‘Only You Can Silence Yourself’
Jessica Alba shocked the world a few weeks ago by appearing in a controversial new ad campaign for the Declare Yourself organization. Declare Yourself is a nonpartisan, nonprofit campaign aiming to empower every eligible American, 18-to-29 years old, to register to vote in the 2008 presidential election. They enlist celebrity spokespeople to help raise awareness in order to get young voters registered to vote. Jessica’s first ad campaign for the organization, released a few weeks ago, featured her wrapped in black electrical tape that particularly was placed over her mouth:
From the accompanying press release: Declare Yourself, the national nonpartisan, nonprofit youth voter initiative is launching a powerful print and viral campaign aimed at energizing young adults to register and vote in the 2008 election. The campaign, entitled, “Only You Can Silence Yourself,” features Jessica Alba (The Fantastic Four, Sin City) in a series of images by renowned photographer Marc Liddell. The striking photographs feature Alba quite literally silenced—with gags and masks stifling her voice as a citizen. The photos are available for download at www.DeclareYourself.com, and can be circulated virally; they will also be featured in national publications this fall. “I really don’t see the point in not registering to vote,” said Alba. “We sign up for MySpace pages and Facebook pages, and download music off the internet. The least people can do is register to vote online, actually making a difference in their world, not just making their lives a little bit cooler. It makes more sense to spend your time making a change in society—and it actually doesn’t take that much time! It takes more time to make a music playlist than it does to register to vote.” “Young adults are inundated with messages,” said Marc Morgenstern, Declare Yourself Executive Director. “This campaign is designed to break through and inspire young people to seize their role in the future of our country by registering and voting. We are deeply grateful to Jessica for lending her voice to this important movement.”
I have to say that I wholly support this organizations work towards educating young people of the importance of registering to vote. Voting is such an important right that so many Americans take for granted … and it is imperative that eligible folks GET REGISTERED to vote so that they have have a say in the governance of our country. Even if you aren’t sure who to vote for yet, you MUST GET REGISTERED IN TIME otherwise you will not be allowed to vote once you do make up your mind as the election nears. The deadlines to register in many states are very close at hand (this week, in some states) so it’s IMPERATIVE for folks to get registered. If images like these catch the attention and urge people to register than I am all for it. Declare Yourself released a second, possibly more, controversial ad featuring Jessica Alba last night. After the jump, check it out for yourself …
While a bit over-the-top, I think these ads really make the point. You are in control over whether or not your voice can be heard. Do not let ANYONE speak for you … get registered, get your friends and family members registered and GET OUT AND VOTE. Pay attention to what is being said by the candidates, do your own research and learn the facts. We are at a turning point in our country’s history … don’t you want to be a part of that change?
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Tags: Declare Yourself, Jessica Alba
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October 2nd, 2008 at 11:06 am
I agree with her message, but are they only striving for the sado-creepo vote? It doesn’t appeal to me at all…well except for giving me the creeps and reminding me to lock my doors at night.
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:08 am
This are quite brutal. I get what they’re saying and how being shocking is a way to get the point across…
These make Jessica appear to be a victim of violence, though. They make me uncomfortable.
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:22 am
If they are truly nonpartisan they shouldn’t use a celebrity who has openly and vocally supported one candidate for president.
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:24 am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olpCyDA4kYA
Interesting PSA that declare yourself put out.
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:30 am
I really don’t like either one of them, they arent good photos, kind of strange, and dont get a good message across, they technically are promoting violence, i honestly cant believe she would be okay with these photos, they are horrible, and i think they should find a better way, because these do NOT appeal to me at all.
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:31 am
Two words: Hannibal Lector
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:31 am
I love this ad! I think it is one of her best pictures!!
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:38 am
It reminds me of Bondage which probably isn’t the best thing for it to remind me of. All she needs is a whip and stilettos and badaboom she’s ready for a super creepy episode of CSI or some show along those lines.
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:42 am
very..first episode of top model…atleast thats what popped into my head.
October 2nd, 2008 at 11:57 am
Now if only someone could put that tape around Heidi and Spencer’s mouths…although technically that doesn’t get the same message across ;)
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:03 pm
I can’t stand her. Her comments about being a mother (she refuses to be her daughter’s best friend), the way she speaks about being a Latina actress,etc…maybe i’m overanalyzing it but she’s overrated.
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:17 pm
I’m not exactly her biggest fan either; I think her comments about not feeling a connection to her Hispanic heritage at the same time she’s speaking Spanish in an add for Obama is contradictary. Any who, I think it’s a great cause, but I think the pictures went a bit far.
