HISTORY IS FILTERED

As Bernie Sander’s Presidential campaign has become more successful, with his showings in the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary, the campaign for the Democrat nomination has started to look more traditional. The candidates, their allies, and their supporters are ramping up accusations, denials, and appeals, both to “true” progressives. women, and, now, African Americans. People are taking sides.

Most interestingly, each candidate’s history is being scrutinized, questioned, and supported. But history is a human construct: full of subtleties, wishful thinking, and context. No matter who one supports, it’s important to keep this in mind. All candidates’ histories are full of smoke and mirrors. It’s the nature of politics and human nature to massage the message as much as necessary to win. Of course, this isn’t limited to this race. The histories of the GOP candidates are just as manipulated.

This is the latest in a series of posters Jeff Gates does under the guise of the Chamomile Tea Party. Often taking World War II-era propaganda posters, he remixes them with new text about the rancor so prevalent in American political discourse.