Presidential Geek Survey Diary – Day 13

“Republicans will talk to anyone,” the Democratic National Committee says. “Just not Hispanics, African Americans, teachers or young people. Meanwhile, the Democratic candidates are talking to all of those groups, plus steelworkers and Iowa. You know who nobody is talking to?

Geeks.

I didn’t realize it was going to be this hard to get someone to respond to the Geek Survey. At the very least, I thought we’d get a rejection email from an unpaid intern, and we haven’t even gotten that. It’s like the candidates are afraid to get near us. Are we still the social pariahs we were in high school? Are the candidates worried they might they might get some Geek on their suits (it doesn’t wipe off, you know)? Is it because we don’t have an organized union or voter’s association? Is it because we don’t have a convention?

Oh, wait. We do have a convention happening in San Diego at the end of July. In 2006, over 123,000 people attended the International Comic Convention, with more expected in 2007. That’s bigger than the NAACP convention, the NEA annual conference, National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials annual conference, and the Steelworkers Union conference. Con attendance cuts across both sexes, all ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations, religious affiliations, professions, education levels and incomes.

With geek demographics like that, candidates can’t simply come in and deliver a speech telling us geeks what we want to hear based on phone surveys and focus groups and expect thunderous applause and campaign donations. We expect to have a dialogue. We expect to participate. Good God, candidates would have to actually talk WITH us, not TO us.

Will we agree with everything the candidates say? No. Will the candidates be challenged? Yes. Will they be mocked on thousands of blogs, including this one? You bet.

But, at Pink Raygun, it’s an equal-opportunity, bi-partisan mocking. I won’t make fun of Hill just because she’s a Democrat or Rudes just because he’s a Republican. I’ll make fun of them for stuff like this:

Listen up, Candidates! There is a reason why Americans don’t vote. You people don’t even carry on as if individuals are part of the electoral process. It’s all groups and sub-groups that you can market to. You bombard us with ads and sound bites that give us no opportunity to engage and respond. You’re not people anymore – you’re brands.

The Geek Survey questions aren’t hard. They are not politically risky. You don’t have to comment on the Mary Jane statue, the Superhero Registration Act or Stephanie Brown’s non-existent memorial case. You don’t have to pretend to be a Geek if you aren’t one.

You just have to be a person.

Score
Everybody loses.

Masters of Science Fiction: The Complete Series

Executive All-in-One Pen w/ Stylus, Laser Pointer, & Flashlight

Superhero Cape

Binary People - Black, M

Asimov's Science Fiction