“Vote Truth” – Political Stake Sign Pilot for 9/11 Truth

Our "North Texans for 9/11 Truth" Group is trying a pilot project.

DILEMMA -
Signs can reach thousands of people with a message. A common problem which we run into with putting out 9/11 Truth stake signs is that they soon disappear. Municipal Code Enforcement picks them up. Our group has put out hundreds and hundreds. However, many times the signs disappear within a few days because Code Enforcement picks them up.

However, politicians have written City ordinances with an exception to the sign code enforcement. Political signs are exempt from being picked up during the election periods.

So, we have been trying to be a part of that exception by "being political".
Magic word: "VOTE"

And we do want to point out that some national and local political candidates support 9/11 Truth. For example: There are not too many Libertarian candidates who are not aware of the "9/11 Cover-up". Also, many candidates support transparency in government. In fact, it would be political suicide for a candidate to publicly state that the government should not be transparent. 9/11 Truth is the epitome of transparency. But “Vote Transparency” doesn’t print well on a political sign.

We ordered 100 stake signs.
These are double sided.
One color print. Red.
24" X 18" coroplast (Yellow this time out in order to boldly grab attention away from other political signs)
30" tall double H wire stakes.

Just so people are aware.
We tried to keep the cost down, but for the biggest bang.

Fortunately, we got "two sides printed" (instead of just one side) at a smooth value of just 50 cents extra per sign.
We stayed with just one print color, because it gets costly doing multiple colors.
The whole package of 100 signs and stakes, including shipping, cost us $350.
While we don’t like to promote a particular business, people will ask where we got them. We purchased these signs from here: http://www.yardsignwholesale.com/index.php Our signs were shipped the same day that the proof was okayed.

We have been watching to see how this pilot goes.

Here are some aspects which were observed when checking on signs after a week or two, along with an important point or two.

* Don't put signs on the "Right of Way" (it is against code and the signs often get picked up).
Put signs behind the easement. Typically this is behind telephone poles or sometimes well back of a sidewalk.

Many of us have been putting signs wherever we see other political signs on a set-back.

Some signs were lost because they mowed the grass and chopped them up. The big 4' X 4' metal posted political signs were left alone.

We know that weather can affect the signs, because you can see the attrition of other political signs.

One nice sign set was placed at a primo intersection along with other political signs. However, when we returned, a major construction project was under way and all the signs were taken down. But, the guys left them in neat stacks on the ground! At another construction area, the signs were completely removed after a couple of weeks of exposure. It wasn’t just our signs which were removed, but all the other same size political signs.

It has been noticed that many of our signs (and most other political signs) are treated with respect and not messed with. In other words, no one is coming to take them down, targeting the 9/11 Truth message.

One sign disappeared by a Republican. There was a line of Democrat signs and a line of Republican signs. We had a ReThink911 stake sign placed in line at each party. The Republican did not like it and so it disappeared.

In summary, the only real attrition which we have experienced was the Republican or from the mowing or from construction or from placing signs in the right of way. All political signs face some attrition.

We make notes of locations. The locales are easy to forget. Following the election, we can pick up the signs and recycle them for next election. This makes for an extremely viable promotion.

Many of our signs are very well exposed to lots of traffic. Daily, thousands and thousands of cars pass by these signs at their various locations.

Next election we will probably go bigger and bolder with 2’ X 4’ or 4’ X 4’ metal posts signs.

If you have any info, things you have noticed, whatever, be sure to let us all know.

I'm proud to say I put out about 25 of these!!

I'm proud to say I put out about 25 of these!!

political action

I'm running for the US House as 9/11 Truth Candidate, in Salem, OR. Got a message to look at the North Texas Truth Groups political lawn signs.
I think the truth movement should follow their lead and co opt the word "TRUTH" before some other movement gets it. "VOTE TRUTH" an excellent idea.

Looking forward to the vote count in Oregon Dist 5, US House race. Lots of support for my candidacy and a very obvious ignoring of my candidacy by the media - I am very well known in my community but this race is completely ignored. I'm doing this to encourage 'truthers' to file and run for office - every public election should have a truther presence: School board, city council, county commission, water board, state house, US Congress. Run for something and get "TRUTH'
on your platform.

My Voters' Pamphlet Statement reaches every voter in my district, it cost $ 2,500. My billboard sign (face of truth - investigate 9/11) cost $500 a week. My total cost for running for the the US House was a little less than $5,000. My message has reached every 'reading' voter in district 5 without the media.

In 2016 I plan to do this again and get "VOTE TRUTH" into my campaign literature, and I hope many of you will file and run. We need to get Truth into our political dialogue.

Truth

Great to hear you are running. I hope you stick to the strongest evidence.

Regarding truth, we co-opted the word long long ago. It's practically a trademark. It's in the domain names, the dialog, the almost everything related to 9/11.

