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VOTE. Exercise Your Rights. There's a Strong Link Between Public Relations and Politics

By Denise Blackburn-Gay, APR, Fellow PRSA posted 11-05-2018 03:36 PM

  


The midterms are here. Don’t underestimate their importance. If you have earned the right to vote, let your voice be heard. Be proud of who you are and what you stand for.

Here is what Oprah Winfrey said about voting. As a woman who has worked hard for her rights, I find Oprah’s words inspiring and beautiful. (Reprinted from RealClearPolitics.)

OPRAH WINFREY: All of us may have been created equal, but if you're woke, if you're woke just a little bit you have the sense to know that everybody is not treated equally. The reality is we see injustices big and small all around us every single day of our lives...

Every single one of us, every single one of us has the same power at the polls. And every single one of us has something that done in numbers too big to tamper with cannot be suppressed and cannot be denied. As our civil rights predecessors used to say, 'We shall not be moved.' ...

 For anybody here who had an ancestor who did not have the right to vote and you are choosing not to vote wherever you are in this state, in this country, you are dishonoring your family. You are disrespecting and disregarding their legacy, their suffering, and their dreams when you don’t vote. Honor your legacy. Honor your right to citizenship in this which is the greatest country in the world.

There is a strong link between public relations and politics. PR professionals are guided by a stringent code of ethics and are committed to communicating facts that allow for “informed decision making in a democratic society.” When political campaigns smear opposing candidates, PR practitioners cringe.

We work hard to inform a diverse public (media, consumers, businesses, etc.) about brands, companies, laws, legislation, and even political candidates. By developing strategic messages and sharing them across targeted demographics, we educate.

In politics, the role of public relations is real. Voters are more than consumers; they are stakeholders. As such, their opinions and decisions—your opinions and decisions--can help shape the laws, legislation, and operation of our government.

As a stakeholder in our state and our country, vote on November 6. Exercise your right and make your voice heard.

Denise Blackburn-Gay, APR, Fellow PRSA has more than 30 years’ experience in public relations including crisis communication and reputation management. She is the President of Marketing Strategies, an affiliate of The Blackburn Group, Inc., a woman-owned small business (WOSB) that is also DBE/ACDBE accredited.

Contact Denise at denise@marketingstrategiesinc.com or call 843-692-9662.

 

 

 

 

 

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