Harper vs. the onion ring

An odd new campaign began in the last 24 hours on Facebook. The challenge: to pit an onion ring against Prime Minister Stephen Harper and see who gets more fans. As I write this, the onion ring is a good deal behind the Prime Minister -- around 14,000 fans, compared to the nearly 30,000 fans of Harper.  

And what is the end game of this contest? I have no idea. Perhaps the gold ring has something to do with the Olympics. Or not.

Comments

[Jim M]

I vote for the dead skunk… http://listen.grooveshark.com/#/song/Dead+Skunk/5545654
It wasn't asking for trouble.

[MyThought]

I think this silliness reduces the seriousness of Facebook and can hurt their democracy campaign a tad.

[Laura]

Almost 19,000 fans now.

[David]

Jim M - Are you kidding? This IS Democracy!

The fact that THOUSANDS of people are willing to participate in this experiment demonstrates how much discontent there is with the PM. The silliness of the Onion Ring only punctuates the point.

Democracy is about participation in the process and since Mr. Harper is intent on removing our ability to do so I appreciate that people are finding creative ways to engage.

Go Onion Ring!

[Ben]

try 23,000 -- Harper is toast! Let's hope the GG extends an invitation to form an alternative Cabinet, with a French Fry in the Constitutional Affairs portfolio

[thepersiancat]

We're at +25k fans now! I think we'll be able to do it in less than 2 days!

Hilarity ensues!

[Frank]

Seriousness of facebook ??? :-) Facebook is anything, depends of the topic. it is like society itself sometimes riduculous sometimes serious sometimes trendy, The Onion Ring affair will easily show the relevance of -our- prime minister. At least the onion ring is a little spicy... and will win easily.

[David]

As of 12:25 PST they're at 25,000+... should beat Harper by end of the day. As for the one who thinks it's silly I think it's a great way for people to vent their frustration at a government that flaunts democracy... i.e. Prorogue

[Mike-D]

Note to Jim M: "I think this silliness reduces the seriousness of Facebook and can hurt their democracy campaign a tad." Hee. Were you also one of those who condemned the soaring number of signers-on to the CAPP group because, "After all, it's only Facebook and Facebook has no credibility"? Just wondering. With CAPP, FB "walked the talk" and drew out thousands of real people for the anti-prorogation rallies. I don't think that any campaign rooted in a genuine concern for the beating that democracy is taking under this government will suffer a whit for the occasional foray into silliness. In fact, I think the sense of humour keeps us healthy.

[Keith]

26000 fans as of 2:34 pm CST...serious or not, one has to hope that someone, somewhere in the CPC machine realizes that they are on the wrong side of many, many Canadians and can hopefully figure out a way back.

Alternatively, just keep on waiting for the Liberals to continue treading water the way the right did for the 90's.

[Miskinlaw]

The Facebook OnionRing4PM Group has grown quickly and is about to surpass fans of Stephen Harper. Interesting non stop comments and much chatter at Twitter for #onionring

[Ernie Hushard]

Items such as this clearly demonstrate the low mentality of those who
compose them. and there are a lot of low mentality types around

[A Person]

On the contrary (to Feb. 2 2010-12:07pm post), I think the onion ring FB site displays how displeased many many people are with Harper. It sends a strong message that Harper must shape up and be more active than an??? Onion Ring

[Michele227]

Last I looked, it was at 27,600 and going up so fast the group will have passed Harper's in a couple of hours--and within only two days!

This group is just some comic relief; a lot of people are outraged and angry and concerned, and it provided an outlet. Canadians can only remain serious for so long before our sense of humour has to surface for air. Here's some examples from the group's wall:

“Onions have many layers, Stephen Harper only has a sweater vest.”

“The kind of oil Onion rings are in bed with does not come from tar sands.”

“The onion ring wanted to batter up but Harper took his ball and went home.”

[musical note]“I get fried with a little help from my friends.”[musical note]

“Onion rings are greasy, but Stephen Harper is slimy.”

“Harper makes me cry more than onions do.”

“Onion Ring: Would you like some fries with that?
Harper: Would you like some LIES with that?”

[David]

Erinie Hushard - You seem to have little if any sense of humour. This is simply a way for thousands of Canadians to vent their frustration at a government they perceive as uncaring, aloof and, as with the case of proroguing, undemocratic. Poking fun at the government is a time-tested way that Canadians voice their opinions. And by the way, I happen to have a rather high IQ.

[Ken Grainger]

Silliness, Low Mentality, lack of respect, if you look at the prime minister and the entirety of the political body, you'll realise that these people echo nothing less than what is being done. Expenditures, lack of respect for democracy, using prorogation as only ONE example, as well as statements that more or less degrade foreign groups show that at this time, the Canadian Government as a whole, is filled with low mentality, lacks seriousness, and has no respect for it's voting public.

The person picked something at random, it could have easily been a paper clip, or a pen, sure the person could have even simply used themselves, but utilising something that is far more laughable shows, that at this time, the government itself is seen as more of a joke than an actual political body doing anything of use for anyone other than the politicians.

[Gabby in QC]

"Items such as this clearly demonstrate the low mentality of those who
compose them ..."

Not to mention those who promote them and then complain about lack of civil political discourse.

