As a preface to this “propaganda review” it is necessary to state that under normal circumstances some of the propaganda information- strategies- that will be cited could be construed as giving assistance to the enemy. Under normal circumstances that would be correct, but when factoring in the megalomaniacal ego of the opposition UDP’s PR ageing wunderkinds and especially party leader Dean Barrow, the salient information in this review will be totally ignored. Considering Barrow and the UDP’s all encompassing arrogance there is no way in hell they will heed the ultimately accurate observations and propaganda insights of this critic because by following any of my advice would be acknowledging their own myopia and missteps. The overriding irony is that due to Barrow’s ego, he continually shoots himself in the foot. The reality is that Barrow can NOT walk on water even though in the deepest recesses of his soul he probably believes he can- and his sainthood is not imminent.

Easy concepts- so why in heavens name did Dean Barrow allow an incredibly gloomy, depressing photo of himself to be used on the billboard situated in the Paslow parking lot on North Front Street across from the heavily trafficked Swing Bridge. When that billboard was erected three weeks ago, it caught my attention driving to work. My first thought was “what a horribly dismal image and murky coloration”.  The neo-Baroque photo is sadly under lit and printed in repugnant maroons and muddy browns. It looks like a Rembrandt reject. Visually the image of Barrow comes off sinister and dreary. Due to the murky colors Barrow’s smile is transformed to a chilling grimace. It is an excellent example of negative propaganda.

Whoo! Why would the UDP propaganda whizzes want to present their leader in such negative visual terms? That image does untold subliminal damage to Barrow. It oozes with evil. The billboard should have created an upbeat mood in the public’s mind. The effect is ass-backwards- from positive to negative. My next thought was the UDP couldn’t be that dumb and it was actually the PUP that erected that billboard. How insidiously clever. But after making a couple of phone calls, I found out that the PUP wasn’t behind it after all, that it was the bizarre concoction of the UDP.

The venerable fable, “The emperor’s new clothes” by Hans Christian Andersen comes to mind. Succinctly put the story deals with a megalomaniacal king that hires a con-man tailor to sew him up some classy, fashionable new duds. The tailor didn’t do jack and told the emperor that he made a new royal wardrobe out of a special fabric that was only visible to intelligent and high class people. The con-man played on the king’s arrogance. So the king decided to show off to his subjects his special clothing. He was the head of a royal procession that weaved its way throughout the streets of the kingdom.

His subjects, who were intimidated by the king, didn’t say a peep as the emperor strutted past them buck naked. For the king had proclaimed that he was wearing some snazzy new attire, the subjects of that kingdom were afraid to contradict him. Except for one young child who blurted out, "But he has nothing on!"  

And that was exactly what everyone was thinking. The spectators found renewed courage and began throwing sarcastic comments at the emperor over his unwitting nudity. So how did the king respond to the crowd’s jeering? Ignored them and kept on walking. The height of arrogance. 

Dean Barrow behaves in the same arrogant manner as the befuddled, bare-naked emperor- he lets his behemoth ego get in the way of his perception of reality. How else can one explain the fact that the negative UDP billboard of Barrow near Swing Bridge has NOT been changed for one more positive, more suitable?  Barrow must have instructed his minions and sycophants that the billboard is fine and dandy- no one has had the guts to tell Emperor Barrow the truth- it sucks big-time. And the emperor just keeps on walking along butt naked. 

La-dee-da, la-dee-da.

Could be that super educated Barrow is visually illiterate? La-dee-da.