Fleischman oversimplifies

I am the “Joe the Magician” who was referenced in Danielle Fleischman’s article, “Joe is Everybody.”

Leaving the election and all politics aside, I wanted to point out that I am not “straight out of a children’s show,” nor was I “reduced to my employment” by that video project, in which I voluntarily participated along with hundreds of other people. The reason that “Joe the Plumber” became part of the vocabulary of this election is because of the reality and simplicity of the terminology, the ability for people to identify with real life jobs, and the fact that the use of professions highlighted the small business nature of the issues being discussed.

I found it ironic that the mocking and dismissive way Ms. Fleischman referred to me and others in the article represented precisely the same kind of oversimplification and trivialization of people that was being implied on the part of the McCain campaign. I was certainly more directly “reduced” by her belittling mis-characterization than I was by my voluntary contribution to the video project.

“Joe the Magician” Joe M. Turner
Atlanta, Georgia