I think it's a mistake. You cant tell people the "truth", you can give them information, they must decide what the truth is.

"Truther" is even worse. And it (like truth) says nothing. It relates no information other than telling the person hearing it that someone thinks they "have truth". "Truther" was not a term the people investigating 9/11 picked, it is a label our detractors assinged to us because of it's negative connotations.

"Rethink 9/11" on the other hand is an excellent slogan. It asks people to think. It does not pretend to know something they dont. There is a thread somewhere around here where folks were brainstorming slogans, I cant find it ATM, maybe someone else can.

http://911blogger.com/news/2012-06-13/truth-and-why-smart-people-are-stupid

PS. Nice signs, I don't mean to disparage the effort.

The truth is..

The official story is untrue.

Way better

Great point. We were told a lie. Saying that does not imply we have some monopoly on truth, it sidesteps every problem with the word truth.

How do we distill it into a simple slogan? "The official story is untrue"; if deadpanned is excellent. It sneaks by the 9/11 filters people have. Requires thinking to decode the subject... all good things.

So far "Rethink 9/11" is the best (imho) and completely general.

random ideas:
"9/11 Incomplete" (obvious problem with misinterpretation though)
"they fell too fast" (credit goes to Gregg Roberts, but some folks don't focus on WTC and that's fine, I do)
"9/11 Untold"
"9/11 Unknown"
"9/11 Cui Bono?"

I agree. RETHINK911 is the best! It wins hands down.

-

I remember the threads years ago. --- But we need help

I remember reading the threads years ago about "Truth" and "Truther". I did not agree on all the aspects mentioned by all the different people in the threads about the word "Truth", but I definitely understand what you are saying.

However, this particular campaign is to solve a problem: "How do we keep our signs from being picked up and discarded?"
That is the dilemma.
We have placed many hundreds of signs over the years, only to have them soon disappear. Code enforcement picks them up.

The exception on City Codes is during the political season. Political signs are okay. They can stay up.

If we put up a sign which only said "ReThink911.org", it would not fly as a political sign.

In order to "pass muster", we need the word "Vote" or a political reference word. We need to be political in an obvious way.
I drained my brain trying to think of a brief slogan, a printable phrase. One idea I had was "Trumps Politics". That is, at the top "www ReThink911 org", then below "Trumps Politics" ...
www ReThink911 org
Trumps Politics

"Vote Truth" was a short catchy phrase with short words with an easy to understand word: "Truth" (which, in a political context, could equate to "factual" or "honesty" or "transparency" or "real" or "genuine" or "sincere")

There are many marketing factors.
- We are a competing message amongst other messages.
- Visibility (size of print and length of phrases) ...a passing car at 40 or 50mph has but a glance to read whichever sign might catch the person's attention. Distance matters. (By the way, we tried to get "ReThink911" in the largest print we could.)
- Short words work best. Easy to understand words work best. Short or catchy phrases snag a neuron.
- We are trying to spur an emotional reaction of interest. While logic, reasoning and rational thought are necessary when studying the evidence, the general public is prompted "to do something" by emotion or strong interest or curiosity. If something looks dull like that science class they hated in High School, they will never do a "Google Search".

So, we are open for suggestions on "how to politicalize" the signs and still maintain good marketing features.

By the way, to see some terrible marketing by a politician, go to the third photo from the top. See the blue and white 18 X 24 next to our ReThink911 sign. The print is so small, no one can read it. And there is too much "noise" on the sign, too much to read.

And after all, how many signs in a day does a person really read?...really notice with strong interest? Maybe the Stop sign with graffiti, a "Going Out of Business Sale" banner, a Burger Kings' Whopper Menu special? Who goes home, then reflects on what interesting signs he saw that day? ...well, errh, uh, maybe... that liquor billboard with the gorgeous bikini lady.

minor suggestion

The www is unecessary. kinda old-school. But for symmetry with the .org you might keep it... The bottom text is easier to read than the top because of the dark backgorund, but it may be better that way.

I think you accomplish the "emotional reaction of interest".

Vote Newton - rethink911.org

I grin

"Vote Newton"
There may be a use for that.

Marvin Sannes - I love hearing about independent action!!

Marvin Sannes WEBSITE - http://www.marvinsannes.com/
Wow! Look at the ReThink911 in the header!!

It is this type of independent action which changes things. Thanks so much for what you are doing!!

Great work....

Well done indeed...and thank you!

Excellent work Joe, TomT, and Rob!

"Vote Truth" is catchy and relevant to the election. It implies that we have been lied to about something -- in this case 9/11-- and we stand for getting the truth. That's the objective. Transparency in general, 9/11 Truth in particular. And we do have some elements of the truth that are fact-based and featured brilliantly on the Rethink911.org website. Yes, more candidates for every election at every level who stand for the two t's of Truth & Transparency!

