providing essential services, so I can overlook it in their case.
Laura W
@John Cole: Not sure I grok your distinction, but whatever you say. You’re the putzer.
The greater point that just came to me in light of the vulgar application of "putz" is perhaps that is where "dicking around" comes from.
Seeing connections and patterns where none exist…
Laura W
@Krista: At this point I’m mostly just hanging around for the brussels sprouts recipes and Tunch jokes.
Jon
For what it’s worth, "putz" is one of several yiddish terms for the male organ.
jibeaux
Oh, that is good. Of course, I think Amazing Grace, as well as the story of its provenance, is a very moving song. I would have thought "I despise Amazing Grace" would be one of sentences in George Carlin’s category of "things that have never ever been said", along with "after I cut my dick off, I’m going to stick this hot poker up my ass…"
John Cole
@jibeaux: I love Amazing Grace. I am not religious myself, but it is still a very moving song, and such a clearly powerful message for those who are believers.
mellowjohn
ya know, way back when – before it got beaten into the ground like a tent peg – i actually liked that song.
now i can’t fucking stand it! i swear… if someone starts to play it at my memorial serives, i will will my ashes to rise out of whatever box they’re in and strangle the sumbitch.
mellowjohn
btw, it’s not "putzing" around. it’s "potchkeeing" around – from the yiddish "potchkee" or messing around inefficiently or inexpertly. (see leo rosten’s classic work "the joys of yiddish.")
oy, what a bunch of luftmenschen.
flywheel
To all the skeptics and agnostics and those who devalue the spiritual (not religious) side of human experience:
Until you are truly broken, as I have been, you cannot truly appreciate the sentiments expressed in the song, or the words.
Incidentally, it was written by a sea captain (retired) of a slave ship. I think he was probably looking for some forgiveness and redemption.
Actually, it’s a pretty secular thing, if you can notice.
JoyceH
@John Cole:
"I can’t be the only one amused by the fact that a thread about a commercial centered around grace, forgiveness, and redemption, has devolved into people bitching that they can never forgive a charity."
Just FYI, the Salvation Army is not a charity, or not just a charity. It’s a religious denomination, just like the Baptists and Methodists.
It’s best know for its charity work, but it’s a church.
ChrisB
@Krista:
Was blind
But now you see.
Chuck Butcher
This makes me think of JeldWen windows. They make pretty good window but I try avoid them because the owner is a right wing loon who has been one of the biggest supporters of Bill Sizemore whose initiatives have plaugued OR for a long time. The problem with this is that they are good windows, they’re made right here in OR, they’re not total scum to work for and frequently they are most available. (there are some weird details in the support of BS)
I don’t advocate for the policies of SA, but I do buy stuff from them on occasion because they’re about it for help for some who’ve been losing. One of my friends got his feet back under himself working there after meth tanked a pretty decent life. I’m a bit pragmatic sometimes when it means things sum out the best.
AnneLaurie
I’ll give the Salvation Army this credit: From what I know of the ground level "soldiers", they’d be almost as glad for you to donate to your local food bank or other charity as they’d be to take your money for their own work.
As for Mr. Cole’s verb choices, surely I can’t be the only Really Old Person who remembers when "urban" comedy writers used putz and schmuck because the ever-present Big Network Censors didn’t know (or at least assumed the Great American Heartland didn’t know) that those words were every bit as vulgar as the infamous Seven Words You Couldn’t Say on TV?
forked tongue
I have heard about the provenance of "Amazing Grace" and I know it’s nice that the slaver had seen the error of his ways and "wretch" may well have been an appropriate word choice for his earlier self. Regardless, I have no idea why a minimally self-respecting person today would want to apply that word to her- or himself. If you’ve done something as bad as slave-trading, fine, make peace with your higher power in private. Unfortunately, the public performance of "Amazing Grace" now carries with it the demand that we all see ourselves as former "wretches" who are now "saved" if we want to share in the bathos, and I say no thanks.
Vlad
I forgive the SA, but that doesn’t mean that I have to give them any of my money. I give to Doctors Without Borders instead, and I’ve never regretted it.