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:35 pm
I agree with Dyna… She looks like a victim of violence..
very disturbing..
it’s great.. but why these pics.. they took it a little too far.
October 2nd, 2008 at 12:37 pm
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October 2nd, 2008 at 12:37 pm
um, this pic is so creepy and it scares me. andi totally agree with marjorie.
October 2nd, 2008 at 1:40 pm
When they cast her as the Invisible Woman, I cringed. Not because she is a Latina woman, but because it’s her and I wish she would actually be invisible and then she re-appeared!
October 2nd, 2008 at 2:14 pm
She should model. These pics are fierce.
October 2nd, 2008 at 6:15 pm
I don’t see fierce. I see empty eyes…like she doesn’t believe what she’s saying…
I must concur with Dyna, too. She looks like she’s a victim of domestic violence.
October 2nd, 2008 at 7:36 pm
JarEdina, I can’t stand her either, but I think it’s about time some parents stopped needing their kids to be their friends.
October 2nd, 2008 at 8:10 pm
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October 2nd, 2008 at 9:31 pm
she is such a bad actress. she has this same expression in every movie she does too
October 2nd, 2008 at 10:02 pm
I’m not a fan of hers but I do think she is quite pretty…however, not in this photo. Voting is a right but also a priviledge & it’s ridiculous to encourage people to vote just to vote especially to those haven’t an opinion yet. When I was in my late teens/early 20’s, I had NO clue on politics and I never truly understood what was right and where I stood on certain issues unitl now in my late 20’s. Celebs like diddy and the rest of Hwood forcing their opinions down on youngsters who are rather gullible reminds me of fascist Germany in WW2 with Nazi youths being brain-washed, encouraged to turn in their parents to be “cool” and “in” with the crowd/political agenda. Scary…
October 3rd, 2008 at 12:13 am
Lila makes a good point- I dont want someone that influenced by photos and celebrities to go out and vote on an issue they know nothing about. How sad, that a disturbing photo with Jessica Alba would encourage someone who doesnt normally vote to go out and do that without understanding what their vote actually means. Yeah, it takes less time to arrange a music playlist than to register to vote but it should take more time and thought in what you stand for! We need REAL people encouraging youth to become involved and RESEARCH the issues. And I agree with the others when they comment on the disturbing connotations these pics bring up- sexual and domestic abuse- rather than silence. There is a much more powerful way to spread this message.
October 3rd, 2008 at 3:04 am
It’s definitely OTT in relation to what it’s actually promoting, since both themes hardly have anything to do with politics, and I don’t really get the tears…
October 3rd, 2008 at 5:48 am
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October 3rd, 2008 at 9:41 am
Instead forcing this registering and voting down our throats, why don’ they do a campaign about RESEARCHING candidates? That’s more important. Don’t cast an ignorant vote because Hollywood tells you to do so.
October 3rd, 2008 at 9:54 am
Personally, I don’t find this campaign is forcing anything. It is very important to get young people registered because many of them don’t know there are deadlines … they may research all they want and finally decide who to vote for on election day only to learn that they can’t vote because they didn’t register in time. This campaign isn’t urging any kind of vote at all, it is just trying to drive home the fact that YOU are in control of having a voice. I find it very suspicious that conservative voters are speaking out against voter registration … it’s clear they are afraid that the more people who register, the more who will vote against their candidate.
October 3rd, 2008 at 2:42 pm
I hope that there is a time in my life when it is no longer acceptable to promote certain social issues at the expense of women. PETA also does this. I know it might seem harmless, but when you see certain images over and over, we become desensitized. I work in a domestic violence shelter, and see the affects of violence against women being acceptable, on whatever level, all too often.
October 3rd, 2008 at 4:57 pm
Wow Trent, really? Conservative voters are against this? I disagree. But conservative voters are more likely to think that these ads are a little bit offensive than your normal disensitized liberal voter.
October 3rd, 2008 at 6:17 pm
Trent, the campaign has been going on for quite some time now. Obama has been in the scene for over an year and McCain has been the decided candidate for the Rep. Party fairly early in this race. If you haven’t done your research about the candidates by now, being October (with elections coming up next mth) you probably don’t have much interest in this matter. So why force them to vote? is this really a ploy on the republicans front or is this really a ploy of the democrats and we’re just not dumbed down enough to turn a blind eye? It’s no coincidence that they chose an open Obama supporter as their “voice of reason”-so to speak. Let’s not be afraid to call a spade for what it is.
October 5th, 2008 at 8:11 am
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