McGee, You are the pro

I thought about you often during the conjuring of this Pilot Project.
You are the pro as a promoter of 9/11 Truth.
Your marketing skills are excellent and you have a long history of innovative approaches.

If you ever have some ideas, be sure to share them.

Next election we will try some different things

Almost 2 decades ago, I bought coroplast sheets wholesale from a distributor warehouse. The sheets are 4' X 8'. Different colors are available.
I chose yellow at the time for promoting my business.
(I had a cube van which made transport easy.)

Next election, we may try 2' X 4' sheets. Maybe 4' X 4'.
This provides better visibility (larger print).

Logistically speaking, the 2' X 4' are easy for someone with a car to handle.
Plus, it conserves costs. We get four from a 4' X 8' sheet.
Also, it does not act as badly in these strong Texas winds.

Here is a rendition of a 4' X 4' image overlay. 2 color print (blue and red) with white coroplast.
The image is from Hank who mocked it up. We modeled from it.
Hank is in a couple of the above photos. Both he and Joe are professional artists.

Off Topic - FLUORIDATED WATER in Dallas

Also, I am proud to say that many members of our "North Texans for 9/11 Truth" Group are VERY active in the campaign to stop adding Fluoride to the water supply in Dallas.
Some of our members have gone before the Dallas City Council, passed out flyers and literature, promoted the events, put together and burned DVDs, etc.

Dallas has been adding Fluoride to the water for many years, spending huge sums annually to do it.
A vote by the City Council is upcoming in January which will "renew" the Fluoridation Program or not.
We aim to stop this action of putting additional fluoride in the water.

http://dallas.backpage.com/Events/huge-event-the-town-hall-on-fluoridation-oct-20th-7pm-stop-the-fluoridation-of-dallas-wa...

Ha! ...no rest... Another 9/11 Truth Action in the works.

Joe just informed me that he lined up our group with a table for this years JFK Lancer Event. JFK Lancer hosts researchers and talks regarding the assassination of John F Kennedy.

JFK Lancer Conference Nov 21-22nd, 2014. Focus this year on the Warren Report.
http://jfklancer.com/Dallas2014/NID2014.html

Some past 911blogger entries about JFK Lancer.
http://911blogger.com/topics/jfk-lancer

Marvin Sannes for U.S. House of Representatives!

Marvin Sannes for U.S. House of Representatives!

Thank you Marvin! I admire you greatly. It is extremely important to have 9/11 Truth candidates running for public office. My level of activism is not quite there yet but maybe I'll join you someday soon. Good luck with everything. You have our strongest support on the other side of the country. Incidentally, I just contributed to your campaign. Anyone else out there willing to help in the cause of 9/11 Truth through the traditional democratic process?

People have hard time getting

People have hard time getting over with, some still coping while others trying to comprehend.. but the spirit of 9/11 surely can bring change with and effort of good governance only if people choose their bet who can defend its people against any threats.

How did it go?

How were the results? Anything encouraging?

Tremendous Bang for the Buck

I think that we got a tremendous bang for the buck.

Thousands of cars pass by every sign every day. Even if a sign stayed up for a short time, it still would be exposed to lots of traffic. Many signs stayed up for more than 2 or 3 weeks. We had 100 signs multiplied by different traffic routes. Each sign cost $3.50 net. Many signs are salvaged for next election. That is an extremely low cost per potential impression.

I would be curious to see if "hits" from our Dallas area to the ReThink911.org website increased during this time period. With Smartphones and Google during this era, the street sign exposure helps to spawn spontaneous curiosity.

Regardless, the message, the exposure to the name "ReThink911.org" has some value. A person may not respond now, but the more repetition of the "ReThink911.org" website, the better. A person might respond in the future. This is why the same ads run again and again on TV and radio.

Of course, not everyone is "curious" nor even aware of their surroundings while driving (maybe they are looking at the thoughts in their heads).

But throw enough promotion out there, and something is bound to stick.

Also, many people know about 9/11 Truth, but unfortunately a large percentage of those folks have never heard of "Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth". Actions like this may help to better get them updated. It stabilizes the 9/11 Truth Movement to have "Truthers" become aware of Ae911Truth.

For the most part, the sign attrition is probably very close to any other political sign attrition, for the same reasons. I don't think that there are too many radicals who would spend the effort to stop and trek over to a 9/11 Sign and trash it, exclusively to target the 9/11 Truth campaign. Too much effort, too many locales, too exposed.

Next time, I want to go with some larger signs, because the visibility is better, plus it better competes for grabbing attention amongst all the other political signs.

Anecdotes -
- I had one couple in the grocery store the other day remark that they saw the signs way down the road.
- When I was picking up my signs after the November 4th election, I ran into the "Democrat sign-picker-upper" on the same property. He asked who I was picking up signs for. I said: "For the "ReThink911 Campaign". ha! He just had a blank look on his face and went about his business.