My first reaction was laughter. You would laugh too if you read the following headline amongst other, more serious and pressing ones, “Sarkozy fights back against voodoo dolls.” Okay, not serious, you say?
Nicholas Sarkozy is the French President. K&B (a publishing company) made and distributed 20,000 Sarkozy voodoo dolls, including a manual (just in case you did not know where to stick your needles), ABC news reported. This bothered Sarkozy and he has threatened to sue K&B.
It is a given that any overburdened, fed-up commoner would want to vent his or her anger. Why not on a voodoo doll? The use of a political figure’s face (and quotes) to increase sales is not completely just, though completely brilliant. After all, many economic upstarts, workplace problems and changes in lifestyle can be blamed on the ruling government.
Take Canadians for example. First blame the government for a bad economy and recession. Then blame them all you want for high gas prices. Next add high costs of everyday items (imports) and misuse of tax money to the list. Low health care and so on. The list continues, but the average Canadian is still stuck in a highly stressful situation. Added to this list are the rise of newer controversies that pit people against the government– the debate over our Canadian troops, for instance. While a decision is yet to be made over an issue, the public is calm and hopeful, but as soon as it is done, opinions and angry comments flare. People do have a right to vent their anger. Smash some windows, break some glass. Wreak havoc inside your home all you want.
However, think of the following Dr. Phil quote: “When you choose the action, you choose the consequences.” When a kid chooses to punch his classmate, he chooses to get punished. When two siblings choose to fight, they choose to get grounded. The same theory applies to government. If a leader chooses to involve his or her nation in a war, they choose to incur outrage from some residents. When a leader chooses to let the economy fail, they choose to get ridiculed. If we can laugh at caricatures of political figures in tutus, we can surely laugh at voodoo dolls. By making some risky choices leaders, if not just Sarkozy, have chosen to give their fed-up people some room to make their own risky choices. Now it is completely up to the public whether they decide on posters, slogans, graffiti or the even-more-fun voodoo dolls. We cannot let the leaders complain now. They’ve done their part and it is time for the outraged public to do theirs.