[Mandy j]

I am a university educated person and I just joined the Facebook Onion Ring Group so I do not have low mentatlity. It is working, isn't it? It got media attention. It is a lot more wholesome than the evil Conservatives 10 percenters! And fun too! Go you onion!

[Andrew]

Yet more meaningless activity on Facebook.

[Michele227]

UPDATE: The Onion Ring officially beat Stephen Harper at 4:49 p.m. on February 4, only two days after its fan group was created. There are now 30,000 Onion Ring fans, and the number keeps shooting skyward.

[Sleepless in Toronto]

The Onion Ring Won at 4:46pm!!

[James Eberhardt]

At about 4:45pm, the Onion Ring surpassed Stephen Harper in it's number of fans on Facebook.

[Josh Easton]

The onion ring just BEAT Harper for more fans!!! Hahahah I want to see Harpers supporters rally to try to beat... an onion ring... hahahah

[Lee Deranger]

Jim M... SATIRE: noun; Composition etc. ridiculing vice or folly or lampooning individual(s); use of ridicule, irony, or sarcasm to expose folly, vice, etc.

[cheerio]

As of last count, the onion ring has pulled into a tight lead. Whether it will be able to hold this position remains to be seen; however given its velocity -- the onion ring began the race less than 72 hours ago; Mr Harper has been in office for several years -- it would seem likely to emerge as the clear victor.

[Matt]

Ernie, the use of a conjunction to start a sentence, as well as neglecting to capitalize said conjunction, clearly demonstrates the low mentality of the individual writing the sentence.

See, I can be condescending too!

On a lighter note, an onion ring now has more fans than Stephen Harper.

[butts]

Hilarious. Sort of makes me want to fire our political process out of a barrel.

[Danielle]

30,958+ fans in less than two days (and steadily climbing by the minute)... The Onion Ring has spoken!

For those that think this is meaningless and silly, you greatly underestimate the power of Facebook and the voices of youths in Canada. Though a satirical method, the fact that an onion ring can win over more people than our Prime Minister is a loud and serious message.

[Michele227]

It actually turned out to be a really great way to reach out to younger people and remind them (amidst the onion-inspired puns and one-liners) to get out and vote next time. In the last election, voter turnout was the lowest in Canadian history at 42%. And look how that turned out.

[jusdepamplemousse]

3000 more fans in the last ten minutes, pushing it well over 30,000. This just proves how engaging the PM is.

[John Doe]

I think it started with a group entitled "can this onion ring get more fans than Justin Beiber?" The Harper group seems to have been inspired by it. The Beiber group has close to one million members and rising. The Harper group is now at 33000 members.

[Eric]

Um, you guys should check out the Onion Ring vs Bieber group. Its bleeping MASSIVE. This isn't some big political move by anyone. It's just a facebook fad. Theres dozens of "Onion ring vs". And lets face it. The onion rings always going to win. It's delicious.

[Antonia]

For the record Susan, the French-language group Pour que ce stylo ait plus d'amis que Stephen Harper is at 51,555 at the time of this comment.

[Gary Barei]

Well, by 5:00 pm EST February 4, 2010, it was all over ... Harper still around 29,000 and the Onion ring clocked in at 33,000+ and still rising.

Just a little taste for the Harper and his Ilk ... Canadians can and will rise to the challenge.

[Craig]

Ah, yes, the classic conservative response: if you disagree with me, then I deem you irrelevant -- and therefore everyone whose opinion actually matters agrees with me.

Because that approach worked out so well for George W. Bush, or something.

[Alison]

@Ernie Hushard - funny, if you pay attention to the polls, higher education levels are correlated positively with Liberal support....

[David Peters]

The Onion Ring has won. Far more popular than Stephen Harper in a matter of hours!

[CLou]

36,000!

[immaterial]

10k over harper and growing

[Uptown]

Why have the proverbial straw man, when you can have the proverbial straw onion ring instead?

It'd prefer to see him compete with a can of shoe polish.

A can of shoe polish was once elected Mayor of a City in Panama!

[barastus]

I find the absolute lack of humour among the Conservatives on this site monumentally hilarious to watch. The only people funnier are the Liberals who forget Chretien Prorogued gov't several times himself.

[d_jedi]

Note that Harper has more fans than Ignatieff, Layton, Dueceppe, and Dion.. so.. even if an onion ring gets more fans than Harper.. it really doesn't say much, now does it?

[joel]

over 50,000 for the onion ring this evening.

[Robert Hyneman]

There's even a political party starting up, look it up on facebook. Heheheh, those guys...

[MCBellecourt]

85,439 fans now (Feb. 6 at 5:02 AM PT). To paraphrase the Calgary Sun, I'd love to know who the "ringleader" is. And, to paraphrase the Sun again, Stephen Harper is getting "battered" by the Onion Ring!!

Tooooo funny!!!

[Michele227]

The Onion Ring is at the 100,000 mark, more than three times Harper's fans, and in only a few days whereas Harper has been in politics for years.

This is symptomatic of the political mood out there. When people start pitting the prime minister against deep-fried vegetables, and the deep-fried vegetables promptly emerge victorious, then you know there is a serious problem with governance, and anger amongst voters is very high.