Comments on: Mormon Pollster Gary Lawrence: We Want Negative Buzz

By: Main Street Plaza » Sunday in Outer Blogness: Funny Stories Edition!

Main Street Plaza » Sunday in Outer Blogness: Funny Stories Edition! — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 21:54:03 +0000

[...] used as a “free speech forum” near the Manti Pageant (didn’t they get this memo from Gary Lawrence?). Another conservative radio personality misrepresents how free speech works. [...]

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By: chanson

chanson — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:12:38 +0000

Chino — It’s very sad, but you’re right to be hopeful about the direction this will ultimately go…

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By: LdChino

LdChino — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:46:22 +0000

I’d like to leave a comment about our apparent loss in Maine. As the returns came in, some of the folks from the opposing side began leaving messages for me, like this one:

You guys ran a magnificent campaign, you completely out-organized and out-raised us.

Didn’t matter in the slightest.

32-0.

And here’s my response to that jab and to the Maine result generally:

With every vicious campaign that you guys run, you do more to advance our cause than we could ever manage on our own. Thank you for that, and I mean that sincerely.

Without folks like you and NOM, we never would’ve had the opportunity to run our ads showing the real families that are impacted by your campaigns. Fear is a powerful motivator, but in your case, you’re relying mostly on fear of the unknown to motivate your voters. At the end of the day, voters in Maine, even the ones who voted against us this time, were afforded the opportunity to contrast the real people they saw on our side with the fictitious monsters described in your ads. Sure, still too many voted their fears, but you’ve now played a part in helping to dispel some of that fear. So, thank you again for your efforts.

Yet another bittersweet result. Washington and Kalamazoo appear to have gone the right way, while 48% of Maine voters now find themselves on the losing side. In the latter case, it seems nearly certain that Maine will legislate equality again next year and in 2010 will host some kind of Question 1 redux. Sigh.

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By: Madame Curie

Madame Curie — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:50:55 +0000

Well, this sort of affirms what I already thought the church was thinking about these things. I mean, they have a persecution complex. They WANT persecution, it makes them seem more special or… something (mostly something, in my opinion).

I half wonder if they really did hire protesters for some of the rallies.

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By: Jonathan Blake (stvltvs) 's status on Tuesday, 03-Nov-09 17:01:48 UTC - Identi.ca

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:02:09 +0000

[...] http://latterdaymainstreet.com/?p=1116 a few seconds ago from web [...]

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By: LdChino

LdChino — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:02:23 +0000

You can see Gary’s complete presentation and also a panel discussion at the attached link.

Several points that Gary makes:

1) Antagonism is preferable to apathy.

2) Increasing contrast prevents identity from getting lost in commonality.

3) The LDS church is not even keeping up with world population growth. It will never be big and should operate accordingly.

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By: Urban Koda

Urban Koda — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:55:37 +0000

Does anyone know if he gave a reason for his assertion that negative buzz is good?

Does it help publicity?

Is it because it helps further the idea that it’s Mormons against the world?

Does it invite sympathy from moderate non-members?

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By: philomytha

philomytha — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:11:02 +0000

Is this guy for real!?!? :O And he’s got a gay son?

I have no words.

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