In this day and age, getting a message, whether it’s a personal one or a business advertisement, out into the world is a rather simple task. Between mainstream news, social media, and an onslaught of other digital platforms, there seem to be hundreds of different avenues to make your voice heard. And many can ensure that thousands, if not millions of viewers, will see exactly what you want them to.
But it wasn’t always like that.
Before the days of social media and digital advertising, we were relegated to what seems like much more grandiose ideas. You know, things like massive billboards, newspaper ads, and banners flying behind small planes or blimps.
While these things are still around, to be sure, they’re just not as common as they once were.
That is unless you want to make a grandiose gesture of your own.
And for some in the state of New York, that’s precisely what as needed recently.
As you well know, New York’s Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo has been the subject of some very unsettling news as of late. First, his alleged nursing home scandal was thought to be why some 15,000 or so elderly New Yorkers were infected with COVID-19 in recent months and died.
But now, he’s gained even more notoriety as an accused sexual predator. As of now, he has no less than seven separate accusers who have come forward with claims of sexual harassment, bullying, and even sexual assault.
And that exactly why a plane with a message for Cuomo was seen flying over and around New York’s capital of Albany recently.
The message read for all to see, “New Yorkers Say: Cuomo’s Got to Go!”
Now, I imagine that many of you reading this would likely surmise that the culprit behind the on-point banner was a Republican or conservative group, as the right has long deemed Cuomo as one of the farthest left governors in the nation, as well as a great opposer of former President Donald Trump. To be honest, it was my first assumption as well.
But we are all wrong.
In reality, the banner and its recent flight circling the seat of New York’s government were put together by three separate feminist and quite liberal groups.
According to the New York Post, Women’s March, Girls for Gender Equity, and UltraViolet came together to voice their opposition to the leader of New York and demand his resignation.
Rachel O’Leary Carmona, Women’s March executive director, told the Post, “Gov. Andrew Cuomo has proven himself to be a serial predator who abuses his power, his office and the women who work for him. And still, he refuses to resign – putting his own ego above the safety of his staff and the stability of the state at a time when too many New Yorkers are suffering. It’s long past time for Cuomo to stand down. If we won’t, it’s time for Democrats in New York and around the country to stand up for women and demand his impeachment.”
Cuomo has that he will not resign and instead depend on the investigations at hand to prove his innocence. And President Biden has basically seconded that opinion, telling the press recently that the inquiry should continue and only after their conclusion should judgment be passed.
However, these three groups are not satisfied with this. They want Cuomo gone, and they want him gone now.
Carmona said, “We plan to continue to pressure Cuomo and the White House to do the right thing for women here as we look to right the wrongs women have certainly been dealing with for more than the last four years but especially in the last for years.”
See, I told you they were liberals.
The executive director of UltraViolet, Shauna Thomas, says, “Following the first allegation of sexual misconduct against Andrew Cuomo, we called on him to immediately resign from the governorship. Since then, six more women have come forward to share harrowing experiences of what working for Cuomo was like.”
She, like most Americans, believes “Sexual harassment should not be tolerated in any workplace, let alone by the Administration of the Governor of New York. These women are putting everything on the line in the hopes that their abuser will be held accountable. We believe them. Cuomo must resign today.”
I don’t know that the banner will convince more people than what’s already being said online. But it’s nice to see someone thinking outside the digital box a bit.
